Hayley Kiyoko Takes 'Girls Like Girls' From Viral Music Video to the Big Screen
When Hayley Kiyoko released the music video for "Girls Like Girls" back in 2015, few could have predicted the cultural shockwave it would send through the LGBTQ+ community. A tender, emotionally charged story of two young women falling for each other, the video resonated with millions of queer viewers who rarely saw their experiences reflected in mainstream media. A decade later, Kiyoko is taking that same story and expanding it into a full-length feature film — and this time, she's sitting in the director's chair.
With her directorial debut, Girls Like Girls, Hayley Kiyoko is not only revisiting the world that made her a queer icon — she's building on it, deepening it, and celebrating queer joy in a way that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. Alongside the film, she is also releasing a companion album, making this one of the most ambitious creative projects of her career.
From Music Video to Feature Film: A Vision Years in the Making
The original "Girls Like Girls" music video was never just a promotional clip. It was a four-minute short film that told a story with a beginning, a middle, and a heartbreaking end. Fans connected to it instantly, sharing it widely and calling it one of the most honest portrayals of young queer love they had ever seen. For Kiyoko, that response planted a seed.
Over the years, the idea of expanding the story into something larger never fully left her mind. The feature film adaptation represents years of creative development, emotional investment, and a deep desire to give the characters — and the audience that loves them — the full story they deserve. Rather than simply stretching the original video into a longer runtime, Kiyoko has crafted a coming-of-age romance drama that explores the complexity of identity, first love, and self-discovery with a level of nuance that only a feature-length format can provide.
Making her directorial debut with material this personal is a bold move, but it is also a natural one. No one knows this story better than its creator, and Kiyoko's intimate understanding of the emotional stakes gives the film a sense of authenticity that is difficult to manufacture.
Celebrating Queer Joy on Screen
One of the most important conversations surrounding Girls Like Girls is its commitment to celebrating queer joy — not just queer struggle. For too long, LGBTQ+ stories in film and television have leaned heavily into tragedy, trauma, and conflict as the primary dramatic engines. While those narratives have their place and reflect real experiences, they can leave queer audiences feeling like their joy, their love, and their happiness are not considered worthy of the spotlight.
Hayley Kiyoko has been vocal about her intention to change that with this film. She wants audiences — queer and straight alike — to walk away feeling uplifted, seen, and hopeful. The film leans into the warmth of young love, the exhilaration of self-discovery, and the beauty of being accepted for exactly who you are.
This approach is not naive or shallow. The film still grapples with the real challenges that young queer people face, including social pressure, fear of rejection, and the complicated process of coming into one's identity. But it refuses to let those challenges be the only thing the story is about. Joy is not a footnote here — it is the point.
The Companion Album: Music as Storytelling
Alongside the film, Hayley Kiyoko is releasing a companion album — a move that feels entirely in keeping with her identity as an artist who blurs the lines between music and visual storytelling. The album is designed to work both alongside and independently of the film, offering listeners a sonic journey that mirrors the emotional arc of the story on screen.
For an artist whose entire career has been built on the intersection of music and cinematic imagery, releasing a companion album with her directorial debut makes perfect sense. Each track is intended to deepen the viewer's connection to the characters and the world of the film, functioning almost like an extended score that carries the emotional weight of the narrative into a format fans can carry with them.
The companion album also reflects Kiyoko's growth as a musician. Having released several acclaimed projects since "Girls Like Girls" first put her on the map, she brings a more mature and layered sound to this work — one that reflects not just where the story began, but where she is as an artist today.
Why 'Girls Like Girls' Matters More Than Ever
In an era where LGBTQ+ representation in media is once again under political and cultural scrutiny, a film like Girls Like Girls carries significance beyond its entertainment value. It is a reminder that queer stories — and queer joy — deserve space, investment, and celebration.
Hayley Kiyoko's willingness to pour her creative energy into this project, to step behind the camera for the first time, and to pair the film with a full musical companion speaks to how seriously she takes her responsibility as a queer artist with a platform. She is not just making a movie — she is making a statement.
What to Expect From the Film and Album Release
- A full-length queer coming-of-age romance drama directed by Hayley Kiyoko, expanding on the story introduced in her iconic 2015 music video.
- A companion album featuring new music that mirrors and deepens the emotional journey of the film.
- A celebration of queer joy, centering love, identity, and self-discovery alongside — not despite — the challenges queer young people face.
- Hayley Kiyoko's directorial debut, marking a significant new chapter in her career as a multidisciplinary creative force.
Final Thoughts
Hayley Kiyoko bringing Girls Like Girls to the big screen is more than a passion project — it is the culmination of a decade-long creative journey that began with a four-minute music video and grew into something far larger in the hearts of fans around the world. With her directorial debut and an accompanying album, Kiyoko is proving that she is not just a musician who makes great videos — she is a storyteller in every sense of the word. For queer audiences who have waited years for more of this story, and for anyone who has ever experienced the electric, terrifying, beautiful uncertainty of first love, Girls Like Girls is a film worth watching.