Why BTS’s V is the sound of summer fading to fall: 5 songs to calm your soul in the evening

There’s a space between summer and the fall, where it’s not too warm, never cold and the skies aren’t greying yet and neither are the leaves falling. It’s quiet, just warm---the right amount of warmth where you can lie down and listen to songs. And that’s where BTS’s V, Kim Taehyung belongs. Ironically known as the Winter Bear and the soundtrack to Christmas, neither of which are wrong at all, his deep, languid vocals are always calm and reassuring.

If Jungkook is the voice of summer, V is the fleeting soundtrack between the summer and the fall.

V’s vocals always somehow get you to wind down, quietly, with a touch of introspection, if needed. So, if you had a rather rough day, there’s always a V song for you.

The song is an emotional letter to his younger self, reflecting on the “endless light” he and his members chased long before they became global superstars. In this song, V looks out for his younger self with tenderness, gently showing him what he may have missed along the way.

You might not be V, but you can sure be kinder to yourself too.

Love, longing and a quiet grief. If you’re missing and grieving someone, Winter Bear will be a warm, comforting hug. Slow, peaceful and a tribute to his own grandmother who had raised him, V’s vocals in this song are pensive, melancholy as he wishes peace for her, the woman who had looked after him, when his parents had worked.

Brimming with hope, Christmas Tree is part of the Our Beloved Summer soundtrack, and shows bittersweet ache of love and longing. Through V’s delicate, emotive voice, the song paints the a mix of hesitation and hope—a yearning to be close to the one they can’t quite reach, yet holding onto the possibility of togetherness.

With his signature smooth, velvety tone, V takes you to a time when romance was deliberate, dimly lit dance floors, whispered promises, and slow dances. Slow Dancing  brings pop and jazz effortlessly, layered with hopeful, heart-fluttering lyrics and a surprising flute solo from Cautious Clay. While the instrumental version on Layover is lovely, it’s V’s deep  vocals that make the track irresistible, inviting us to lean in, sway, and dream along with him.

Now, this one’s a practical lullaby. He mixes it up with husky and raspy vocals, without excessive instrumental garnish. It’s simple and straightforward and neither does he pretend that it’s more. It’s languid, and can put you to sleep straight away.