Who knew that the simple lyric, “Girls like girls like boys do, nothing new,” would be the start to a new era in music?
So, who is the face behind this breakthrough moment? Her name is Hayley Kiyoko. Many people might recognize this name from one of Disney Channel’s original movies, Lemonade Mouth. Yes, that’s right, Hayley Kiyoko was Stella Yamada in the film, and just wait, it gets better.
You might be wondering, what makes her different than any other artist in the music industry right now? The 27-year-old is one of the first women to openly sing about being queer through her music. Clearly, she is not the first queer female singer ever, but her music and messages are being heard throughout the world.
Starting with her 2015 single, “Girls Like Girls,” Kiyoko revealed to the world that singing about having feelings for someone of the same sex is not something that should be seen as foreign.
The music video, which has almost 90 million views, shows the love connection between two young women.
The harsh reality is that this depiction is not common in society today, and for Kiyoko herself, it wasn’t always easy to show the world the real her.
Before her solo music career exploded, she was singing songs that concealed her sexuality. Kiyoko’s career seemed to be on the right track when she joined an all-female group called the “Stunners,” who opened for Justin Bieber back in 2010, but this was just the beginning for her. The band split before they could even release an album, and because of that, Kiyoko was able to take her personal music in a different direction.
She is seen as an inspiration to many people in the LGBTQ community because her self-expression in her music lets them know that it is okay to be who they are. Her openness and willingness to talk about her sexuality is something that clearly motivates her, and this feeling of self-love is contagious among other members of the LGBTQ community.
Kiyoko has also shown that artists can use their platforms to raise awareness for serious issues.
One of the big issues that Kiyoko addresses is trans violence. In the music video for her song, “One Bad Night,” the main character is trans, and is saved from being attacked and beaten on the streets. The video is emotional, but has a happy ending, as the two main characters enjoy each other’s company over donuts. Kiyoko’s desire to express the importance of human compassion, especially in today’s world, drives her powerful messages that are presented in this song and video.
Expectations, the first full length album from Kiyoko, dropped on March 30th, and explores all of these ideas of self-love, self-acceptance, and confidence.
Kiyoko is more than an artist and more than an inspiration. She is the start of a new generation in music; a generation where these types of songs and videos are not unusual or uncommon, but rather welcomed with complete and utter respect and acceptance.