Hayley Kiyoko

Hayley Kiyoko, born Hayley Alcroft on April 3, 1991 in Los Angeles, is an American actress, musician, singer, and dancer. She is the daughter of actor Jamie Alcroft and figure skater Sarah Kawahara.

Her artistic career began on screen, with notable roles such as Véra Dinkley in the Scooby-Doo TV films, a recurring role in Wizards of Waverly Place alongside Selena Gomez, and one of the title roles in the film Lemonade Mouth. She also played Raven Ramirez in the series CSI: Cyber for two years.

Musically, she first performed as part of the group The Stunners, alongside Tinashe. After the group split in 2011, she launched a solo career and released several EPs: A Belle to Remember in 2013, This Side of Paradise in 2015, and Citrine in 2016.

The music video for her song Girls Like Girls, released in 2015, served as a way for her to come out to her audience and became a major success. Her debut studio album, Expectations, was released on March 30, 2018, followed later by Panorama in 2022.

Through her music, Hayley Kiyoko aims to normalize same-sex relationships and provide visibility for the LGBTQ+ community in pop. She has criticized double standards in the music industry, saying her management initially asked her to hide her sexuality.

She has been honored with several distinctions, including the Rising Star Award at Billboard Women in Music in 2018 and the PUSH Artist of the Year award at the MTV Video Music Awards the same year. She also appears on Out magazine’s OUT100 list, which highlights the most influential LGBTQ+ people.