Kevin Atwater Challenges Traditional Masculinity with “jacob killed a cat”

Kevin Atwater is a rising singer-songwriter who paints the most vivid imagery with an acoustic guitar and poetic words. The NYC-based indie/folk artist unabashedly writes about queer love and his experiences.

Atwater struck gold with his 2022 single "startripping," which he described as a "gay religious trauma song." The song resonated with many and has received over 4 million Spotify streams. Since then, Atwater has released several songs, including the latest "jacob killed a cat." 

With his lyrics about how boys aren't allowed to be emotional with other boys, Atwater challenges traditional masculinity. He puts us through emotional twists and turns throughout the song, complicating our emotions toward his characters.

Atwater opens the song with the scene from the title “on a school night deep in Denburn, I watched Jacob kill a little cat while his brother's friends recorded it.”

After I immediately hate Jacob, my feelings toward him become complicated as Atwater sings, “Their family dog had cancer. She starred in every Christmas card. I could see in his eyes she was dead.” 

Despite his soft voice, Atwater packs an emotional punch in the chorus. 

“Ooh, we spend all our time proving to no one we don't cry. If no one sees it then it never happened. Ooh, I turned and walked out but God I would cry with him now.”

The idea of boys not being allowed to be emotional continues throughout the verse as Atwater describes an experience of being a Boy Scout. “His dad was our troop leader and he never smiled at his son and he hated when I hugged him goodbye.”

Feeling for others when they cannot cry for themselves is beautifully illustrated by Atwater. Changing from "And God I just cry for him now," to "gotta just cry for him now," Atwater changes the last line in a way that resonates and completes his song.