As the seasons transition from summer to fall, artists start to break out the acoustic guitars and incorporate more minor keys into their songs to ease us into the cooler seasons. Since I used to live in a tropical country where it’s summer all year round, I always found it funny when artists released sadder and more melancholic songs even when the sun was still shining brightly outside my bedroom window. However, after moving to a country with all four seasons, I started to see where they get their inspiration from, and eaJ and Seori‘s latest release with Keshi is similar to that of an autumnal breeze.
“It just is” was initially written by Seori, and she had asked eaJ to complete the last couple of lines in the song. The entire release is one big collaboration, with Seori’s lyrics and vocals taking the lead in the first half; followed by eaJ ing the second half of the song; Keshi playing the guitar throughout the song, and the animation for the MV being done by Deisa, a My Day who made similar MVs for other Day6 songs. Each person’s contribution to the release added to the overall melancholy and longing that “It just is” attempted to convey.
The MV is relatively simple, but each frame corresponds with the lyrics and the overall mood of the song perfectly. The opening shot shows two different hands reaching out to each other uncertainly and pulling back, only for one to disappear when they finally decide to take the leap. Just this opening sequence alone gives viewers context to the emotional state of the persona. It implies that the persona has always been hesitant to open up and trust others, and because they take a long period of time to do so, by the time they decide to open up, the other person leaves. After this sequence, we hear the first few lines of the song:
Tired of people
At the end of the day
I don’t care anymore
It must be fine
Even if I remain alone like this
It will eventually flow
The use of timing and the images is well executed, for it sets up the emotional state of both of the two personas in the song, and the lyrics further explain their thoughts. During the verses, the images evoke loneliness, melancholy and the feeling of being overwhelmed. Some examples include the girl sitting in the middle of what looks like a clock, the boy covering his ears and screaming — even the flooding of the screen with the phrase “it must be fine”, feels overwhelming.
By showing the troubles both the boy and girl have, and pairing it with the lyrics, viewers are able to feel the impact of the chorus even more. There’s an emotional payoff for us when we hear the line, “it just is”. We are able to understand why this relationship means so much to the two, and we are happy for the two to finally be together.
I likened the release to an autumnal breeze because while “It just is” is a sad ballad, it still is a comforting song to listen to. It carries the weight of feeling lonely, as well as of more negative feelings during the colder seasons, but it also eases the listener and offers them some form of solace. “It just is” is easy to listen to — a song you can put on repeat for hours and still not get bored of, and its repeatability serves as a place one can go to when sad. Like most of eaJ’s discography, “It just is” appeals to one’s emotions, and validates them without any judgment.
Overall, I really enjoyed “It just is”, all the elements of the release fit perfectly together, and I’m excited to see what eaJ and Seori have to offer in the future.
(Lyrics and Images via eaJ)
