BTS‘ V announced his long-awaited debut solo album, Layover, to great excitement among fans. In a new announcement posted on Weverse on Aug. 8, BIGHIT MUSIC announced that the album, titled and stylized as Layo(V)er, will include six songs that represent V’s identity as a solo artist and is scheduled for release on Sept. 8, 2023, the birthday of his pet pomeranian Yeontan, whose face adorns the album’s cover image. It is to be noted that the upcoming release is the product of a collaboration between BTS V and the creative mind behind the K-pop girl group NewJeans, ADOR’s CEO and producer Min Hee Jin. She was reportedly involved in all aspects of Layover, including music production, music videos, album concept, choreography, and even promotional campaigns. Prior to the release of his album, V released three official solo songs to illustrate his musical identity: “Stigma” (2016), “Singularity” (2018), and “Inner Child” (2020). Apart from these official solo songs, BTS V has also contributed to various K-drama soundtracks, including “Christmas Tree” for Our Beloved Summer and “Sweet Night” for Itaewon Class.

Layover: What to know

Among the six tracks on Layover are “Rainy Days,” “Blue,” “Love Me Again,” “Slow Dancing,” “For Us,” and a bonus track. BIGHIT MUSIC recommends that fans listen to the album in order from song 1 through song 5. Among these songs, the title track for “Layover” is “Slow Dancing.” It is a song described by BIGHIT as a “1970s romantic soul style track,” which “exudes a laid-back and free-spirited feeling.” “Rainy Days” is said to capture “V’s voice beautifully melding with the sound of rain and everyday white noises.” Meanwhile, “Blue” evokes old-school R&B with a modern twist. “Love Me Again” highlights the low-pitch voice of V in a “captivating R&B track,” and “For Us” serves as the epilogue, “stirring up deep emotions” with its powerful lyrics and V’s unique voice. As a bonus track, the album concludes with the piano version of “Slow Dancing.” According to BIGHIT, each of the five tracks will have an official music video, with the exception of the bonus track.

The official music video for V’s song “Love Me Again” was first released on the HYBE label’s YouTube channel on Aug. 10. It is a music video shot inside a cave in Majorca, Spain, that evokes a mysterious atmosphere and emphasizes V’s voice as if it were resounding within the cave. In the video, the camera is focused on V’s face and expressions as she sings. The lighting and minimal cut transitions of the video give the overall effect of a live performance, while BIGHIT describes the retro camcorder shots that “amplify the emotions depicted in the song, the nostalgia for a past love.” The lead single, “Love Me Again,” and the first track, “Rainy Days,” were released on Aug. 11, along with 23 concept photos. The music video for “Rainy Days” was also released on the same day that the song was released. The video depicts V living a calm everyday life. Everyday activities, such as getting up, getting ready for work, working, and napping, seamlessly integrate with the music video’s elements.

Pre-orders for this album began on Aug. 8 at 11 am KST and will continue until Sept. 7. The album is available in three different versions: purple, blue, and green, as well as a Weverse edition. The international price of these albums is $21.90, whereas the Weverse edition is priced at $13.98. Depending on the fans’ locale, both online and offline music stores will offer the album. In order to purchase the album, fans can access local Weverse stores according to their region. Albums will only be shipped on September 8, the album’s official release date. In the meantime, you can also pre-save the digital tracks of Layover through the BTS official link.