Yoongi’s lyrics and their development - a general thread

Yoongi’s lyrics have always been extremely eloquent, addressing complex issues through storytelling and metaphors. To me, they read like poetry. And like any poet, Yoongi has grown so much over the years.

He focuses on similar themes throughout his discography and has stated multiple times that he draws largely on biographical details. A lot of his verses are written from past thoughts, past occurrences. He uses music as a journal in that respect, looking back on his own life.

Since he as a person changes, so do his perceptions of the themes he uses. His lyrics trace this development. I think his mixtapes, which are the most personal compositions because he uses them specifically to process his own emotions and memories.

They’re especially transparent in sharing his perspectives. The struggles he has had, the perception he has of society, the way he sees dreams and hope. Making music is largely cathartic for him and with mixtapes it gives him a chance to scream himself out.

That’s why, if we look at pre-AgustD songs, AgustD, his collaborations and songs up to 2020, as well as D-2, we can get a pretty clear picture of how he wavers over certain themes, of how he develops them into stories and metaphors, of how those metaphors change.

As an artist, Yoongi has grown tremendously. I think D-2 and Shadow are the clearest portrayal of that. But I also think AgustD as a mixtape marked an incredibly important point of his lyrical and musical development.

It’s the point where he shifts into an almost purely autobiographical medium and releases all the worries he’s had so far. Which, though it does come out again in D-2, is never again so detailed, but is necessary to find the balance between metaphor and real-life in his lyrics.

What he also does is find a balance between perfectionism and working hard on something that you can then release into the world. AgustD is like a confession in that sense. When you speak everything out and let it go and then your thoughts are free to change again.

He wrote these lyrics freely, but he has also outgrown himself during the process, he has let go of certain things such as the conflicting feelings towards the 'realness' of idol music and come to accept himself as an artist regardless of the genre.

Yoongi’s outlooks on themes have changed, his expression of them has changed, his vision of them has broadened time and time again. After AgustD, a lot of the regret and bitterness that was present in the lyrics doesn't appear on the same scale anymore.

There is one constant though ! Even when dipping into darker, more difficult and generally taboo themes, Yoongi is eloquent and careful with his word choice, detailed in the tone and way he portrays them. His lyrics are very carefully crafted, always.

And all the lyrics, no matter how dark, end up carrying hope for a brighter future, for a time when things will balance out. He wants to make music like that, he wants to live like that, just drenched in hope.

And I really love him for this. For writing music about hope and a brighter future, for touching the hearts of so many. It's not easy, especially not since people and life aren't always hopeful. But his music is a haven because of it.

Interviews used!

Wings Concept Book (trans syubbae): https://twitter.com/glosshypegirl/status/1215504194670432257

Marie Claire September 2016 (trans KIMMYYANG)
https://kimmy-trans.tumblr.com/post/149233312206/marie-claire-september-issue-2016-bts-sugas

Grazia September 2016 (trans KIMMYYANG)
https://kimmy-trans.tumblr.com/post/149224829116/grazia-september-issue-2016interview-bts-suga

STARCAST: “My name is, AgustD”…
https://m.star.naver.com/bts/news/end?id=8096001&langCode=en

Stream AgustD https://open.spotify.com/album/6GbiSEYL78RDLpxoxkWavo?si=cwK_9ZdbQf6d3lpvcX9mNg