Hayley Kiyoko Wins First VMA and Shouts Out Queer Women of Color

Out lesbian Hayley Kiyoko took home her first-ever VMA at tonight’s MTV Video Music Awards. Kiyoko won the audience-voted Push Artist of the Year during the pre-show. She took the stage with host Terrence J, excited and spinning around in her black tulle saying “I can’t do my dance choreography in this dress!”

Kiyoko was beaming, though, as she shared: “I’m so happy – you make me cry and I haven’t even met the famous people. Oh wow, there’s Blake Lively!” 

Adorably, Kiyoko shouted out a hello to her mother and father, acknowledging that just two years ago she was playing to rooms of only 50 people and has been working on getting people to listen to her music for 13 years. This year, though, she released her debut LP Expectations and just came off an American tour with Panic! At the Disco. She recently oversold her European venues and had to move to larger spaces.

After holding on to the Moon Man she won over 14 other artists up for the Push Award, Kiyoko said: This validates any queer woman of color that you can follow your dreams and I love my fans – my fans gave this to us, 20Gayteen! 20Gayteen!”

Kiyoko was then alerted to the fact that she and Cardi B (whom she referred to as “queen!”) are the only two artists left in the running for the Best New Artist, which was still being voted on by viewers at home at time of publishing.