10 Pensive Lyrics From BTS’s RM’s “Indigo” That Hit Home

The BTS members have recently been blessing their audience with solo careers, taking root in return one by one. Enter RM with his first solo album, coming to life after two successful solo mixtapes “RM” and “Mono,” respectively. As any fan would have predicted, “Indigo” has rightfully blown minds with its depth, relatability, and large-scale collaboration lineup. When a poet like Kim Namjoon writes, sings, raps, and produces, we are greeted with a masterpiece that is “Indigo.” According to the rapper, the album captures his 20s and narrates his individual growth both as a person and as an artist.

Delving deeper into the lines that beautifully shape his mesmerizing music, here are 10 pensive lyrics from BTS’s RM’s “Indigo” that hit home.

*Translated lyrics from Genius.

“Yun” (with Erykah Badu)

“I wanna be a human
‘Fore I do some art
It’s a cruel world
But there’s gon’ be my part
‘Cause true beauty is a true sadness
Now you could feel my madness”

In his first track dedicated to Yun Hyong Keun, a renowned South Korean contemporary artist, RM stresses his desire to connect with humanity in order to make art that represents him as an individual. As consumers of art in all of its forms, it’s easy to relate most to music that speaks to us on a personal level, that feels humane, and shares our perspective on various topics.

“Still Life” (with Anderson .Paak)

“Gimme no name ’cause I’m untitled (Oh, yeah)
My life is on display, still life, still life
The past is gone, and the future is unclear (Oh-oh)
I catch my breath at a fork in the road
I want to escape the frame of this canvas (Oh-oh)
The shadow cast over me by yesterday and tomorrow” 

Staying true to the theme of his album, RM draws himself as a painting. Its content is ever-changing between past and future to the point that he refuses to title himself. In life, sometimes one can feel stuck in a box, watching past and future events take place and feeling unable to properly self-identify amidst all this mess.

“All Day” (with Tablo)

“There are more bodies outside
It just became a habit, I don’t care
You know, those guys do care more
In fact, the body is nothing, the mind is more of the problem
Uh, yeah, I myself, don’t know, huh
F*** the AI, f*** the algorithm
I need to think, f*** all the rhythm
My biorhythm gives me no time to think”

Biorhythm can be defined as a cyclic pattern that regulates a person’s physical, emotional, or mental state. RM boldly addresses how he feels trapped as his mind is challenged by an automated thinking process plaguing the world. Sound familiar? This is exactly what’s happening currently worldwide. People are heavily influenced by what they see on social media. While some of them are stuck in a vicious cycle, others are fighting to preserve their individuality above copycats, silly trends, and unnecessary waves.

“Forg_tful” (with Kim Sawol)

“I keep forgetting about yesterday
I don’t know what today is either
I keep forgetting the me of yesterday
I’m only twenty-six, yeah, yeah
Why can’t I remember?
My friends are sad
I’m sorry, I have so many thoughts
I don’t have enough memory”

Forgetting as a young adult can be a scary feeling, especially when people around you start to notice. RM vividly describes the situation and apologetically explains it with the fact that his mind is so overwhelmed with thoughts that he’s running out of memory space. Deep down, there is a “Forg_tful” RM in all of us. Between stress, overthinking, and the overwhelming toll on mental health in our day-to-day lives, one can be happy if they don’t forget their names nowadays.

“Closer” (with Paul Blanco, Mahalia), produced by HONNE

“Mm, I feel it most in the nighttime, yeah
Me never on your timeline, yeah
See you always in the limelight
Keep me rollin’ in the deep, yeah
Not a tease, no joke, I do mеan it
Don’t cease, baby don’t, why you floatin’?
Wanna lock you up in my sight
But you run away like fish, yеah”

RM opens up and shows a vulnerable side of him in love. He shares the agony of relationships when one tries to get close to a partner, only to hopelessly see them drift away every time. Many people have experienced this at some point in their love lives, especially when it comes to chasing the unattainable.

“Change pt. 2”

“Things change, people change,
everything change
Love change, friends change,
everyone change
It is no strange
That’s the world’s shape”

I know it, you know it, and RM sings it loud: change is imminent. As he simply puts it, this variation is part of growth and can take place in relationships, friendships, and even on a personal level. This is something that people are adopting more and more nowadays, where change is very much welcome and encouraged because it’s the next step towards thriving in all aspects of life.

“Lonely”

“In a moment of eternity
It’s neatly packed here
I hate this hotel room
I’m floating alone
This loud horn
As wide as the narrowed room
I’m trapped in myself”

No one likes to feel lonely, not even introverts (I see you). As for RM, he feels the loneliest whenever he is trapped in a hotel room, which seems to box him and makes him homesick. Relatable, is it not? You’re probably nodding your head as you’re reading this part. While your idea of loneliness is not similar to RM’s, we each have a version of it that makes these lyrics hit home.

“Hectic” (with Colde)

“Yesterday was a hectic
There was nothin’ romantic
If I can just find a reason
To keep this endless chasin’ (Chasin’, chasin’)”

So few words, so much meaning: in a raw and straight-to-the-point manner, RM sums up his life as an artist. As busy and popular as it gets, it doesn’t leave him room to find himself in the love department. Not everyone is a successful worldwide artist, but many put all of their focus on their careers that they simply don’t find time for love. Well, until you do, perhaps this track will bring you solace.

“Wild Flower” (with Cho Youjeen)

“Even before the start, I imagined
An end where I could applaud and smile
That’s what I wishеd for
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”

Sometimes, the things we love the most can strip us from our identity and freedom. RM gets real in this song as he highlights how things have swerved from how they once were, and now he is willing to do whatever it takes in the hopes of finding himself again. In reality, this can happen in a job, a relationship, a friendship, or even within one’s family.

“No.2” (with Park Ji Yoon)

“I smile
That I ain’t gotta prove myself
That I ain’t the one, that I ain’t the shit
A child who was hungry for recognition
Older people that are suited mind
My balloon filled with myself, explode
After it exploded, I knew it was empty inside
I asked endlessly, can it just flow?
Can I belong where I don’t want to?”

RM’s lyrics usually come from a confident self-acknowledgment standpoint, but this time, he humbles himself and renounces any form of recognition. In fact, he even highlights that his ego is basically deflated as he is now looking at a No. 2 version of himself, a far better one. How many times have we declared a “new me” phase? At least every New Year’s Eve. Upgrading one’s self is a human trait and a very much appreciated one.

Which pensive lyric from RM’s “Indigo” hit home for you? Let us know in the comments below!

Esmee L. is a Moroccan lively dreamer, writer, and Hallyu enthusiast.