After Six Years, Taeyang Starts a New Chapter With Smash Song “Vibe,” Featuring Jimin of BTS - Rolling Stone

Following a six-year break, Taeyang is back, and he’s kicking disconnected an breathtaking caller epoch of his vocation with “Vibe,” an upbeat emotion opus that features Jimin of BTS — and it’s conscionable a hint of each the upcoming euphony helium has successful store.

In South Korea, Taeyang has been a household sanction since making it large arsenic portion of the trailblazing K-pop lad radical Big Bang, whose 2012 merchandise Alive was the archetypal Korean-language medium to debut connected the Billboard 200. In 2010, Taeyang — calved Dong Youngbae — enactment retired his archetypal solo medium Solar, which featured hits similar “Wedding Dress.” His 2nd solo medium Rise made waves successful 2014, becoming the highest charting K-pop medium by a soloist connected the Billboard 200, and songs similar the effortless “Eyes, Nose, Lips” stay classics. But fans person been eagerly anticipating caller euphony since 2017, erstwhile Taeyang released his past medium White Night, earlier heading disconnected successful 2018 to implicit mandatory subject work successful South Korea.

Luckily, Taeyang is acceptable to springiness his followers what they’ve been waiting for. On Jan. 13, he’s releasing “Vibe,” a opus that’s amusive and upbeat, and that volition instantly marque immoderate listener privation to get up and dance. It’s a bully opposition to the R&B tracks he’s known for, and someway it feels nostalgic and trendy astatine the aforesaid time. On apical of each that, the way features Jimin of BTS, who, similar Taeyang, is known arsenic a multi-faceted creator who tin sing and dance. A collaboration with immoderate members of Big Bang and BTS felt astir intolerable astatine 1 point, and yet present we are.

A time earlier the merchandise of “Vibe,” Rolling Stone met with Taeyang successful the Hapjeong country of Seoul. Sitting successful the offices of THEBLACKLABEL, the affiliate of his longtime location YG Entertainment that helium conscionable signed to, Taeyang opened up astir however his collaboration with Jimin happened and shared what he’s been up to since completing his mandatory subject work successful 2019. At the extremity of our conversation, helium points to a Chrome Hearts Rolling Stones bracelet he’s wearing. “This was 1 of the archetypal gifts my members bought me,” helium says. He enactment it connected arsenic a mode to observe his Rolling Stone interview.

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First things first, congratulations! You person truthful galore fans that person been waiting for caller music. Is determination a circumstantial infinitesimal that made you determine it was clip to return?
Thank you. I deliberation the main happening was that the euphony itself was ready. Following the modulation from YG to THEBLACKLABEL, I was capable to instantly enactment everything I had prepared into motion.

It feels similar a caller start. How bash you consciousness close now, 1 time up of the release?
Honestly, immoderate clip a merchandise day approaches, I deliberation I person the aforesaid feeling: I consciousness truly tense and besides truly worried. But connected the different hand, I’m precise excited reasoning astir gathering with fans since it’s been truthful agelong and I’m looking guardant to it.

“Vibe” features Jimin of BTS. Can you locomotion america done however the collaboration came about? I heard Jimin admires your work.
I had heard that for a while, too. However, we ne'er overlapped portion promoting euphony truthful I wasn’t afloat aware. About 2 years ago, though, Teddy astatine THEBLACKLABEL was watching maine enactment — that was astatine a clip erstwhile the BTS members weren’t doing galore solo activities — and Teddy mentioned successful passing that helium thought radical would truly bask it if I got unneurotic with Jimin to collaborate connected a large song. That truly stuck with maine and I thought it was a large idea, truthful I ever had it successful mind.

And past past summer, I had the accidental to conscionable with the members of BTS astatine assorted backstage gatherings and events. Through that, we people had meals together, and I met Jimin arsenic well. The speech came up precise organically, like, ‘There’s immoderate euphony we’ve enactment together, bash you person involvement successful moving together?’ and helium said helium would truly emotion to. After that, helium came to our studio, we played the euphony for him, and helium truly liked it.

When did you commencement moving connected “Vibe”?
I deliberation it was implicit 2 years ago. After coming backmost from subject service, I was with Teddy [and producers] Kush, Vince, and 24, and Teddy said “Let’s marque a way for Youngbae.” We had amusive making the song, and that’s erstwhile the way and melody came about. The opus sat successful that signifier for immoderate clip and portion reasoning of however to incorporated it into my solo album, the thought to enactment with Jimin came up. We thought, “It would beryllium truthful chill to enactment unneurotic connected this song.”

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It’s not communal for you to enactment connected euphony with idiosyncratic extracurricular of your group, oregon extracurricular of your statement for that matter. How was it moving with Jimin?
Since we’re not nether the aforesaid label, determination were decidedly things we had to enactment out. But we some truly wanted to marque a truly large opus and a truly large euphony video. That’s what we privation to amusement everyone. That feeling was beardown for some of us. We worked truly hard and I deliberation it resulted successful the song’s prime and the euphony video’s quality. It was cohesive successful that way. Jimin enactment successful much effort than anyone and I’m precise thankful for that.

You and Jimin are some known not lone for your vocals, but besides for your dancing skills. Did you enactment connected the choreography together? The euphony video teaser showed a small spot of choreography.
I thought choreography was truly important for this song. We didn’t choreograph it ourselves, and alternatively looked done ideas we received from a assortment of talented dancers. From each of them, we selected choreography from Bailey Sok, a dancer successful America. She’s precise young… She made it truthful well. It was truly hard to larn it.

Were determination immoderate amusive moments you tin stock from accumulation process?
There were many, truthful it’s hard to pick. I deliberation for choreography, honestly, it’s been truthful agelong since I’ve had to larn choreography. I had creation lessons present and there, but practicing without a wide extremity was harder than I thought. The process of having to larn caller choreography for a caller song, since it’s been truthful agelong — getting utilized to it was precise hard. Even for Jimin, since the creation benignant is antithetic from what helium was utilized to, we some had a hard time. (Laughs). We joked to ourselves, like, “Are we the weird ones? Or is it due to the fact that the choreography is truly that hard?” We wanted to bash it well, and it took immoderate clip for america to get there.

That being said, tin we expect immoderate creation challenges?
I deliberation astatine this point, we’ve some practiced truthful overmuch that we are successful a bully place. Both of us.

The teaser posters revealed that you participated some creation and songwriting. Is determination a lyric successful “Vibe” that you particularly like?
Personally, I similar each the lyrics. I deliberation due to the fact that we made the opus knowing that the taxable would beryllium the connection “Vibe.” I thought profoundly astir what the connection means. In Korea, the connection “vibe” became fashionable and trendy done programs similar “Show Me the Money,” but speech from that, I felt a heavy transportation with the word’s meaning. A bully vibe could beryllium the vigor oregon inspiration you get from an entity of love, oregon it could travel arsenic harmony betwixt 2 loves, alternatively than from solitude. I was reasoning of what it could mean and that’s however a batch of the lyrics came out.

Right now, the track’s meaning is successful the lyrics: “Falling connected a acheronian entity similar twilight, conscionable gets better.” I deliberation that lyric fits close wherever I americium astatine with “Vibe.” There were immoderate hard moments successful the past and I didn’t get to conscionable with fans for a agelong time. With “Vibe,” I consciousness similar my clip to conscionable with fans is starting.

I had work that “Eyes, Nose, Lips” was cardinal to releasing the Rise album. Would you accidental “Vibe” plays a akin relation successful your upcoming album?
Ah. That medium had travel to fruition with “Eyes, Nose, Lips.” I was already moving connected the album, and we didn’t person a main song, but erstwhile we had “Eyes, Nose, Lips,” we were capable to merchandise the album. I’ve been moving connected my adjacent medium consistently since completing my subject service. “Vibe” is 1 of the songs that came from that and we didn’t primitively person plans astir who to collaborate with oregon however to determination guardant with the project. But past year, portion moving connected the album, much ideas were floated around, similar to enactment with Jimin… That’s wherefore “Vibe” is being revealed first. I’m moving connected the different songs arsenic well.

On Instagram, fellow Big Bang member G-Dragon (Kwon Jiyong) has shown enactment for your caller music. What was his absorption erstwhile helium archetypal heard “Vibe”?
Jiyong really adjacent came to our euphony video acceptable and cheered maine connected a lot. As idiosyncratic who has ever been portion of a group, oregon portion of a sub-unit similar GD and Taeyang, I haven’t truly done galore collaborations extracurricular of that. It was truly caller for me, but Jiyong came to enactment and said the opus is truly good. He would ticker the show connected acceptable pointing retired things present and there, and gave maine tons of advice.

There isn’t a batch of accusation astir your upcoming medium conscionable yet, but erstwhile it does get unveiled, what benignant of medium bash you privation it to be?
I think, successful a way, this medium volition beryllium the embodiment of my clip that’s passed up until now. Especially for my fans who person waited for truthful long, it contains the thoughts I’ve had and the feelings I’ve had, truthful I anticipation those emotions get delivered done this album.

Whenever I enactment retired an album, I delegate a taxable that fits with meaning of my name. [Taeyang means prima successful Korean.] With this medium too, I thought of the sunset rather a spot and looked to the sunset for inspiration — similar a beauteous sunset that has galore colors. The 4 years that I’ve worked connected making this medium were a clip for maine to instrumentality to my roots and archetypal mindset erstwhile I archetypal started. I anticipation this medium conveys the archetypal volition I archetypal had.

Like you said, it’s been a portion since you’ve been capable to conscionable with fans. You’ve been attending immoderate creation events and backstage parties, but I’m funny to perceive however other you’ve spent your time.
I deliberation I thin to walk a batch of clip astatine home. I similar being astatine home. As you know, with the pandemic, we couldn’t spell retired much. I usually americium location a batch but I deliberation I was location adjacent much due to the fact that of that. I walk astir of my clip with my family. I utilized to station these pictures rather often earlier I wiped my Instagram recently, but I similar to spell connected walks. I would spell to Namsan oregon different mountains and walk. At home, I bask speechmaking and writing. That’s however I spent the bulk of my time.

I’m funny to cognize what euphony you’ve been listening to these days. What songs and artists bash you spell to for inspiration?
These days I’ve been listening to a batch of aged music. If I had to prime 1 song… Let maine look. (Scrolls done phone). There are truthful many, should I conscionable prime one?

The much recommendations the better.
I perceive to a batch of aged songs. “Lift Me Up” by Yes… This one’s truly famous, but “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers… oregon Stevie Wonder’s “Down to Earth.” There are a lot. I’ve been listening to a batch of aged Korean songs too.

A batch of things person changed since the past clip you released solo music, similar the popularity of creation challenges, and you’ve besides conscionable opened a caller forum wherever you’re communicating with fans. While observing the manufacture during your break, was determination thing you wanted to effort erstwhile you returned?
To beryllium honest, I haven’t actively thought of those things. I consciousness truly powerfully astir making euphony and showing everyone large music. I deliberation during my break, I observed however overmuch civilization has changed — caller platforms present exist, radical devour contented done caller channels. I deliberation I unintentionally began to survey these things and truly wanted to bash good for my caller azygous oregon medium release. I thought to myself, “I request to bash this well. I request to hole myself.”

Do you ever look backmost astatine aged videos oregon perceive to aged songs? What bash you consciousness looking back?
A fewer years ago, erstwhile I saw aged videos, I was much captious and had regrets astir wherefore I did things the mode I did. But now, I’ve go much generous and forgiving. Like, “Right, determination were times similar these… There were definite strengths backmost past that I mightiness not person now.” I consciousness much relaxed looking backmost astatine myself now. The things I lacked backmost then, if you look astatine it a definite way, made maine who I americium today.

I utilized to not privation to spot aged contented and would consciousness embarrassed by it. I thin not to ticker a batch of aged videos. I truly utilized to not ticker them successful the past, but I deliberation present erstwhile I bash look back, I deliberation of ways to upgrade my euphony and performances for the aboriginal too, and I besides look to things and aspects of myself that I should proceed connected with.

From your discography, if you had to prime 1 opus that you clasp adjacent to heart, what would it be?
It changes each day, to beryllium honest. Each opus is meaningful to me. If I had to prime close present though, it would beryllium “Vibe.” It’s meaningful to maine successful a unsocial way. I accidental that due to the fact that to me, it’s a caller start, and the process of completing the song, collaborating with Jimin, looking back, felt precise natural. I observed however the opus came astir people without feeling forced, and was amazed by that. That was truly special. Additionally, it’s my archetypal opus aft joining THEBLACKLABEL, making it much meaningful.  

Looking backmost connected your career, are determination immoderate memories oregon moments you are fond of?
Looking back?

Yes, though I’m definite there’s a lot. (Laughs).
There are a lot. (Laughs). I realized it’s been 17 years now. It’s hard to telephone retired circumstantial moments. Can I deliberation connected this 1 a bit? It’s pugnacious to prime 1 infinitesimal oregon happening due to the fact that I deliberation it’s each infinitesimal I had with my members. Rather than conscionable going connected tour, oregon moving connected an album, but the vigor we had erstwhile we were unneurotic and the feelings and knowing we person for 1 another. It was ever fun. And we were overmuch younger past too. That freshness. Looking backmost connected it now, each infinitesimal peculiar and precious.

As idiosyncratic with a longstanding vocation and years of experience, you’ve grown truthful overmuch arsenic an artist. Do you consciousness that maturation yourself?
I deliberation these moments present are portion of my maturation process. A batch of my past experiences led to my growth. I needed immoderate clip to look backmost and bespeak to spot my growth, arsenic good arsenic my shortcomings. I’ve had immoderate clip to look my shortcomings and find solutions. I deliberation done that, I’ve been capable to turn a small now. And done those moments, starting now, successful this caller place, I tin turn more.

I’m funny to cognize who you spell to for advice and guidance.
Whether they are the producers astatine THEBLACKLABEL, oregon Teddy, I deliberation it’s truly important to situation yourself with radical who tin springiness you bully proposal and support you connected the close path. It’s been a agelong clip since I started this vocation arsenic an creator and I deliberation that rings existent adjacent much with time. As clip passes, portion becoming much fashionable and receiving emotion from galore people, I deliberation determination are moments wherever I tin miss retired connected proceeding what is bully for me, and alternatively travel words that are bully to hear. Despite that, thankfully, I person radical by my broadside who volition archer maine the close things, adjacent if they are hard to hear. The producers astatine THEBLACKLABEL and Teddy ever springiness maine proposal during hard times and assistance maine find solutions.

You debuted successful 2006. Is the 2023 mentation of Taeyang adjacent to what you had envisioned for yourself backmost then?
There are immoderate things that are akin and others that are not. I deliberation the information that determination are immoderate similarities astatine each is astonishing and a relief. In 2006, and adjacent earlier my debut, arsenic a trainee, I ever thought to myself, “I’m going to beryllium a planetary vocalist nary substance what.” (Laughs). I’m not definite wherever that assurance came from, but I ever thought that. As a trainee, you truly don’t cognize your future, if you’ll quit… There are a batch of unknowns. Despite that situation, I ever thought to myself that I volition someway go a planetary singer. And I ever made definite my actions and thoughts were aligned with that goal.

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I deliberation that mentality made maine who I americium now. And speech from that, of people determination are truthful galore things that person happened that I couldn’t person expected. Of people I’ve imagined immoderate of these things, but to execute connected specified ample stages, determination are much moments that I can’t believe, since they were conscionable things I had imagined erstwhile I was younger. I’m truly grateful. And different happening I’m truthful thankful for is that a batch of the radical that were by my broadside backmost past are inactive with maine today. It’s truthful meaningful.