While the debate over artificial intelligence in music rages on, an unexpected track from BIBI is rising on the global charts after listeners fell in love with AI-generated covers from the likes of V of BTS and more.
At press time, BIBI’s “Scott and Zelda” currently sits at No. 18 on Spotify’s Viral 50 – Global chart as well as No. 198 on the overall Global Top 200 songs on Shazam. The jazzy folk-pop track is a natural fit for the singer-songwriter’s soulful but vulnerable vocal delivery, and K-pop fans have been creating AI-generated covers of their favorite K-pop stars and sharing them across TikTok to see who fits the song’s unique tone.
“Scott and Zelda” was included in BIBI’s full-length album EVE: ROMANCE, released in May this year. Co-written by the 27-year-old, the track is filled with double meanings and clever innuendos while referencing the prolific writers and Jazz Age socialite couple F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Fitzgerald. EVE: ROMANCE included the 2024 single “Bam Yang Gang,” which topped the charts in Korea to become one of the year’s biggest songs in Korea and was named one of the best K-pop songs of the year by outlets like Billboard.
AI-created covers of “Scott and Zelda” featuring members of K-pop groups like BTS, Stray Kids, Tomorrow X Together, ENHYPEN, and Kep1er have gained popularity on TikTok. Notably, covers that include V of BTS are dominating fans’ feeds, with many appreciating how well the superstar’s voice complements BIBI.
Several videos that mix BIBI’s original vocals with AI-generated singing from V have earned major views from TikTok users like @emiliyyam (whose 15-second clip dancing to the mash-up has earned more than 1.9 million views so far, see below) and the account @kpop_aixx (who earned 1.1 million views with a post that included a romanization of the song’s Korean lyrics).
@emiliyyam😭😭😭
While BIBI hasn’t been able to follow up with a chart hit as huge as “Bam Yang Gang” yet, it sounds like “Scott and Zelda” might be an unexpected breakout — especially if she could garner an actual remix with V himself.
BTS’ V Solo Career and Love of Jazz
No doubt the reason V sounds so at home on “Scott and Zelda” naturally comes from his noted love of jazz music. The star’s lower, huskier baritone voice has always made an impact in BTS’ music with the star citing the likes of Bing Crosby, Eric Benet and Ruben Studdard as inspirations.
In 2023, the superstar released his debut solo album Layover, which saw V forgoing the trends of today to create a vintage aesthetic and soundscape focused on stripped-down jazz, R&B, and pop. The record earned rave reviews, with Metacritic noting its high marks translated to “universal acclaim,” with outlets like Billboard and Time Out naming his album one of the best of the year.
Last year, V even got the chance to collaborate with one of his idols when the Bing Crosby estate facilitated a re-recorded duet of the late crooner’s holiday classic “White Christmas” that featured new vocals from the BTS member. Even with V serving his mandatory South Korean military service during its release, the song managed to crack the Billboard Hot 100 and made for a true cross-generational musical moment.
With V’s distinctive timbre giving “Scott and Zelda” an added layer of jazz authenticity and mainstream appeal — even if it is through AI — the song is finding new life that underscores both his enduring star impact and BIBI’s knack for transcending traditional musical borders.
If BIBI and V continue riding this viral wave, the track could create a new moment for their global visibility, ultimately proving how impactful songwriting and distinguishing vocals remain key to connecting with listeners — even in an era where AI is blurring the lines of real music production.
