A yellow balloon curiously floating and guiding one through the expansive universe.
A piece of meaning to make sense of this often chaotic world around us. But none of this is coincidence.
To introduce the ARMY to their new music, BTS released the first track of their new album, Love Yourself: Her on September 4th, 2017. In typical BTS fashion, the teaser track was marked as an "Intro," definitively marking the beginning of a new era to come in the next album cycle.
"Intro: Serendipity." The name itself indicated a perhaps lighter and mythical side of BTS in the coming album. But the ethereal vibe evoked in the title cannot be fully encapsulated unless one listens to the track.
"Serendipity" was brought to life by main vocalist Jimin; the song showcasing his wide vocal range but especially highlighting his impressive upper register, delicate breathy trills and well-controlled runs. The song is relatively minimalistic in its use of instrumentals. Soft electronic beats and piano gently cushion the song, allowing Jimin's voice to truly blossom throughout the course of the song. While the song was lyrically written by RM, it's Jimin's vocals and overall performance of the song that whisk away the listener into a daydream like state of tranquility.
"Serendipity" speaks of a tale of fate, destiny becoming jealous of the way the universe has brought two lovers together. (While my heart flutters a lot, I'm scared// Fate is repeatedly jealous of us). Yet despite this, the singer finds solace in the muse, knowing everything was created by the universe. While it's not clear who these two lovers are, I like to interpret the song as a love between a performer and music. When music calls out and coaxes the passion out of the heart of the performer, the performer blooms, almost as if they were a flower. While this love and passion for performing brings great joy, it can also bring occasional hardship and heartache. (When you called me, I became your flower//As if we were waiting, we bloom until we ache)
This love of music is evident when watching Jimin performing the song in concert, which I've been fortunate to experience twice. But though he's performed the song dozens and dozens of times, his passion is uncontainable and explosive in nature. His persona is truly one that is meant to be on stage; his body fluidly shaping and becoming a part of whatever song is before him. His performances are mesmerizing and one can't help but watch in awe as he casts himself around the stage. In short, music and dance are so much a part of his life and his talent speaks as a testament to his love for it.
Each time I listen to "Serendipity," I feel myself falling in love with different parts that I didn't notice before. I'm yanked out of whatever moment I was in and sink into the song as it plays. I'm forced into silence and mere concentration as I allow myself to be overcome by the feelings and art surrounding me. "Serendipity" washes over you like a wave. It pulls you into a current, floats you around the song, before gently setting you back into reality as the lyrics fade away.
Even after two years, the song still holds an enormous amount of soul and heart within its lines. "Serendipity" displays Jimin's, and more broadly, BTS's devotion and love to perform. As the years continue to pass, there's no doubt that this song will still have the impact it has today.
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