Lesbian Jesus is back with a single about her days as a closeted teen
BY SOPHIE GRIFFITHS, IMAGE VIA YOUTUBE
Following in the footsteps of some of our fave bicons, Dodie and Harry Styles, Lesbian Jesus herself has a single called She.
After a string of new songs, She comes as the first official single and final track from Hayley’s project, I’m Too Sensitive For This Shit.
Rather than releasing a sophomore album to follow 2018’s Expectations, Hayley has been dropping songs sporadically since last summer as part of the project.
Her new single, She, is about embracing who you are and being unafraid to live fully in your truth without any regrets. The video, directed by Hayley herself, sees her reliving her dreams and difficulties living as a closeted teenager. So what better place to set the video than her childhood bedroom?
Sporting her teenage hairstyle, an oversized flannel shirt and rainbow socks, she stands awkwardly in front of the mirror before changing her outfit and envisioning herself as a superstar.
She pretends she’s getting bras thrown at her on stage and pointing to a crowd while strumming her guitar. (Let’s face it, we’ve all done this when we’re alone in our bedroom.)
The nostalgia-packed video is relatable in every sense. It’s your classic teenage messy room: there’s a CD player, a lava lamp, and there’s even a Lance Bass poster on the wall that comes to life for those NYSYNC fans out there.
“I actually got emotional putting on the wig,” Hayley told Teen Vogue. “It brought on a wave of feelings and reminded me of how insecure and hard I was on myself during that time. I felt a wave of pride as well knowing I overcame my fears and I was now celebrating that moment.”
“When I was younger, I hid so much of who I was, and secretly felt so different and alone,” she added. “But I was really inspired by artists like Tegan and Sara and Lance Bass; they made me feel like I could turn my dreams into a reality. Having representation is so important and means so much to the future generations.”
The video reaches a super queer climax as Kiyoko waves a rainbow flag around her room while a make-believe crowd cheers her name. For a girl who felt she didn’t have many LGBTQI pop stars to look up to, it’s a reminder just how big an impact Hayley herself has had on the queer music scene.
Check it out below to relive the 2000s and the old Hayley hair! We still love it. 🌈
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