Hayley Kiyoko on Navigating Her Identity and Sharing the 'Love' She Has for Becca Tilley with the World
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Ally Green/Teen Vogue Hayley Kiyoko
Hayley Kiyoko is unapologetically herself — and she's "here for the queers."
On Tuesday, Kiyoko spoke to Teen Vogue in a cover story interview about her forthcoming studio album Panorama, and how it encapsulates a liberation within herself.
"That chapter of me as an artist was me really catching up with myself, finally getting to write these songs about these experiences I had in the past," Kiyoko, 31, told the outlet of the release of her hit "Girls Like Girls."
Since then, Kiyoko said she's "really learned to love and also know who I am as a person." And with that, she's had time to reflect on other parts of herself.
Ally Green/Teen Vogue Hayley Kiyoko
"I didn't really have any capacity to understand or navigate why I was never Asian enough and why I wasn't white enough, and the disconnect with my culture, because I was just so overwhelmed with hiding the fact that I loved women."
She later added of the album, which is set to release on July 29, "Panorama is me trying to own where I'm at."
Ally Green/Teen Vogue Hayley Kiyoko
Last month, Kiyoko released "For the Girls," which will be featured on the forthcoming album. In the music video, she took on the role of the first-ever lesbian Bachelorette, with Bachelor Nation's Becca Tilley making an appearance at the very end.
That same night, Kiyoko and Tilley went public with their relationship when they shared a kiss onstage at Kiyoko's celebration party. Tilley also marked their announcement with a sweet Instagram video montage of their years together.
Rich Fury/Getty Hayley Kiyoko and Becca Tilley
Over the weekend at iHeartRadio KIIS FM's Wango Tango, Tilley, 33, opened up about the outpouring of love she's received from fans.
"It feels really good," she told PEOPLE of unveiling her relationship. "I mean, we lived a very normal life. It just wasn't on social media. We lived very open. And we've been together for four years, but now it's on social media. And now we get to share with the world. It's just been really nice — we've had so much love and support."
Ally Green/Teen Vogue Hayley Kiyoko
She continued, "It's overwhelming in the best way — I think people love love. And I think anytime you see a love story that's been able to last ... and I think a lot of people are shocked that we were able to keep it private for four years. But I think people are ... it's really cool that people root for my happiness and our happiness and our relationships. So it's really humbling and overwhelming in the best way."
Ally Green/Teen Vogue Hayley Kiyoko
Meanwhile, Kiyoko told Teen Vogue that the music video was Tilley's moment.
"It is one thing to discover your authentic truth, but to share it takes a lot of courage as we all know," Kiyoko told the outlet. "She has had to navigate a lot of hardship in her journey, and I've been honored to be by her side through it all. It is not my place to speak for her, but it does feel amazing to get to share the love I have for her with the rest of the world."
