Kevin Scott Richardson turns 55 today, and we could not let October 3 pass without saying it out loud: this fandom adores him. The oldest Backstreet Boy has spent more than 30 years as the anchor of the group, the dad of BSB, and a Kentucky gentleman with devastatingly good looks to match.
Narrowing it down to just 10 was the hard part, because there are truly infinite reasons to love him. So think of this list as a start. Here are 10 reasons we love Kevin to get the ball rolling, and we hope you will add a million more.
1. He looks right into your soul
Ask anyone who has met Kevin and you will hear the same story. He stops, holds eye contact, and actually listens to what you are saying. There is no rushing you along. For those few seconds you are the only person in the room, and you walk away knowing he meant every word of his thank-you.
He has never taken this fandom for granted, and it shows every single time.
2. That voice
Kevin's rich, low tone is the floor the Backstreet harmonies are built on. Take it away and the whole sound changes. For years we treasured every solo line we got, so hearing more of him out front on the recent albums has been a gift. More Kevin leads, please.
3. DJ Kev has taste
His DJ set at Backstreet's Back at the Beach in Cancun in April 2024 is still one of the most talked-about moments of that weekend. Helooked like he was having the time of his life. Fans loved every minute. The man has serious musical taste, and we would happily buy a ticket to a full night of it.
4. He loves his people hard
Take a look around at the photos celebrating Kev today. He is surrounded by love. His wife Kristin, his sons Mason and Maxwell, his cousin Brian, and friends who have been around for decades all show up for him because he shows up for them. Family is not a talking point for Kevin. It is the center of his life.
5. He is a total football fanboy
We stan a sports fanboy. The former Kentucky high school player lights up on game day like the rest of us light up when the first notes of "Everybody" hit. He gets loud, he gets invested, and he fully understands what it is to love something with your whole chest. He is one of us, just with a different jersey.
6. His writing
"Back to Your Heart." Need we say more? Kevin co-wrote the Millennium ballad in 1999, and it remains one of the most beloved deep cuts in the catalog. It is honest, vulnerable, and beautifully put together, which is a pretty good description of the man himself.
7. He is the core
Kevin has been called the big brother of the group since day one, and fans online still lovingly call him the dad of BSB. He is the one who suggested his cousin Brian for the fifth spot. He is the one who keeps the standard high and the group grounded. Every band needs a center of gravity, and he is ours.
8. He stepped away when he needed to
This one is controversial but hear me out. In 2006 Kevin left the group to focus on his life and his family. It could not have been easy to walk away from something that big, and he did it with grace. When he came back in 2012, he came back because he wanted to be there.
He showed a whole generation of fans that it is okay to pause, take care of yourself, and return on your own terms. That is self-care done right.
9. He is a softie, and he lets us see it
Kevin feels every moment on that stage. You can see it when the crowd sings a chorus back to him, when he looks down the line at the four guys he has spent three decades beside, and when he stops to thank the fans and his voice catches. He does not hide it or laugh it off. He lets the tears come.
We love that about him. The tall, serious one with the intense stare turns out to have the softest heart in the building, and every time he gets choked up, so do we.
10. The hair, and what he does with it
Kevin has never had a bad hair era. The curtains, the feathered layers, the cornrows, and then the long, flowing locks he whipped across the stage in Vegas. Fans debated that last one for a while, and we loved every inch of it.
But here is the part that makes it so very Kevin. When he finally cut it, he donated it, and he pointed fans toward Children With Hair Loss so they could do the same. Only Kevin could turn a hairstyle into an act of kindness. Great hair with an even better purpose.
Happy birthday, Kev
Thank you for the music, the harmonies, the hugs, and the example you set. We hope today is full of family, football, and a great playlist.
We only listed 10, but really there are a million reasons to love this man. Now we want to hear yours. Head over to @bsbfangirls on Instagram and tell us why you love Kevy Kev so much.