Hayley Kiyoko's Debut Album Exceeds All Expectations

Hayley Kiyoko has been especially emotional leading up to the release of Expectations. While in her album release pre-party at Samsung 837, the 26-year-old broke out into tears on stage a couple of times while talking about the journey leading up to her debut album's release, a pivotal moment in her career as a solo artist. In her own words, she's worked hard to defeat so several obstacles, from making personalized compromises to sell an image to battling for her life if she was unexpectedly hit with a traumatic brain injury. In the end, Hayley finally reached a place where she can be her truest self and make music purely from the heart. What she never expected was that she would design a public of fans that continue to help her through it all without judgement and refer to her as "Lesbian Jesus."


In a press release, Hayley explained how the energy off this album directly connects to a new state of maturity that she recently noticed within herself, a testament to the growth she has experienced while in the past three years. "There’s a sense grounded confidence inside of the lyrics, the melodies, and the production," she mentioned. "It’s very unwavering. This is what it is. Take it or leave it."


As a pop record, Expectations isn't necessarily new wave in terms of sound, yet that doesn't discredit Hayley's proper originality. For her, the variation will constantly be the messages that she's sending through her music which are not so subtly aimed at specific ladies that have impacted her life. "He'll Never Love You (HNLY)" is one of her preference songs, a self-described "petty" diss track where Hayley goes off on a girl that couldn't come to terms with her sexuality despite the power of their connection. (From right now on, please hit all of your exes with the line "so thirsty you’re drowning in it.") It's safe to assume that she's calling out the same person on her self-respect anthem "Curious" as well.


Hayley is open, truthful and unapologetic about the depth of her feelings as soon as consumed by a lover, and why she struggles to control them. This concept also comes to mind while listening to the multi-layered soundscape that is "Under The Blue/Take Me In." One of the most exhilarating tracks on the album is "What I Need," a playful, sun-kissed duet with Kehlani who has never shied away from the fact that she identifies as bisexual (true story: They became companions through Instagram immediately after Kehlani commented on one of Hayley's pictures. These are the types of collaborations that the LGBT community deserves and will hopefully visualize more of in the future as queer artists increase mainstream recognition.


The album isn't just about girl problems—Hayley also touches on darker subjects like depression and death. "Molecules" is a deceptively deep pop track specifically written to honor a companions late brother. Altogether, there's a full span of life experiences covered within these 13 tracks, marking the initial chapter of an ongoing story that Hayley finally feels comfortable in sharing with the world.