Kiesza Tackles Toxic Masculinity in New Video for Single “When Boys Cry”

The new video for “When Boys Cry” by Kiesza features her dancing through the streets wearing a gold, sequined pantsuit and carrying a parasol that is lit up. She struts her stuff through the dark, empty streets crying out the lyrics to the song, “Whats the point of hiding boy. I can see it in your eyes. Silence is a good decoy. But it isn’t a disguise. Whats the point of faking. When inside you’re breaking.” Her red hair and lipstick complement the gold outfit and dark mood that accentuates her style.

The track reminds us that women are often strangers to men’s emotions, especially when it comes to their vulnerable side. In Kiesza‘s words, “You got a learn what to see in their dry eyes, dry eyes. And you may have to listen through gritted teeth, gritted teeth.” The song was produced by her longtime collaborator Chris Malinchak and according to a statement the track, “bolsters its strong message between minimal beats, the whisper of a snare, and quick-flitting snaps as Kiesza sing-speaks about boys who let their ‘teardrops turn to rust.’”

The song has a meaningful yet light impact as her vocals come through in a piercing fashion before the pop beat breaks in. The beats set against the rhythm and groove set the theme, and the track lays down the hook, “When Boys Cry, Boys Cry, gotta learn what to see in their dry eyes, dry eyes.” Kiezsa says about the song, “Throughout history, men have had less permission to be vulnerable about their feelings. I want to empower men to tap into the “feminine” energy they have within and allow themselves to be emotional without judgement. I wrote the melody and lyrics of “When Boys Cry” with the intention of encouraging men to feel confident sharing this side of themselves with the world, and encourage people to celebrate it when they do.”

After a life-changing car crash put her on a two-year hiatus, Kiesza returned as an independent artist, releasing music through her own label Zebra Spirit Tribe. Kiesza says in an article from Ladygunn, “I grew up around a lot of men and was always aware of the struggles they faced when it came to opening up about their true feelings. I always feel like being vulnerable is about having an open heart. And that’s not as easy as it sounds, because it takes a lot of courage to be open.”

Photo Credit: Owen Ela