Hayley Kiyoko, the multifaceted artist known for her music, acting, and writing, has taken on a new role as a film director with her debut feature, Girls Like Girls. The project, which began as a hit song and evolved into a book and now a film, has become a significant chapter in Kiyoko’s life, helping her embrace both her queer identity and her Japanese heritage.
Last Thursday, Kiyoko attended an intimate dinner hosted by Gold House in partnership with OpenTablean event celebrating AANHPI individuals who are shaping culture. As she reflected on the evening, Kiyoko admitted, “This is the first event about me, which is exciting and uncomfortable.” The gathering took place at Rokushoa Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles, where Kiyoko shared her personal journey with the attendees.
Reconnecting with Cultural Roots
For Kiyoko, making Girls Like Girls was more than just a creative endeavor; it was an opportunity to reconnect with her Japanese culture, something she had struggled with due to the conservative attitudes toward LGBTQ+ issues in Japan. “This Girls Like Girls universe has been about me really learning how to embrace my culture and my heritage because so much of my life has been hiding my sexuality,” she revealed.
The film’s production also brought Kiyoko back to a place deeply tied to her family history. When she learned that the movie would be shot in Kelowna, Canadashe was surprised to discover it was the same town where her Japanese grandparents were buried. “Kelowna is actually where my Japanese grandparents are buried. They lived there and I grew up visiting them,” Kiyoko shared. This return to her grandparents’ hometown allowed her to create new memories and rewrite her narrative in a place that once held complicated emotions.
A Full-Circle Moment
One of the most poignant moments in the film is a scene set in a Japanese restaurant, the only one in the town where Kiyoko’s grandmother used to take her family. “There’s a scene in the movie where the two leads, both young women in a romantic relationship, are in a Japanese restaurant and that restaurant is the only Japanese restaurant in the town where my grandma used to take us,” Kiyoko explained. This scene, filled with personal significance, symbolizes the full-circle journey Kiyoko has undertaken through her art.
Kiyoko’s exploration of her identity and heritage is not just a personal story but a cultural one. As a queer artist, she has used her platform to tell stories that resonate with the LGBTQ+ community. Her work on Girls Like Girls has been a decade-long journey toward embracing her identity and telling unapologetically queer stories. The film, which arrives in theaters on June 19is a testament to her growth and the power of art to bridge cultural and personal divides.
In a recent interview with OutKiyoko described the film as the culmination of her journey, a project that has allowed her to celebrate her heritage while advocating for queer representation. Her story serves as an inspiration, showing how art can be a tool for self-discovery and cultural connection.
