Kevin Atwater Delivers Heartbreak in New Single “the cage”

Kevin Atwater, a 26-year-old singer-songwriter based in New York City released the first single for his upcoming debut album ‘Achilles’ out March 7, 2025. “the cage” sets the tone for what is expected to be a heart wrenching album. Known for his lyricism, Kevin delivers a poetically painful story within this single about a relationship he experienced with an older man who kept him a secret when he was younger. Though it is a heavy subject, Kevin felt ready to share. “i have always believed in the power of art/music/creation and taking pain and turning it into something else as to let it go <3 and this is an example of that!” he stated in a release post. The song has about ten seconds of simple guitar before the song explodes with drum fills and more. He takes you immediately on the journey with him, “You said ‘Kevy, I bet they'd let you in / At the bar that I work at, no problem / But I think we should wait a couple years / To tell people the truth, but boy I swear.’”

Kevin Atwater THE ACHILLES TOUR poster.

As heartbreaking as the lyrics are, the production felt like it did another round of storytelling, surrounding you so much that you could barely form your own thoughts. An uneasy feeling emerges from the gorgeously curated sounds to make you just as unsettled as the relationship he’s singing about was. The chorus strikes with a repeating phrase, “Once you’re free then you’re mine.” A terrifying idea, and one Kevin so bravely reveals graciously throughout this song. After another verse so vividly putting you in the scene he lived through, he comes to a realization. “Spoke out loud "I could kill you" and I can / When I'm out of the cage you put me in.” He finally understands the situation he was in, and knows he deserves to get out of it. Closing out the song with the same repeating chorus, this single set a high bar for the rest of the music to come from Kevin Atwater this year. 

Alongside his debut album ‘Achilles’ releasing March 7th, you can catch Kevin on tour through North America as well as Montreal and Toronto this spring at venues such as Bowery Ballroom and The Troubadour. Be sure to follow him on all socials to keep up with anything new and tune into his previous releases anywhere you stream music.