How “Girls Like Girls” grew from Hayley Kiyoko’s EP into a cultural landmark
This preview is based on the episode’s published notes, not the audio itself. It sets up a conversation with Hayley Kiyoko about the origins of “Girls Like Girls,” tracing how a 2015 EP track became a defining LGBTQ anthem and later expanded into a novel and film.
This episode preview points to a focused origin story: Hayley Kiyoko joins the show to talk about how “Girls Like Girls” began. Based on the notes, the conversation centers on the making of the song itself, with context from Kiyoko’s path through child acting, a stint in The Stunners, and her move into solo music. The show notes frame “Girls Like Girls” as more than a breakout track from the 2015 EP *This Side of Paradise*. They highlight the song’s collaborators—Lily May-Young and Owen Thomas as co-writers, with James Flannigan producing—and note that Kiyoko co-directed the music video. That video is presented as a major part of the song’s impact, helping turn the release into what the notes call a phenomenon. If you’re deciding whether to listen, this looks especially appealing for fans of pop songwriting, artist evolution, and queer cultural milestones. The notes also emphasize the song’s long afterlife: recognition from *Rolling Stone*, the fan-given nickname “Lesbian Jesus,” a bestselling coming-of-age novel adaptation in 2023, and a feature film adaptation directed by Kiyoko in 2026. So while this isn’t a recap of the audio, the preview suggests an episode about creative beginnings and lasting resonance—how one song can open up an entire artistic world.
About this episode
<p>Hayley Kiyoko is a singer, songwriter, author, and director from Los Angeles. She was a child actor on Disney and Nickelodeon, and briefly in a girl group called The Stunners. But then, she started her career as a solo artist. In 2015, she put out the EP<em> This Side of Paradise</em>, and one of the songs on it was “Girls Like Girls.” She co-wrote it with Lily May-Young and Owen Thomas, and it was produced by James Flannigan. Hayley co-directed the music video for it, and when the song and the video came out, it was an absolute phenomenon. It became a lesbian anthem; Rolling Stone named it one of the most inspiring LGBTQ songs of all time. Hayley’s legion of fans gave her the nickname “Lesbian Jesus.” In 2023, Hayley adapted the song into a bestselling coming-of-age novel. And in June 2026, she made her feature film directorial debut, with the movie adaptation of “Girls Like Girls.” For this episode, Hayley and I talked about how it all started with the making of that song. </p><p>For more info, visit <a href="https://songexploder.net/hayley-kiyoko"><strong>songexploder.net/hayley-kiyoko.</strong></a></p>