A moment for the girls, gays and theys

It’s the collab fans of sapphic pop have been anticipating. Earlier this week, Hayley Kiyoko and Fletcher released their new single Cherry. Having teased a bit of the song’s chorus on Instagram earlier, it was clear from the overwhelmingly positive response that the track would make quite a few ripples in the queer music scene.  

“It’s a moment for the girls, gays, and theys,” said Fletcher. Hayley added, “We’ve been trying to collaborate for years and this song couldn’t be more perfect for us! I hope the fans love it and can blast it while feeling flirty, playful, and free.”

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Hayley first gained recognition as a member of the now-dissolved band The Stunners. She’s also starred in films, including the Scooby Doo! film series (2009-2010), Disney Channel’s Lemonade Mouth (2011) and Jem and the Holograms (2015). However, her true calling is singing and songwriting. Her EP This Side of Paradise was a turning point for her musical career, with the artist’s first LGBTQ+ anthem Girls Like Girls. This paved the way for her debut album Expectations, which was hailed for being a refreshing take on LGBTQ+ narratives.

Photo: Courtesy of Facebook/Fletcher

Fletcher, whose real name is Cari Fletcher, found her passion in music at a young age. By 14, she was writing her own music and at 17, she competed on The X Factor (US). Four years later, her single War Paint became one of Spotfiy’s most viral songs at the time. Now 27, she has three successful EPs under her belt.

Through the years, a few straight artists have been criticized for queerbaiting, examples include Katy Perry’s 2008 song I Kissed a Girl and Rita Ora’s 2018 song Girls. Hence, the praise for authentic representation when artists like Hayley and Fletcher show up to the party. Earlier this year, the pair also kicked off a Safe Space series on Facebook Audio Live, covering conversations on identity, navigating challenges, intersectionality, and representation in music. 

While the music video for Cherry is still in the works, you can listen to the track now on Spotify.