It’s been four years since Hayley Kiyoko released Expectations, her debut studio album— after years of waiting, fans can finally listen to its follow-up Panorama, out today (July 29) via Empire and Atlantic Records.
The album takes Kiyoko’s propensity for writing soul-searching lyrics to stunning new heights, as she pushes down any remaining emotional barriers surrounding her in favor of total transperancy. On tracks like “Sugar at the Bottom” and “Flicker Start,” she reinvigorates the saccharine pop sound that made her a star, while songs like “Underground” and “Panorama” venture into ballad-esque breakdowns of ego and self-image.
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In a statement released with the album, Kiyoko acknowledged that it took her a while to put out Panorama — but that the wait has only made releasing the album that much sweeter. “Normally, I write an album and release it right away but this time I was able to use the creative process as a tool for myself to find comfort through the pandemic,” she said. “I listened to it, took it in, felt confident, and found my way again. With Panorama, hope is the most powerful gift I can offer.”
The album is preceded by lead single “For the Girls,” Kiyoko’s sultry summer single dedicated to women of all kinds — including her girlfriend Becca Tilley, who she revealed she’s been dating for about four years following her appearance in the track’s music video.
Kiyoko also spoke with Billboard in an upcoming interview, where she said that going through “ a lot of health issues” over the last few years only further forced her to re-evaluate what the album was about. “I knew who I was, but that person is now gone,” she says. “So, it became a question of, ‘How do I find myself when I’m lost? It’s right there, I can see it, I just can’t connect to it’ … I wanted this album to be a reminder to stay present.”
Listen to Panorama below.
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