Hayley Kiyoko Struggled to Find an Opportunity in Music — Now, She’s Giving Women Artists Exactly That
Hayley Kiyoko’s most enormous struggle as a musician turned into a possibility.
PEOPLE spoke entirely with the 28-year-vintage singer and actress as she started her partnership with Bumble Bizz, which supports bridging the gender hole and allowing female musicians to interrupt within the industry.
“I think that once we’ve opportunities, our potential is endless, and so it feels top-notch, and I want which will supply that again,” Kiyoko advised PEOPLE. “Getting the opportunity just to be me and be able to specific myself became very freeing.”
The “Girls Like Girls” singer completed traveling the sector following her debut album Expectations Ultimate yr. The album featured Kehlani on “What I Need,” which has garnered over fifty-one million streams on Spotify.
Now, she’s geared up to hit the level at multiple tune fairs this summer season, where three ladies will get the danger to acquire steering and mentorship from Kiyoko, Bebe Rexha, or Kacey Musgraves, way to “Empowered by way of Bumble Bizz.”
“It’s high-quality what Bumble is doing to empower women and to venture the gender gap in the tuning industry,” she stated. “I’m very excited to assist, inspire, and provide female artists an opportunity to shine.”
The initiative, kickstarted with the aid of the Bumble app, permits up-and-coming girls musicians to publish their work via Bumble Bizz for a risk to receive mentorship from Rexha, Kiyoko, or Musgraves — at the side of the possibility of acting as a 2020 song pageant.
Why women? A USC Annenberg looks at that 17 percent of artists in the yr-cease charts had been girls.
Bumble partnered with festivals Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Music Midtown, Austin City Limits, and Voodoo to diversify their lineups. Only 19 percent of artists on festival lineups are made of girls, in keeping with Pitchfork.
“As an artist and as a person, all of us simply want to have an opportunity to be not only the pleasant model of ourselves but can express ourselves,” Kiyoko said about the importance of artistry. “I’m truly targeted on looking to place my electricity into things of that nature and additionally just assist human beings.”
Despite her achievement, the former Disney Channel actress said she doesn’t see herself “at a stage of mentorship” but is equipped to help other girls artists succeed.
“I’m nevertheless figuring the whole thing out every day. However, it feels exciting and appropriate to share my experiences with others and listen to their studies,” she said. “[And also] be capable of assisting one another in our artistry as girls.”
As an outspoken advocate for underrepresented communities — she is dubbed Lesbian Jesus, in any case — Kiyoko has been a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ community.
“Pride is scary for maximum. It isn’t very comforting to like yourself and be pleased with who you are. It makes you vulnerable. It’s frightening to like yourself boldly and freely in worry that maybe you are wrong, or nobody else will love you,” she wrote on Instagram. “But the relationship you have with yourself is the most essential. Build that bond and be kind to yourself.”
The “Curious” singer also completed shooting the second season of Kerry Washington-produced show Five Points, which premieres Aug. Five on Facebook Watch. Along with its premier, Kiyoko stated that “lots of fun, thrilling matters” could occur during the summertime — and perhaps, a new tune!
“I don’t understand what to expect; I don’t need to place any expectations on it,” she stated (no pun intended, of the route). “I sincerely love the brand new track, and I think everyone will like it. I’m excited to proportion it with you all as soon as it’s geared up.”
