By: Brenna Mata
Hayley Kiyoko graced the House of Blues stage with a magnetic performance on her stop in Houston on May 22, 2023. The long-awaited Panorama Tour is Hayley's first time back on the road since her iconic 2018 Expectations Tour. Those five long years in between tours (as well as album releases) had Hayley's dedicated Houston fans more than thrilled for her grand return to the Lone Star State.
Fresh off the release of her 2022 sophomore album, PANORAMA, Hayley's pop sound is without a doubt fresh, and it's bursting with flawlessly curated production. With ten PANORAMA songs filling up spots on the 19-song set list for the tour, getting to witness these new songs in concert was an awe-inspiring experience.
Hayley hit the stage right at 8:45p.m. wearing bright green corduroy pants with a white, graffitied jean jacket. She was greeted by the screams and yells of the amped-up audience. It was also neat that she was accompanied by a live band that truly enhanced the feel of the music throughout the night. She started off with found my friends, a catchy tune that Hayley notes is "about discovering and nurturing a strong friendship with yourself." The perfect song to start off the night full of self-love songs, gay love ballads, and fan favorite throwbacks from 2016.
There was never a moment where Hayley didn't shine like the pop star she is. Whether it was her stunning choreography for Curious and Demons, or heartwarming moments when she serenaded a fan with her LGBT anthem, Pretty Girl, her versatility and talent as an artist are undeniable.
Beyond her musical talents, Hayley's connection with her fans was so, so special. She was beyond happy to be performing for us and made it very clear by talking in between songs to thank everyone for coming to the show and, ultimately, allowing her dreams to come true. The crowd reciprocated that love by singing along to every word and dancing the night away to tunes like What I Need featuring Kehlani and her 2015 viral hit, Girls Like Girls.
By the end of the night, the House of Blues was transformed into a vibrant, inclusive space where everyone felt seen and celebrated. Hayley ended the show with the cinematic panorama, a brutally honest but glorious song that explores how sometimes you just need to step back and focus on the "view" of good things in life "'Cause I've convinced myself that good things never last. Today's the day I'm not passing through; I'm gonna say, wait, have you seen the view?" It was a bittersweet ending to a memorable show full of genuine connection and one-of-a-kind pop music.
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