Hayley Kiyoko Is Happy to ‘Break the Glass Ceiling’ With Her Directorial Debut ‘Girls Like Girls’

Amanda Lewis

4 weeks ago7 min read

Hayley Kiyoko, the artist affectionately dubbed “Lesbian Jesus” by her devoted fanbase, has long used her platform in pop music to champion queer visibility. Now, the 35-year-old singer-songwriter is translating her distinct narrative voice from the recording studio to the film set, making her feature film directorial debut with ‘Girls Like Girls.’ The project is not just a career pivot but a deeply personal milestone, an expansion of the very story that first cemented her status as a powerful storyteller nearly a decade ago. For Kiyoko, stepping behind the camera for a full-length feature is more than just a new professional challenge; it’s an opportunity to shatter industry barriers and bring an authentic, coming-of-age queer love story to the screen on her own terms.While her ascent in the music world has been a defining chapter, Kiyoko is no stranger to Hollywood. Her early career was built on acting roles in projects like the Disney Channel movie ‘Lemonade Mouth’ and the live-action ‘Scooby-Doo!’ films. However, it was her transition into music that allowed her to fully embrace her identity and connect with a global audience. Her vibrant synth-pop anthems, from “Curious” to “Demons,” consistently explore themes of love, identity, and self-acceptance through an unapologetically queer lens. This authenticity resonated profoundly, building a community that saw their own experiences reflected in her art. It’s this foundation of trust and shared experience that she now carries into her filmmaking, promising a story that speaks from the heart of the community she represents.The journey to the director’s chair for ‘Girls Like Girls’ began in 2015 with the release of her song of the same name. More than just a track, it was accompanied by a self-directed music video that became a viral sensation, amassing over 160 million views to date. The video’s narrative, depicting a young woman realizing her feelings for her best friend who is in a relationship with a boy, was a poignant and beautifully rendered piece of short-form storytelling. It showcased Kiyoko’s innate talent for visual narrative and her keen eye for capturing the subtle, heart-wrenching complexities of first love and self-discovery. This early success proved she had the vision and capability to direct, laying the groundwork for the ambitious feature film project that is now coming to fruition.Expanding that seminal music video into a 90-minute film is a natural evolution for an artist who has always woven cinematic threads through her work. The feature-length version of ‘Girls Like Girls’ promises to delve deeper into the lives of its characters, providing the space and nuance that a five-minute video could only hint at. The story, set in the early 2000s, follows the journey of high school student Coley, who navigates a new town and an intense, burgeoning connection with a girl named Sonya. By helming the project, Kiyoko maintains complete creative control, ensuring the narrative remains grounded in the authentic, often messy, reality of queer teenage experience, free from the diluted or sanitized perspectives that have often characterized mainstream Hollywood’s attempts at similar stories.In describing her move into feature directing as an opportunity to “break the glass ceiling,” Kiyoko is acknowledging the significant hurdles that remain for women, particularly queer women of color, in the film industry. The director’s chair has historically been one of the least diverse spaces in Hollywood. Her debut is a powerful statement, demonstrating that artists can and should be the primary authors of their own communities’ stories. It’s a testament to a changing industry landscape, one where creators from marginalized backgrounds are increasingly able to secure the backing and platform to tell stories that were once relegated to the fringes. This film is not just a personal victory for Kiyoko but a significant step forward for representation, inspiring a new generation of creators to pursue their visions without compromise.As ‘Girls Like Girls’ moves toward its eventual release, it represents a convergence of Hayley Kiyoko’s talents as a musician, an actor, and now, a filmmaker. It’s the culmination of a decade-long commitment to telling a specific, heartfelt story that has resonated with millions. For her fans, it’s the full realization of a world they fell in love with years ago. For the broader film world, it marks the arrival of a confident and vital new directorial voice, one with a clear perspective and a built-in audience eager to follow her wherever her creative instincts lead next, whether that’s to a new album or another story waiting to be told on the big screen.

#lead focus

#Hayley Kiyoko

#Film

#Directing

#LGBTQ

#Pop Music

#Entertainment

#Girls Like Girls

#Representation

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