Photo Courtesy of: BigHit Music
As we leave November and enter the depths of December, BTS’s V and Park Hyoshin have gifted us the perfect soundtrack to welcome winter. Their duet titled Winter Ahead is a cosy number that plays to the strengths of both the vocalists talents.
Starting with a saxophone, it’s swiftly joined by the gentle, delicate keys of the piano. Then, V’s gorgeous, velvety vocals arrive as he sings, “Lie with me / By the fire / We can be / Safe from the storms up high / There’s a winter ahead.” The lyrics feel conversational and intimate, and joined by Park Hyo Shin, together they lead into a romantic chorus: “I’ll be with you until the spring runs by and the summer starts to burn. I’ll be with you when the autumn wind returns. Don’t you want to say you’ll stay?”
Photo Courtesy of: BigHit Music
The collaboration between V and Park Hyo Shin, one of South Korea’s most celebrated ballad singers known for his powerful voice, is a perfect match. Having a vocalist like Park Hyo Shin sing on the single works incredibly well with V. Together, they have you embracing winter as they create a dreamy track that takes you to a comforting warm place, ignoring the cold weather outside.
Photo Courtesy of: BigHit Music
Alongside the vocals, the instrumental itself is a standout, with a trumpet that adds depth to the jazz-inspired track that transports you back in time. It paints picture-perfect scenes—a quiet night by the fire or out in the snow sipping hot chocolate. It’s a gentle, soft, and slow number that is comforting and ideal for this time of year.
V and Park Hyo Shin’s collaboration brings a heartfelt melody to life, co-composed by the duo, while Jesse Harris, the lyricist behind Norah Jones’ “Don’t Know Why,” has written lyrics that complement the music beautifully. The subtle richness of their voices adds depth to the song, offering an enjoyable listening experience.
The music video itself is a work of high-end cinema, drawing inspiration from the Greek myth of Pygmalion. V takes on the role of a sculptor who crafts and brings his ideal partner to life, sharing moments of joy and dancing together in bliss. As he continues to sculpt more people, a grand party begins, only for chaos to ensue when an uninvited guest arrives.
The video shifts between contrasting settings that showcase different sides of V’s character, from a tender lover to the life and soul of the party. Once again V has created another standout music video.
Just like his previous work, Layover, where all six tracks were paired with music videos that captured the song’s essence wonderfully. His most recent videos, IU’s Love Wins All, featured a heart-breaking yet beautiful storyline. While March’s FRI(END)S once again highlighted how strong V’s acting skills and talent for creating in-depth storylines are.
Its as for V, his music videos are just as important as the songs themselves. Together creating works of art to be enjoyed that invite fans to dissect and come up with their own interpretations. Which results in interesting narratives that always leave a lasting impression.
The track comes as V continues his tradition of releasing year-end songs that capture the essence of winter—such as “Snow Flower,” “Christmas Tree,” and “wherever u r (ft. V of BTS).”
Not only has V set us up nicely for winter, but it also prepares us for his next duet with none other than Bing Crosby on the classic White Christmas. In this new duet rendition of Bing Crosby’s 1942 classic, V adds his unique touch to the timeless song to bring comfort and joy to the holidays.
“Winter Ahead (with PARK HYO SHIN)” is available now on all streaming platforms worldwide, with the official music video (‘Cinematic Still Ver.’) featuring V and Park Hyo Shin set to be unveiled on November 30 at 5 AM GMT.
V and Bing Crosby’s new rendition of the iconic holiday classic will be available on all streaming platforms worldwide on December 6 at 2 PM KST / Midnight ET.
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