Written by Uma Snow

On December 31st of 2023, R&B artist UMI released “wherever u r,” a sweet, heartfelt song featuring V (Taehyung) of BTS. Initially written as a dedication to UMI’s grandmother in Japan, “wherever u r” has since become something for anybody missing a loved one. 

In a press release, UMI explains: “Tae and I have been fans of each other for a long time. We recently connected when he shared my song on instagram—and very organically we started chatting about music & life. Eventually we decided to create a song together. With no agenda ~ just for the fun of it. When I found out he was going to the military, the theme of the song started to deepen, and we knew this would be a special song to share with both of our fans. It was all very organic and in the moment. I feel very grateful to have been trusted with this song. It’s truly a gift from our hearts to the world ~ and we are excited for people to enjoy it :)”

In the few days since its release, the song has already meant a lot to fans of both UMI and Taehyung alike. In a livestream celebrating “wherever u r,” UMI mentioned that they really pushed to ensure that the song would be released on Taehyung’s birthday, calling the process a labor of love. This decision meant a lot to Taehyung’s fans, who miss him dearly since his mandatory enlistment in the South Korean military almost a month ago. 

The lyric video for “wherever u r” reflects the gentle, loving nature of the song itself. It sounds exactly how it looks, little text pop ups like checking in on somebody you love, translations of the English lyrics in Japanese and Korean connecting UMI and Taehyung’s backgrounds across oceans. 

“wherever u r” is the sweetest melody to carry you into the new year, to send to someone you miss, to turn to when you are longing and want to feel loved.

Listen to “wherever u r” here.