The pair were joined by a six-piece band to reimagine Jimin’s first official solo release since BTS began its hiatus
Taeyang marked his grand return to music following a six-year break with “Vibe,” an earnest love song that recruits BTS’ Jimin for an extra kick of affection. Settling into the tone of the song even more, Taeyang and Jimin have both teamed up for a cozy live performance video that amps up the record with the help of a six-piece backing band.
As Taeyang begins the song on the keyboard, he falls into step with the two percussionists, a pianist, a bassist, and a guitarist. Jimin, meanwhile, catches a vibe from the center of the room, waiting for the signal to launch into his sector of the performance.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Jimin of BTS, let’s go,” Taeyang announces as if they were performing their own NPR Tiny Desk at Home concert. A seasoned performer, the BTS member knows his way around performing to the camera with an immediate sense of close-cornered intimacy. Taeyang and Jimin close out the remainder of the song together, bouncing ad-libs and harmonies between one another.
Trending
Taeyang first started working on “Vibe” more than two years ago, following his return from military service. After creating the track and melody with producers Teddy, Kush, Vibe, and 24, the musician stepped away from the song until he was sure of its place on his upcoming solo album. Ruminating on it for a while, he noted Jimin as a fitting collaborator, despite the fact that they’re on different labels.
“We both really wanted to make a really great song and a really great music video,” Taeyang told Rolling Stone in a recent interview. “That’s what we want to show everyone. That feeling was strong for both of us. We worked really hard, and I think it resulted in the song’s quality and the music video’s quality. It was cohesive in that way. Jimin put in more effort than anyone, and I’m very thankful for that.”
