"He’s on more solid ground" — Pdogg shares BTS Jimin's struggle with depression and how his passion channeled it into his music

HYBE dropped the latest Weverse interview where music producers Pdogg and GHSTLOOP spoke about BTS Jimin's passion and conviction for music. On August 7, 2024, the veteran music producers from BIGHIT MUSIC shared that Jimin incessantly worked on creating and recording MUSE to broaden his music range.

For the unversed, MUSE is the second solo album by the BTS idol, which was released on July 19, 2024. It followed the Grammy-nominated musician's debut solo album, FACE, which was released on March 24, 2023, and its title track Like Crazy topped the Billboard Hot 100.

Meanwhile, GHSTLOOP, one of the producers of both FACE and MUSE, shared Jimin's transformative journey between the two albums. GHSTLOOP asserted that the K-pop sensation found "more solid ground" after finishing MUSE and has become more attuned to his core skills of songwriting and composition.

"He’s on more solid ground now compared to during FACE, right down to his very core, and it’s easier for him to expand on everything now. If you feel a difference between “Be Mine” and his earlier songs, then I feel like Jimin has succeeded and so have we," he said.

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"A lot of people felt depressed during the pandemic, and Jimin was no exception" — Pdogg recounts

According to Pdogg, they wanted the BTS idol's voice to sound a bit different from what fans are accustomed to hearing. To keep things interesting, they attempted to record his solo tracks with a falsetto and a contrast between the high and low notes, as is evident in MUSE's title track, WHO.

Pdogg recalled the BTS idol's battle with depression during COVID-19. The Grammy-nominated musician isolated himself to his house and channeled his depression and despair into writing the tracks of FACE, which openly exhibit his inner battles.

Pdogg added that the K-pop sensation was the happiest when he could film Set Me Free Pt. 2 from FACE on a sunny day—a feeling Jimin carried into his second solo album.

"A lot of people felt depressed during the pandemic, and Jimin was no exception. He took his passion and appetite while holed up at home and channeled it into his music. I remember Jimin was so happy being in LA to record “Set Me Free Pt. 2” in the warm, sunny weather. So it seems like working on FACE helped him feel better and helped lift his feelings."

Pdogg continued:

"The idea behind MUSE was to express what he had felt then. That’s why all the songs ended up being upbeat and hopeful, even romantic."

Pdogg explained in the latest interview how every song from MUSE connects to FACE, which shows the singer's journey from despair to hope. The latest album opens with Rebirth (Intro) that connects MUSE with Set Me Free Pt. 2 from FACE, according to Pdogg.

Interlude: Showtime follows as the second track from the album and bridges with the upbeat third track, Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (feat. Loco). The song Slow Dance expresses the desire to take one's time getting to know someone. The fifth track, Be Mine, is about an imagined relationship.

This was followed by MUSE's title track, WHO, where Jimin imagines a fictional woman and where she could be. Pdogg mentioned that the BTS idol struggled while creating WHO and often wondered if he could ever truly love someone, hence, the song ended up having several hints of loneliness and melancholia.

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In other news, WHO topped the Billboard Global 200 and the Billboard Global 200 Excl. US charts. Additionally, MUSE ranked No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart (albums).

Furthermore, the MUSE singer-songwriter is currently serving in the military and will return in June 2025. BTS' Namjoon, Jungkook, V, Suga, and j-hope are also currently serving in the military. The band will resume group activities in late 2025.