Who

"Who" delves into the painful and disorienting experience of a relationship's decay, where a once-familiar partner becomes unrecognizable. The song's central theme revolves around the question of identity and change within a romantic context. The lyrics express a deep sense of confusion and heartbreak as the narrator grapples with the emotional distance that has grown between him and his lover. He questions her identity not in a literal sense, but in an emotional one, mourning the loss of the person he initially fell in love with. The line, "'Cause you're not the girl I fell in love with, baby," encapsulates this sentiment perfectly. The song explores the idea that people can change so drastically within a relationship that they become strangers to each other. The second verse, sung by Jungkook and Jimin of BTS, adds another layer to this narrative, suggesting deceit and emotional manipulation with lines like "Feelin' hypnotized by the words that you said / Don't lie to me, I just get in my head." Ultimately, "Who" is a melancholic ballad about the realization that love has faded and that the person you're with is no longer the one for you, leading to an inevitable, albeit painful, separation.

The song begins with the narrator in a state of confusion and introspection. He sees the physical form of his partner, the "outlines of your eyes and visions of you," but feels a deep disconnect from the person he once knew. This internal turmoil is so intense that he needs to step away and clear his head to differentiate between what is real and what is a product of his own troubled thoughts. The voices in his head and his partner's unpredictable behavior, sometimes making him feel insane or even hated, compel him to seek clarity. The central, haunting question, "Who are you?", arises from this desperate need to understand the change in his beloved. He laments that she is no longer the person he fell in love with, and this transformation is a source of great pain. The chorus reveals his exhaustion from waiting for a love that seems to have vanished and his dawning, painful realization that she is not "the one" for him anymore.

The second verse, featuring members of BTS, deepens this sense of disillusionment. They feel mesmerized and deceived by her words, which only lead to further confusion and internal conflict. A powerful image is painted of her physical presence in his bed in the morning, which should be a sign of intimacy, but instead, it is marked by an overwhelming coldness. This juxtaposition of physical closeness and emotional distance reinforces the song's central theme. The repetition of the question, "Who are you?", now sung with the combined voices of Lauv and BTS, amplifies the shared experience of bewilderment and heartbreak. The soaring vocals and layered harmonies in the chorus underscore the emotional weight of this realization. The song concludes with the definitive and somber acknowledgment that the love they once shared is gone and that the person before them is a stranger, solidifying the end of the relationship.

"Who" is a collaboration between American singer-songwriter Lauv and members of the South Korean group BTS, specifically Jungkook and Jimin. The song was released on March 6, 2020, as a track on Lauv's debut album, "~how i'm feeling~". The collaboration came about after Lauv and BTS met at one of the band's concerts at Wembley Stadium in London. Following this meeting, BTS asked Lauv to feature on a remix of their song "Make It Right." Lauv, who was a fan of the track, readily agreed and recorded his part in London. The positive experience of their first collaboration led Lauv to propose another for his own album. He sifted through his demos, looking for a song that would be a unique fit for BTS's vocal style. He settled on "Who," a song he had written with some friends and had been holding onto for a while. Lauv felt that the soaring choruses and layered vocals would complement BTS's sound well. He sent the demo to them, and they expressed their love for the track. The process of finishing the song involved sending vocals back and forth, which Lauv described as a "very cool, very interesting, very mysterious" experience that resulted in an "epic" and emotional song. The song was co-written by Lauv (Ari Leff), DallasK (Dallas Koehlke), Zaylee Kelman, and members of the band Why Don't We: Corbyn Besson, Jonah Marais, and Daniel Seavey. DallasK also co-produced the track with Lauv.

The rhyme scheme in "Who" is somewhat loose and follows a modern pop structure, prioritizing emotional delivery over a strict, traditional pattern. In the first verse, there is an AABC rhyme scheme with "you" and "isn't" not rhyming, followed by the rhyming pair of "head" and "hate". The pre-chorus and chorus utilize more consistent end rhymes, such as "love" and "one". The second verse also employs an AABB rhyme scheme with "said" and "head", and "bed" and "cold" (as a slant rhyme). This flexible approach to rhyme allows the lyrics to feel more like natural thought processes and spoken confessions.

The rhythm of the song is slow and deliberate, contributing to its melancholic and introspective mood. The tempo is that of a ballad, allowing space for the emotional weight of the lyrics and the nuances of the vocal performances to unfold. The rhythmic structure is relatively simple, with a steady beat that provides a foundation for the flowing vocal melodies. There is a notable interplay between the lyrical rhythm and the musical rhythm, with the vocal phrases often weaving in and out of the underlying pulse, adding to the song's soulful and R&B feel. The pace of the song supports its narrative of contemplation and painful realization.

"Who" employs several stylistic techniques to convey its emotional depth. Musically, the song is a minimalist electropop ballad with a strong R&B influence. It features Lauv's signature introspective and yearning vocal style, characterized by a smooth delivery and the use of falsetto to express vulnerability. The production is atmospheric, with a relatively sparse arrangement that allows the vocals to take center stage. The use of soaring, layered vocals in the chorus, particularly with the addition of Jimin and Jungkook's voices, creates a powerful, ethereal effect that enhances the song's emotional weight. The contrast between Lauv's solo verses and the harmonized chorus with BTS adds a dynamic textural shift to the song.

Lyrically, the song utilizes rhetorical questions to emphasize the narrator's confusion and desperation, most notably the recurring question, "Who are you?". The narrative voice is deeply personal and introspective, a hallmark of Lauv's songwriting. There is a direct and conversational tone in the lyrics, which makes the complex emotions feel relatable and immediate. The imagery is often sensory and evocative, such as the feeling of coldness in the bed, which effectively communicates the emotional state of the narrator.

"Who" garnered significant attention due to the collaboration between Lauv, a prominent American pop artist, and BTS, a global K-pop phenomenon. The song is featured on Lauv's debut album, "~how i'm feeling~," which was released on March 6, 2020, and debuted at number 16 on the US Billboard 200. While "Who" itself did not chart as a single on the main Billboard Hot 100, its inclusion on a highly anticipated album and the star power of the collaboration ensured it reached a wide international audience. This was the second collaboration between the artists, following Lauv's feature on the remix of BTS's "Make It Right," further solidifying the musical connection between them. The song is notable for being one of the few all-English tracks recorded by BTS. The public reception was generally positive, with fans of both artists expressing excitement over the joint track. Critics noted it as a standout track on the album, often praising the seamless blend of their distinct vocal styles and the song's emotional depth. The collaboration is indicative of the increasing trend of cross-genre and cross-cultural partnerships in the global music industry, showcasing the potential for artists from different backgrounds to create a cohesive and impactful piece of music.

The primary symbolism in "Who" revolves around the concept of a changed identity. The question "Who are you?" is not a literal inquiry but a deeply metaphorical one, symbolizing the emotional and psychological distance that has developed between the partners. The person's physical presence remains, but their essence, the qualities the narrator fell in love with, has vanished. This creates a powerful metaphor of a familiar body inhabited by a stranger.

The imagery of "outlines of your eyes and visions of you" suggests a ghostly, superficial presence, lacking the depth and substance of the person he once knew. It implies that he can only see the shell of his partner, not the person within. The feeling of being "hypnotized by the words that you said" serves as a metaphor for being caught in a web of deceit or illusion, unable to discern the truth of the situation. The line "it's so, so cold" when his partner is in his bed is a stark metaphor for the lack of warmth and intimacy in their relationship, contrasting physical closeness with emotional frigidity. This coldness symbolizes the death of their love and the emotional emptiness that now defines their connection.

The most significant recurring phrase in "Who" is the question "Who are you?" This motif is central to the song's theme and is repeated in the chorus and at the end of the second verse, each time with increasing emotional weight. Its repetition highlights the narrator's profound sense of alienation and confusion regarding his partner's transformation. It acts as the song's primary lyrical hook and the thematic anchor around which the rest of the narrative is built.

Another recurring phrase is "'Cause you're not the girl I fell in love with," which serves as the direct answer to the central question and the core of the narrator's lament. This line is repeated in the chorus, reinforcing the idea of a lost love and a changed identity. The repetition of "love" and "one" at the end of the chorus, "I'm sick of waiting for love, love / I, I know that you're not the one, one," emphasizes the finality of the narrator's realization and his emotional exhaustion. Musically, the soaring, layered vocal harmonies in the chorus can be considered a recurring motif, creating a sense of heightened emotion and shared experience, especially with the inclusion of BTS's vocals.