He was born in Daegu on December 30, 1995, and joined Big Hit Entertainment on September 3, 2011. He soon debuted as a member of the South Korean boy group BTS in 2013 with the track No More Dream from the EP 2 Cool 4 Skool. He was a "hidden" member of the to-be six-member group, being unable to appear while they were predebut. He has contributed to the writing of multiple songs such as "Hold Me Tight", "Fun Boyz", and his melody was used in the track "Run."
Since his debut with the band in 2013, V has performed three solo songs under their name—"Stigma" in 2016, "Singularity" in 2018, and "Inner Child" in 2020—all of which charted on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart.
In 2016, he co-wrote his solo song "Stigma" from the album WINGS, which reached 10 in US World, and 26 on the GAON charts. He made his acting debut in 2016 as Seok Hansung in KBS2'S historical drama Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth. V has proven to be one of the most flexible vocalists in K-Pop, with his songs that are above the general K-Pop standards. V's solo career is anticipated a lot since the release of his ost for the Korean drama 'Itaewon Class' which is the most streamed Korean ost of 2020, achieving top spots in 118 countries on the iTunes platform, he has been the most successful solo artist among the group members to date without a solo debut.
Outside of his projects with BTS, V appeared in the 2016 television series Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth and contributed the single "It's Definitely You" to its soundtrack. He released his first independent song, the self-composed "Scenery", in 2019. In 2023, V made his official debut as a solo artist with the release of the singles "Love Me Again" and "Rainy Days". His debut solo album Layover is slated for September 8, accompanied by a third single, "Slow Dancing".
Earth Wind & Fire
V Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To get me all the finer things in life
I've been on a mission since the day that I was born
But nothing comes without a sacrifice
All that I could think of was how happy I would be
When I got everything that I would do, yeah
I got to where I wanted but finally I see
Earth, wind and fire
It's bringing me down, you're my only desire
Earth, wind and fire
Only your love can take me higher
I've been at the crossroads where you're gonna sell your soul
I thought the deal was I would get it all
I didn't see it coming I was moving way too fast
That's what happens when you're on a roll
I hope I'll be forgiven the mistakes that I have made
But certain things can never be undone
I don't know where I'm going or where I'm heading to
All I know is where I'm coming from
Now I will give it away
If I could go back in time I'll make a change
No classes to hide or pay (that line is so wrong, sorry people!)
If only for a night
If only for a day
Earth, wind and fire
It's bringing me down, you're my only desire
Earth, wind and fire
Only your love can take me higher
If I can't have you then I don't want nothing at all
I need you there to catch me if I should fall
If I can't have you then I don't want nothing at all
I need you there to catch me if I should fall
Earth, wind and fire
It's bringing me down, you're my only desire
Earth, wind and fire
Only your love can take me higher
Yea-eh-yea...
Earth, wind and fire
It's bringing me down, you're my only desire
Earth, wind and fire
Only your love can take me higher
V's "Earth Wind & Fire" is a song about priorities and realizing that material possessions cannot replace the value of love and connection. V reflects on his childhood promise to himself to obtain all the finer things in life. He speaks of being on a mission since birth, but acknowledges the trade-offs and sacrifices that come with such a pursuit. V initially believed that obtaining everything he ever wanted would bring him happiness, but he has since realized that there is only one thing he truly desires, and that is love.
The chorus, "Earth, wind and fire, it's bringing me down, you're my only desire, only your love can take me higher," signifies that even the fundamental elements (earth, wind, and fire) cannot satisfy V's longing for true love, for it is the only thing that can elevate him. V then reveals that he has been at the crossroads before, where he almost sold his soul to obtain everything. However, he did not see the consequences coming, as he was too focused on being successful. Despite the mistakes he has made, he hopes to be forgiven but understands that certain things cannot be undone. V does not know where he is going or where he is heading, but he knows where he is coming from.
Overall, "Earth Wind & Fire" is a song about a materialistic journey that shifts into a realization of the importance of love and connection. V's voice encompasses a sense of yearning, and the beat and melody reflect his desire to go higher.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was a kid I made a promise to myself
I had a clear set of goals in mind from a very young age
To get me all the finer things in life
I aimed to achieve material success and accumulate wealth and luxury goods
I've been on a mission since the day that I was born
I've always been driven and focused on pursuing my goals
But nothing comes without a sacrifice
I had to make difficult decisions and put in hard work to make progress towards my goals
All that I could think of was how happy I would be
I was motivated by the idea of achieving success and how that would make me feel
When I got everything that I would do, yeah
I believed that achieving my goals would lead to satisfaction and happiness
I got to where I wanted but finally I see
Despite achieving my goals, I've come to realize that they don't bring true happiness
The only thing I really want is you
I've realized that true happiness comes from a deeper connection with others
Earth, wind and fire
Life's difficulties and chaos
It's bringing me down, you're my only desire
The chaos and difficulties of life are overwhelming but my love for you helps me keep going
Only your love can take me higher
The love and support of someone I care about is the only thing that can truly uplift me
I've been at the crossroads where you're gonna sell your soul
I've faced tough choices that required me to compromise my values to achieve my goals
I thought the deal was I would get it all
I believed that material success was the ultimate goal
I didn't see it coming I was moving way too fast
I made mistakes and got caught up in the pursuit of success, losing sight of my values
That's what happens when you're on a roll
When you're doing well, it's easy to lose perspective and make mistakes
I hope I'll be forgiven the mistakes that I have made
I regret the mistakes I've made in the pursuit of success and hope to be forgiven
But certain things can never be undone
Despite my regret, some things cannot be changed or fixed
I don't know where I'm going or where I'm heading to
Despite my success, I feel a sense of aimlessness and uncertainty about the future
All I know is where I'm coming from
I'm aware of my past and the choices I've made to get to where I am now
Now I will give it away
I've come to realize that my material success and wealth are not as important as my relationships with others
If I could go back in time I'll make a change
I regret the choices I've made and wish I could go back and make different decisions
No classes to hide or pay (that line is so wrong, sorry people!)
I regret the ways in which my wealth and success may have blinded me to privilege and inequality
If only for a night
If I could have a moment of true happiness and connection, it would be worth more than all my material success
If only for a day
Even a brief moment of true happiness and connection would be worth more than all my material success
If I can't have you then I don't want nothing at all
Without the possibility of a deeper connection with someone I care about, my material success is meaningless
I need you there to catch me if I should fall
The love and support of someone I care about is essential to my happiness and wellbeing
Yea-eh-yea...
A musical interlude
Contributed by Elliot S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Scott Frankfurt Studio
THANK YOU dear YT fans for your support of our "Heaven" video! All of us at SFS are excited to invite you to check out our latest - a classic Smokey Robinson song with a little twist - performed by the beautiful hitmakers HONEY CONE - collaborating with Verdine White and John Paris (of Earth Wind & Fire) - and many other heroes. Click the "i" in the corner or use this link... https://youtu.be/Qvj0UWS_KJY We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Charles M
OK and I picked out Verdine's performance because I grew up on him. But kudos to the whole ensemble. Everybody was very, very good!
William Moore
Snap she's good I missed the memo😅😅😅😅😅
Linda Bergman
Beautiful ❤
N A
Not me 😊
Andres Suarez
The bass line is awesome! and in Verdine's hands it sounds great!
Scott Frankfurt Studio
I couldn't agree more! Thanks Andres!
Calvin Carrol
You can feel the "FIRE" of Verdine White on bass
J Muir
The vocalist is heaven and the sax is pure joy. The group is so tight. It's all so enjoyable . Love it.
Scott Frankfurt Studio
Very kind! :)