Hayley Kiyoko is one of the fastest-rising stars in the music industry.
Kiyoko has always been an entertainer.
Both her parents are creatives, and they always encouraged Kiyoko to follow her passions.
Today, Kiyoko is a superstar performer and a role model to many.
But when she was younger, she often felt lonely and misunderstood.
There were times when she didn’t know if she would make it as a singer.
This is the untold truth of Hayley Kiyoko.
Kiyoko wanted to write songs as a way to tell stories and express herself.
“I was born on this earth to do music.
I’ve always been doing music my whole life,” Kiyoko toldBillboard.
It turns out Kiyoko got to live out these wishes when she got older.
When she was 16, she joined a girl group, The Stunners.
The Stunners released the song “Let’s Hear It For the Boy” on theiCarlysoundtrack and aself-titled EP.
Kiyoko toldRolling Stonethat joining The Stunners was a valuable experience.
“I loved that song, and I still love that song,” Kiyoko toldPaper.
I was like, wow, this is huge."
Many recommended she cover songs on YouTube, but Kiyoko wanted to get discovered for singing her own music.
Kiyoko’s hit song “Girls Like Girls” was a crucial turning point for her career.
She hadn’t received much recognition for her music previously, receiving only a few thousand views on YouTube.
Kiyoko was praised for being her authentic self and an inspiration for the LGBTQ+ community.
As of this writing, the video hasover 127 million viewson YouTube.
Kiyoko toldNylonshe wrote about getting rejected by a friend after confessing her romantic feelings.
She was absolutely devastated, and she wanted to tell a story that would “create hope.”
Despite telling her own story, Kiyoko didn’t want the video to focus on her.
Instead, she had some of her friends play the main characters, and sheworked behind the scenes.
Directing the “Girls Like Girls” video was a formative experience for Kiyoko.
She toldPapershe felt like she could be herself for the first time.
“The yearning feelings I had and also the feeling of being so alone.
I think that’s why people connected with the music video.”
She added that many related to the “sadness and longing” that comes with a having a crush.
But when she was younger, she never thought that would be possible.
“Girls Like Girls” was Kiyoko’s first step toward coming out publicly as an artist.
She toldPapermagazine she never thought she would be singing about girls for the whole world to hear.
Rather, she always imagined she would be singing about “you” or “they.”
Fans told Kiyoko how much her songs meant to them, how they related to her experiences navigating sexuality.
“I was shocked at how people weren’t judging me,” Kiyoko toldPaper.
Citrine is thought to raise self-confidence and promote motivation, creativity, and self-expression.
Kiyoko loved the glassy, yellow quartz crystal so much, she named her third EP after it.
The concussion impacted her life and career.
Kiyoko said many of her past relationships started as friendships and naturally turned into something more.
Kiyoko toldBillboardshe was popular and well-liked as a teenager but was scared of being ostracized if she came out.
I missed out on being asked out," Kiyoko toldEntertainment Weekly.
“I felt so crazy, and hated myself, and beat myself up for my own reality.”
But one thing she might not have expected is how many fans threw their bras on stage.
Kiyoko posted a picture with all the bras and a special message onInstagram.
“HEY BRA THROWERS.
Remember all of those bras you threw at me on tour?!?!”
she wrote in the post’s caption.
“We got a total of 78 BRAS.
What are we going to do with your ‘support’?”
“Thank you for an amazing tour and for all these bras,” Kiyoko noted in her post.
How thoughtful is Kiyoko?
“Beauty is about confidence and embracing who you are.”
She noted it took her a while to realize her own comfort mattered when it came to fashion.
Now Kiyoko certainly has a unique sense of style.
She rocks everything from girly, fitted dresses tomatching sweatstodenim-on-denim ‘fits.
But no matter what she’s wearing, she always looks effortlessly cool and stays true to herself.
Kiyoko eventually wins over one of the popular girls,dubbed “Headphones Girl.
Kiyoko posted a page from thecomic book on Instagramand said creating it was “a dream.”
The comic book is 24 pages long, and copies are available for purchase online.
Kiyokolanded a roleplaying Velma inScooby-Doo!
The Mystery Beginsand went on to star as Stella inLemonade Mouth.
She further shared that she had an “emotional connection” with the movie.
But as a famous musician on tour, Kiyoko doesn’t always give her dating life top priority.
In an interview withRolling Stone, Kiyoko recalled a meet-and-greet where she played matchmaker with fans.
“So I was like ‘Hey could we use your phone?
Could you text it to her?'”
Kiyoko continued, “And the shy girl leans in my ear and goes ‘Thank you so much.
She’s so pretty.
Thank you.'”
Kiyoko toldWmagazineshe fell in love with directing because it was another way for her to tell stories.
Kiyoko discovered her passion for directing when making the “Girls Like Girls” music video.
“My dreams have definitely shifted to leaning more towards directing,” Kiyoko shared withWmagazine.
“I think I’ll always do a little bit of everything, but I just love storytelling.
