Lauv, the US pop star who is popular among Korean fans for his songs “Paris In The Rain” and “I Like Me Better,” described his two collaborations with K-pop sensation BTS as a natural progression.

“Basically, I met them at their show in London, and right after that they asked me to do the remix for ‘Make It Right’ and I was super-flattered and said, ‘of course,’” Lauv stold The Korea Herald by email.

“Make it Right” is a track on BTS’ album “Map of the Soul: Persona,” which was released in April last year.

“Right after that, I was going through demos and came across the song ‘Who.’ I sent it to them and they ended up loving it,” he added.

“Who” is part of Lauv’s new album called “How I’m Feeling,” which was released on March 6. Lauv explained that the song is mainly about being with somebody and realizing they are not the person you thought they were.

This theme of different sides of people is reflected throughout his new album, which contains 21 songs. 

Asked to introduce his new album Lauv said, “It’s about embracing different parts of your personality and going against this notion of being put in a box and realizing that we are all very complicated and complex individuals.”

“The album is all about embracing whatever you are feeling on a given day and so there are a lot of different vibes and sounds,” he added.

The cover of his new album also features the singer wearing six outfits, each in different color, representing his different personalities.

His thoughts about the existence of different personalities and how they are forced to fit into a box did not pop out of nowhere. Lauv shared about the mental health issues that he faced in the past few years.

“January 2019 is when I was diagnosed with depression and OCD and I got out of it with the support of my therapist, friends, family, and medication,” Lauv said. “Meditation also consistently helps me a lot. I’m just continuing my therapy and learning how to observe my thoughts rather than let them control me.”

Lauv is also active in helping people who are going through difficult times mentally. About four years ago, he launched a project called “My Blue Thought.” Since 2019, he has been working on the project jointly with Microsoft, installing a booth at his concert venues where his fans can go in and anonymously write or record whatever is on their mind. Microsoft’s technology helps fans to feel connected to others experiencing similar emotions by grouping the emotions written in different languages.

“I wanted to create a place for people to let things go. They can choose to do it anonymously and have this catharsis because I’m able to do that through my music,” he said. “To see how it’s grown over time, and how it’s gone from a little box at my shows to a full-on booth that you can walk into, is really amazing,”

He also offered some advice to K-pop stars who might be going through similar mental issues that he has been through, stemming from the fear that he is not living up to the public’s expectations.

“When I cut my hair, people gave me a lot of shit and that was really annoying,” Lauv said.

“I think being open (about feelings) and putting happiness before your career and success are important,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about how you feel about yourself, it’s not about getting approval from other people.”

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@herladocorp.com)