Earlier this year BTS released their latest album, “Map of the Soul: 7”, that broke sales records and topped charts across the world. One of the songs off their latest effort, “My Time”, captured our attention as a highlight on the album. Interestingly this song is sung solo by Jungkook, one of the members of BTS.
Lyrics: A+
“My Time” finds Jungkook describing his life and experience as someone who has spent much of his time in the spotlight.
24, feels like I became a grown-up faster than everyone else
My life has been a movie, all the time
I ran to where the sun rises every single night
It’s like I’ve been to someone’s tomorrow
Tasty:
When singers attempt to portray vulnerability about themselves, they often use the trope of the perils of being a celebrity and the lack of privacy it brings them. While certainly true, it’s a known storyline that becomes tiresome to hear — the opening of “My Time” almost makes it seem that would be the theme here with the opening lyrics above and the following:
Friends ridin’ subway, I’ll be in the airplane mode
All over the world rock on, I made my own lotto
But is it too fast? There are traces of loss
But the song takes an interesting turn in the chorus with the lyrics:
Oh, I can’t call ya, I can’t hol’ ya
Oh, I can’t
And yes you know, yes you know
Instead of focusing on the impact that being in the public eye has had on his general life, the focus of “My Time” turns into how it’s impacted his relationship with a specific person. That perspective makes the song less self pitying and more remorseful.
The ambiguity of who is being sung to is similar to another BTS song, “Make It Right” ft. Lauv — check out our review of it here.
As the song progresses and Jungkook talks about the pressure of finding time in his daily life and questioning if he’s even living his life properly, he changes the final chorus to the following:
Oh, I will call ya, I will hol’ ya
Oh I will
And yes you know, yes you know
The subtle change from “can’t” to “will” adds a nice dynamic to the song’s progression. Jungkook ending the song with this chorus before the final outro really sells the personal connection he has to the lyrics and makes the song even more authentic.
Production: A+
“My Time” by Jungook finds him exploring elements of RnB within the group’s Pop sound. The result is a very modern sound to the song that really helps highlight Jungkook’s voice.
Tasty:
The opening moments of “My Time” contain some of its most interesting elements — a unique combination of electronic sounds and instruments sets up an otherworldly atmosphere for the song. The production adds impact to Jungkook’s words when it simplifies before he comes in for the first time — this only ever happens in the opening of the song as the beat picks up again later in the verse.
Jungkook’s layered vocals and adlibs sound fantastic in the chorus. Many of his adlibs are nicely executed runs that decorate the chorus, reminiscent of the kind of singing within the RnB space by singers like Chris Brown.
Overall the production of “My Time” is polished and modern sounding, and finds a perfect balance to allow Jungkook to showcase his voice and lyrics.
Replayability: A+
“My Time” is a song that can be enjoyed on every level. The mid-tempo beat and polished production naturally sound great for casual listening, while the lyrics and Jungkook’s vocal performance will satisfy intentional listeners. “My Time” delivers on so many levels — lyrics, production, vocals — that it fits with many listening occasions.
Final Grade: A+
Jungkook delivers a stellar performance in “My Time” that showcases the capability of the singer when backed by a strong production and meaningful lyrics. This standout song from “Map of the Soul: 7” paints an interesting picture of Jungkook’s life leading up to this point, and a glimpse into the kind of music we can expect from him in the future.
Color Vibe: Silver
Season Vibe: All
Mood Vibe: Introspective
Mocha Quality: A+
Tags: Kpop, Pop
Check out the audio for “My Time” by Jungkook x BTS below.
