April 21 marks the release of the third album from Agust D. In his solo work, SUGA has consistently shown us a more real and raw side of his personality, free of his idol image. That depth is what I believe has allowed both him and his fellow bandmates to dominate the world as they have, and with each release we see more into the unique lens of Yoongi. As a person who credits his music as life-saving, it seems fitting to send off my final piece for this column with the most impactful songs from my most beloved artist.

“The Last 마지막”

Never did we see Yoongi at his most raw and authentic self than in the release of “The Last 마지막.” He openly discusses his own consistent mental health struggles, something so openly stigmatized in his own society that I’m surprised he even had the courage to air it out to the public. The first two-thirds of the song discuss the misery of depression and the need to compensate with success, but just how futile that truly is when your mind is warped by self-hatred. The raw power in this track comes in the final third when, despite the dark tone of the song previous, he’s firm in his conviction of overcoming that dark version of himself at all costs. At the time of release for this first mixtape, I’d just found myself at an absolute rock bottom in my life, and seeing his powerful and reassuring message is something I think helped truly save my life.

“so far away (feat. Suran)”

“so far away (feat. Suran)” gave us a taste of a ballad from SUGA, which was a first at the time. The song seems to invoke an earlier period in his life when he felt particularly lost, something I think all of us can relate to either in our late teens or early twenties. It’s interesting to look back on it as my own thirties approach; the candid air of the lyrics felt so powerful at the time, but in retrospect, it really showcases a short-term struggle of finding yourself amidst the chaos of life transitions. Much like his previous track addressing depression, he never fails to sign it off with an optimistic message, a hope of an end to the struggle. Plus, Suran’s additional vocals create such a lovely and dreamy feeling to the song.

“People”

In between these two album releases, you can really see SUGA growing as a human through his lyrics. There’s something so beautifully melancholy about “People,” highlighted especially by his vocals in the chorus and ADORA’s vocal adlibs. Rather than lamenting his world and circumstances, he comes to terms with both the beautiful and harsh realities of the world and reflects on the journey while presenting an understanding of how complex human beings are. It’s a more mature outlook on life–erasing the black-and-white thinking to allow room for more nuance and understanding. Something about the lack of anger compared to previous tracks makes it feel even more gloomy, but at the same time it’s a calmer perspective on the world.

“Honsool”

“Honsool” is an immediately striking track for just how dystopian the melody sounds as it opens. It has such a depressing air about it as he discusses the realities of adult life, unbearably heavy, repeating stressors that seem to weigh even heavier at a day’s end. He wrote this track when he was drunk and clearly feeling candid, and it provides an interesting perspective on his internal dialogue despite the successes of himself and his group. Those underlying feelings of fear, stress, and exhaustion is something all of us can relate to as we grow up.

“Snooze (feat. Ryuichi Sakamoto, Kim Woosung of The Rose)”

It brings tears to my eyes to see the transformation of the messaging in his music as the years have gone by. “Snooze” feat. Ryuichi Sakamoto and Kim Woosung of The Rose felt like exactly the words I needed to hear in this moment of my life, much like his previous work did at the time. This feels like an open letter not just to his listeners, but to his past self. The repeated phrase of “It’s gonna be alright” along with the return of the bright lyrics from the chorus of “so far away” brought everything full circle and gave it an ultimate message of tranquility. Rather than cursing the world, he offers you a soft place to fall and words of advice. Both of us are on the cusp of our thirties, and this song very much communicates to me his maturity in his outlook on life and his desire to comfort those like me, and those younger still struggling with the same demons he had in his twenties. 

“D-Day”

Admittedly, this one hit home pretty hard, probably because the day before release, I got some difficult news. In fact, it’s felt like for years it’s been nothing but difficult news. But the moment I sat down to listen to this album and it opened up with him saying it’s “going to be okay” struck a chord within me. The song is remarkably optimistic from start to finish, though in a way, I’d characterize it as realistically so. He’s essentially saying things are hard and they suck, but despite all that, the future is bright no matter what.

Thank you, Yoongi. Thank you for always guiding me through my darkest days and for showing such a candid and vulnerable side of yourself through your music. It’s been a blessing to be able to live and grow alongside you.

Edited by Aleena Faisal