Hayley Kiyoko is more than just a rising star. She is a teen heartthrob, a long-time working actress, a talented songwriter, a passionate artist, and a style innovator. Oh, and did we mention she’s also an LGBT advocate? And when your nickname is “The Lesbian Jesus”, you certainly have some big shoes to fill. But since taking the internet by storm in 2015 with her music video “Girls like Girls” and her many talents as songwriter, recording artist, and music video director to name a few, Hayley Kiyoko doesn’t seem to mind stepping into those big shoes — and taking some big strides in them while she’s at it.
Having been raised in Los Angeles by performer parents, The Cali girl’s proximity to fame was in some ways inevitable. With a figure skater/choreographer mom and actor/comedian dad who always made their jobs a priority because they loved what they did, it made it at least possible for a young Kyoko to pursue work in the entertainment industry herself. In fact, before she hit it big as a recording artist and ultimately signing with Atlantic records, she had already gained experience performing in the pop music group The Stunners, created by Vitamin C, which went on the road with Justin Beiber on his first world tour. And though The Stunners didn’t last long and would soon end up dissolving, Kyoko went on to steadily work toward a career in acting. She appeared in a variety of films like Scooby-Doo!, Lemonade Mouth, Blue Lagoon: The Awakening, Jem and the Holograms, and XOXO. But that’s not all – she even scored a few good T.V roles on shows like The Fosters and CSI:Cyber to name a few. And though this impressive T.V and film resume is the type of success many people can only dream of, for Kyoko, acting was always more of a means to pay for college and to pay for her music equipment. For she always knew music was her real passion, and she knew she wanted to be a songwriter the kind of artist that was in control of her art!
And it’s that knowing that sets her apart from other musicians. It’s that knowing that has garnered her so much adoration among fans. And that knowing, isn’t just with regards to her music – it’s also a knowing of who she was as an individual, even as a young girl. Kyoko recalls being an intense and passionate child, to the point of being aggressive about knowing what she wanted to do, and (lucky for us) she wasn’t afraid to go after it! And like many independent-minded artists, Kiyoko suffered from the woe’s of putting out art that nobody seemed to be watching or hearing. But eventually, having decided to follow the advice of a manager (the same manager who she currently works with today) who encouraged her to put all of her energy into “Girls Like Girls”, that choice would end up being a life changing decision. The indie music video ended up receiving a million views, bringing millions of eye-balls to her youtube channel, and ultimately being her career’s launching pad!
Hayley Kyoko not only knew who she was and who she wanted to be as an artist (spoiler alert Fiona Apple and Michelle Branch were big inspirations). She also knew who she was at an early age when it came to her sexual identity. Though she struggled, like many do, to share who she truly was with her friends and peers for fear of being disliked, she did come out to her parents in 6th grade. That’s a brave choice at any age, nevermind at the difficult pre-teen age of twelve years old. Hats off to Hayley.
And now, since publicly coming out and living her life as an out lesbian, Kiyoko has been widely revered and praised as a gay icon and advocate in the community – a commitment she’s certainly not taking lightly! In fact, Kiyoko has said that making an impact on others and connecting with her community has been the most gratifying part of what she does. Through her music and music videos she has not only helped normalize and create positive images of same-sex relationships in the media, but she has also helped raise awareness about violence against transgender women. She even went on to dedicate her award for Push Artist of the Year at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards to queer women of color.
We just love the fierce, bad-ass, pure and positive energy that Hayley Kiyoko exudes. And we love that she is so unabashedly herself. So it should come as no surprise then, that someone as daring and expressive in her art would then also slowly become quite the fashion icon in her own right. With a go-to look that is equal parts androgynous, quirky, and sexy, Kiyoko seems to have created a genre almost all her own. She’s not afraid to show a little skin (and why should she be?), and she has also been praised for rocking styles that queer women actually wear. Whether she’s rolling with gold sweats and a knit crop-top to match her golden tresses, chillin’ in ripped jeans paired with a dad-sweater, or showing off her figure with a simple sexy bralette and body jewelry, she just can’t get it wrong. But let’s face it, when you own who you are, and step out in confidence, you can wear just about anything you want!
She’s been called a trailblazer, a hero, an icon, and even an inspiration! So next time someone brings up Hayley Kiyoko, and refers to her as a rising star – you’ll know the truth! Yes, her star is rising high, but Hayley Kiyoko is so much more than that! She’s an LGBT activist and advocate, an actress, a super talented songwriter, and a kick-ass fashion icon in the making! Shine bright Ms. Hayley Kiyoko! We like your style.
