BTS’ RM Hopes for a Humble and Tranquil Life in ‘WildFlower’

RM, BTS’ leader, has made a stellar return with his highly anticipated solo album Indigo. It’s led by “Wildflower,” a single that features South Korean rock group Cherry Filter’s vocalist Youjeen and sees the rapper’s “desire to live like humble and tranquil wildflowers rather than a flamboyant flame that quickly vanishes.”

Co-written by RM and Docskim, “Wildflower” traces the rapper’s tussle with the shackles of fame in a soft-rock soundscape. After experiencing the glitz and glamor that fame has to offer, RM wishes to reconnect with his real self: “When everything I bеlieved in grew distant/ When all this fame turned into shackles/ Please take my desire away from me/ No matter what it takes/ Oh, let me be myself.” RM sticks true to his established persona as one-third of BTS’ dynamic rap trio and raps about moving forward irrespective of what others may have to say. There’s an assuring sense of drive and self-confidence emanating from the 28-year-old popstar who knows his next destination is towards a version of himself he yearns the most: “To face all the prejudice and misunderstandings/ I don’t care much for being tossed into the air/ Grounded on my own two feet/ Amongst the flowers without names/ I can’t go to the stars again, I can’t/ Underfoot, I just go.”

The music video sees RM wander across different locations ranging from a serene field, a deserted land wrecked by a storm and of course, the stage. According to a press release, one of the visual motifs implemented in the music video comes from Nakhwa Nori – a traditional folk game that involves hanging bags of oak charcoal powder in between lotus lanterns and lighting them on fire to watch the flames scatter down onto the water. This visual representation amplifies “Wildflower’s” message.

Indigo is an honest introduction to RM’s candid confessions about the past, present and future. The 10-track LP follows the rapper’s previously released solo projects RM (2015) and Mono (2018), and features a slew of featuring artists including the likes of Erykah Badu, Anderson. Paak, Epik High’s Tablo, Kim Sawol, Mahalia and more.