Last we heard from Hayley Kiyoko — aka “Lesbian Jesus” — she was pivoting from music for a bit to release a gender-inclusive fragrance, Hue. The perfume-making business was something the singer compared to songwriting when we spoke about the process, and clearly, making music will always be her first love. That’s why it’s a welcome surprise to have a brand new single from Kiyoko. First she released the track itself last night, “Found My Friends,” and today has shared a moody but bright video that was shot on on 16mm film and filmed at the Biltmore hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
Speaking on the song, Hayley said in a press release that she wrote it “during a challenging time when I realized instead of being my own worst enemy, I could actually be my own best friend.” She continued, “It’s about discovering and nurturing a strong friendship with yourself. This song resonates even more so now with everyone experiencing isolation in quarantine, when we still somehow find the resilience to connect with one another and find comfort in each other.”
As for the video, above, Hayley characterized it as a chance to capture a moment of “being fully present.” She also described it in a press release as “about taking control and owning it.” The other major element of the video is that it’s shot on film, which can be limiting, but has a huge payoff. “Color is always a huge inspiration and so it was truly a dream come true to have the opportunity to shoot this video entirely on film,” she explained. “Shooting on film captures color differently than digital but can be a very challenging process because the lighting has to be perfect, the number of takes is limited, and you can’t see the true outcome until you are in the editing room. I am so grateful for our crew who worked hard to pull it all off, especially while still following all the CDC Covid protocol to keep everyone safe on set. I hope when people watch ‘Found My Friends’ they share the same feelings of liberation that I felt when shooting it.”
Check out the video above, and hopefully this is just the start of a new era from Kiyoko, following up her 2020 EP I’m Too Sensitive For This Shit and 2018’s breakout debut, Expectations.