Layover (V album)

Layover (stylized as Layo(v)er) is the debut studio album by South Korean singer V of BTS. It was released on September 8, 2023, by Big Hit Music.

Layover
Studio album by
V
ReleasedSeptember 8, 2023 (2023-09-08)
Genre
Length17:36
Language
  • English
  • Korean
LabelBig Hit
Producer
  • Frankie Scoca
  • Freekind
  • Jinsu Park
  • Absent Chronicles
  • Monro
Singles from Layover
  1. "Love Me Again"
    Released: August 10, 2023
  2. "Rainy Days"
    Released: August 11, 2023
  3. "Slow Dancing"
    Released: September 8, 2023
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash8/10[1]
NME[2]

Background and release

On August 2, 2023, it was reported that V started collaborating with NewJeans creative director Min Hee-jin for his upcoming studio project.[3] Big Hit Music announced the album on their social media on August 7. The post was accompanied by a visualizer that included the album title and revealed the six tracks featured on the record.[4] According to hints dropped by Big Hit, the album will largely focus on an "R&B sound" with "elements of pop".[5] Song descriptions range from R&B ("Blue", "Love Me Again" and "For Us") to "'70s romantic soul style" on the focus track "Slow Dancing".[6] All of the tracks are set to arrive with their own music video.[7] In an accompanying press release, Big Hit stated that V is set to "showcase amazing new performances" and will make several appearances alongside the album release. Upon the announcement, the singer mentioned that he wishes to "deliver" box sets of the album to his fans with "lots of love".[8]

Music and lyrics

Layover comprises six songs, including the singles "Love Me Again", "Rainy Days", and "Slow Dancing". The record has been described as a pop, R&B,[9] and jazz album "led by the soulful tones of V's voice."[1]

Songs

It opens with "Rainy Days," an alternative pop and R&B track.[10] Abbie Aitken of Clash described it as a lo-fi mix founded on YouTube, writing, "the realism of the artificial rain, the soft jazz, and a curious phone alert swiftly followed by the sound of typing all add to a feeling of cosiness and familiarity."[1] The second track "Blue," is an old school R&B song[11] that starts out with a simple guitar, then quickly transgresses into a combination of a drum and "gliding vocals." [1] Third track, "Love Me Again, "is another R&B song,[12] revolves around discussing the feeling of missing loved ones and the struggles of letting them go after a heartbreak.[13] Followed with "Slow Dancing," a 1970s romantic soul sound with a simple jazz rhythm. Its lyrics were described as a "typical love story," where "one lover pining over another singing words such as 'it shouldn’t feel like this, hurts too much already."[1] The closing track, "For Us," was picked as the most interesting track on the EP by Rhian Daly of NME, praising its production and "pitched-up vocal," writing, "its synth pads and bright piano immediately reminiscent of soft-focus ’70s live performances."[2]

Promotion

On August 10, 2023, the official music video for the track "Love Me Again" was released. The official music video for the track "Rainy Days" was released the following day. The music video for the focus track "Slow Dancing" was released along with the album on 8th September. The music video for "Blue" was released on September 13. "For Us" was the last video released on 15th September. V later promoted the album on numorous music shows.[14]

Commercial performance

According to Hanteo Chart, one of the biggest music sales trackers in South Korea, Layover sold over 1.67 million copies on its opening day, setting a new record for the highest first-day sales by any solo K-pop artist in chart history. By the end of its first week, the album's sales tallied 2,101,974 copies, marking the first time that any solo artist's album surpassed the 2-million-sales milestone in its opening week. Layover earned the highest debut-week sales by a solo K-pop album, breaking the record previously set by bandmate Jimin with Face (1.45 million copies),[15] and the 10th highest first week total among all Korean albums, making it the bestselling solo debut in South Korean history.[16]

In Japan, Layover debuted at number two on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums chart issue dated September 13, 2023, with 238,057 physical copies and 6,773 digital copies sold during the period dated September 4–10.[17] It was the best-selling digital album and second best-selling physical album of its release week on the component Download Albums[18] and Top Album Sales[19] charts respectively. Layover also debuted at number two on the corresponding issue of the Oricon Albums Chart, for the same tracking period, topping the component Digital Albums Chart as well.[20]

Layover debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 in the United States, with 100,000 equivalent album units earned in its first week (ending September 14, 2023). This figure comprised 88,000 pure sales; 9,000 streaming equivalent albums (12.95 million on-demand official streams); and 3,000 track equivalent albums.[21] With this, V tied with bandmates Jimin and Suga[lower-alpha 1] as the highest-charting Korean solo artists in Billboard chart history.[22]

Accolades

In October 2023, Layover received a nomination for Album of the Year at the upcoming MAMA Awards while "Love Me Again" was nominated in the Best Vocal Performance – Male Solo and Song of the Year categories.[23]

Track listing
Layover track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."Rainy Days"
  • Frankie Scoca
  • Freekind
Scoca2:59
2."Blue"
  • Gigi
  • Motzfeldt
  • Stoltenberg
  • Absent Chronicles
  • Park
2:29
3."Love Me Again"
  • Kim
  • Freekind
  • Gigi
  • Freekind
  • Park
  • Freekind
  • Park
3:02
4."Slow Dancing"
  • Freekind
  • Park
  • Kim
  • Freekind
  • Gigi
  • Freekind
  • Park
3:07
5."For Us"Freekind
  • Freekind
  • Monro
Monro2:51
6."Slow Dancing" (Piano Version)
  • Kim
  • Freekind
  • Gigi
  • Freekind
  • Park
  • Freekind
  • Park
3:08
Total length:17:36

Charts

Certifications
Certifications for Layover
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[48] Gold 253,316[49]

Notes
  1. as Agust D

References
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  2. Daly, Rhian (September 8, 2023). "V – 'Layover' review: suave sophistication with a twist". NME. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  3. Ziwei, Puah (August 2, 2023). "BTS' V to work with NewJeans creative director Min Hee-jin for his solo album". NME. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  4. Kaufman, Gil (August 8, 2023). "BTS' V Announces Debut Solo Album, 'Layover'". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  5. McIntyre, Hugh (August 7, 2023). "BTS Member V Announces His Debut Solo Album 'Layover'". Forbes. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  6. "BTS' V announces his solo debut album Layover comprising 6 songs, will release on September 8. Check details here". Hindustan Times. August 8, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  7. Harrison, Scoop (August 7, 2023). "V of BTS Announces New Solo Album Layover". Consequence. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  8. Agarwal, Bhavna (August 8, 2023). "BTS member Kim Taehyung aka V to release his solo album 'Layover' on September 8: Details". India Today. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  9. Kim, Do-gon (September 8, 2023). "뷔, 인간 김태형" [V, human Kim Taehyung]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  10. Brandle, Lars (August 11, 2023). "BTS' V Turns on the Waterworks With 'Rainy Days': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  11. Blistein, Jon (September 15, 2023). "BTS' V Brings a Quiet Storm to 'Tiny Desk Korea'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  12. Madarang, Charisma (August 10, 2023). "BTS' V Releases Smooth Solo Single 'Love Me Again'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  13. "Love Me Again song: BTS' V turns into a heartbroken, but fashionable lover in retro-style music video". Hindustan Times. August 9, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  14. Madarang, Charisma (August 10, 2023). "BTS' V Releases Smooth Solo Single 'Love Me Again'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
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  49. Oricon references for Layover sales:
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