“Demons” by Hayley Kiyoko

In this track, Hayley Kiyoko uses the word “demons” as it is somehow commonly utilized, as a metaphor for negative mental-health issues an individual may face. And it is indeed she who is inflicted with this condition.  More specifically, it is manifest in her having thoughts which are lending to Hayley being ‘miserable’, i.e. depressed. And the consistent theme throughout isn’t so much that she’s ‘got demons in her head’, as being victim to unfavorable thoughts is something we all more or less have to deal with.  Rather more to point is her complete inability to overcome this condition. 

In fact she implores the addressee/listener to forgive her for being subject to such a state of being. And the “demons” themselves seem hell-bent on taking her very life via their negativity if possible. 

So conclusively, considering that Kiyoko does not come off like she’s seeking help or perceives an end to this predicament, this song for the most part serves the purpose of simply outlining the struggle she is going through in dealing with this issue.

Release Date

“Demons” was released on 11 October 2019, notably close to Halloween as in addition to its chilling theme the track also has a “spooky” sound.

“Demons” appears on Hayley Kiyoko’s 2019 “I’m Too Sensitive for This [expletive]” project. On that same project appears the song “I Wish“.

Did Hayley Kiyoko write “Demons” herself?

Yes, Kiyoko did. She wrote the song along with two other songwriters, Paul Shelton and Brandon Skeie. The track’s two producers, Pat Morrissey and Kill Dave also assisted the trio to write “Demons”.