As a casual bystander at a Hayley Kiyoko gig, you don’t so much watch a show as bear witness to a queer-pop phenomenon. From the frenzied screams when the house lights initially dimmed, to the near-constant stream of bras, wigs and gifts hurled onstage, last night the LA singer received the sort of reception traditionally associated with boy bands.
The fact the former Disney star commands such fervour is testament to the emotional integrity of her music and the inclusive atmosphere she fosters amongst her fan base. Openly gay and an advocate for trans equality, Kiyoko writes about experiences of love and sex with a candour that’s still rarely seen in mainstream pop. No wonder fans have affectionately nicknamed her “Lesbian Jesus”.
At the first of her two sold-out shows at The Forum, every single song was greeted as an anthem by the largely female audience, scattered with rainbow flags. Boyfriend-baiting synth-bop Girls Like Girls was accompanied by mass arm-waving, while a triumphant rendition of What I Need found fans performing the lines originally performed by Kehlani at tinnitus-inducing volume.
Hosting 2,300 punters, The Forum might be a long way off the capacity of the show she played with Taylor Swift last year, but the production betrayed Kiyoko’s self-confessed “stadium dreams”. Dressed in sequinned sweat pants and intermittently joined by two male dancers, she performed tight, N Sync-style choreography and tried her hand at both bass and drums. There were bloated solos from her guitarist, and souped-up emo renditions of Under The Blue and He’ll Never Love You.
Kiyoko was at her best when keeping the rock cliches at arm’s length, as on the R&B-inflected single Curious. It’s slick, smart pop songs like these that should pave the way to greater stardom.
