How Kat Cunning Encapsulated the Beauty of Falling in Love With ‘Could Be Good’
We've had our eye on the incredible talents of singer-songwriter and actor Kat Cunning for a while now, but their latest release, "Could Be Good," just might be their most powerful offering yet.
The new track is totally raw, emotionally optimistic and sweet without being saccharine, and we seriously cannot stop listening. We had to know Kat's thought process behind the brilliant track, and they were generous enough to spill it all, plus a tease of their upcoming debut EP, with us. Keep reading to find out what we discovered.
Sweety High: What was the songwriting process behind "Could Be Good"? What kind of sound were you looking to capture along with the song's themes?
KC: I wrote "Could Be Good" in a swing of hope as I was falling in love during the pandemic and the lyrics are an intimate retelling of moments that made me dream of a future full of them. I wrote it about the day I met someone I already felt like I loved. On the day I wrote it, I was in the comfort of my mom's bedroom in Oregon, and I had hoped to write something dark to round out my EP but it was my first Zoom session with Amy Wadge and I told her right away that I just felt too sprung to do that. This song poured out.
Production-wise, I played with really big pop production that was super hype and fun (run to your lover in the rain at the end of a YA rom-com stuff.) But ultimately, with the encouragement of Jason at Lava, I landed on this minimalistic soulful, gentle nudge that feels like the peace of the earth during lockdown, and the road trips that followed the writing of this song. Ultimately, it's a story, and I want to honor the words.
SH: How do you feel this song is different than what you've released in the past?
KC: It's a really explicit, naked lyric. No hiding in metaphor. Just the facts of that moment before you fall. I also feel like I really nailed the production with MPhazes. It's larger than life with enough space to hear the story.
SH: What is your favorite lyric from the track?
KC: "We hardly touched our drinks that night, because our hands were occupied…"
SH: Is there anything you can tease about your debut EP?
KC: It's gonna be dynamic. It's a mixture of celebratory anthems and icy bops. I've been writing some of these songs my whole life in a sense, so the stories of love and the bitterness of heartbreak are both in there. I've chosen to trust that they belong in the same project because the songs are all authentic to me.
SH: What does the title Idol Hands mean to you
KC: I'm your typical dad in that I love a pun. A lot of this music was made during the pandemic when we were told to sit at home and fiddle our idle hands. This EP is what the devil made with mine, and the double entendre is a shout-out to my obsession with religious iconography. It's gaudy and dramatic and very aligned with the veneration of my favorite pop icons. I want to reclaim spaces and imagery where queers/rebels have traditionally been unwelcome. I grew up in a church and, like so many, my love of music started there. I wasn't able to grow up in a Greek Orthodox church, but I'm so drawn to the ornamentation of my culture. Queer people make their own churches everywhere they go. This is the start of mine. All are welcome.
SH: Is there anything else you'd like to add?
KC: I hope the song makes people take risks in whatever they need that nudge to jump on. Love especially. If you were lucky enough to love someone in this last year, you know there will never be another time like it. Cherish whatever you experienced in this crazy time.
Look for me in the upcoming JLO movie Marry Me to keep the romantic vibes going and head to TikTok and Insta for more of everything.
Love discovering new music? Click HERE to check out another one of our favorite songs to come out today, Olivia Lunny's "Sad to See You Happy."