Hayley Kiyoko and Becca Tilley's Relationship Timeline
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After years of romance rumors, singer Hayley Kiyoko and Bachelor Nation's Becca Tilley finally confirmed their relationship in 2022.
The couple made their official debut at the release party for Kiyoko's song "For The Girls," the music video for which features a cameo by Tilley. During the event, Kiyoko pulled the reality star onstage, where they shared a hug and a kiss.
The singer's Instagram revealed that she and Tilley had been dating for four years and first met in 2018. "This photo is from the first night we met at my Expectations album release party, we took this picture after 5 minutes," Kiyoko captioned a photo of the couple smiling with Tilley's arm around her waist. "Her shirt said 'no time for romance'…..it's been 4 years. I guess she had some time 🤷♀️"
Though Tilley told PEOPLE she was off the market in 2018, she was hesitant to share her life with Kiyoko given her past public romances; particularly her year-long relationship with Bachelor Nation's Robert Graham.
However, the couple felt it was time to unveil their love to the world in 2022 — and they haven't looked back.
"It feels really good," Kiyoko told PEOPLE shortly after going public with Tilley. "I mean, we lived a very normal life. It just wasn't on social media. We lived very open. And we've been together for four years, but now it's on social media. And now we get to share with the world. It's just been really nice — we've had so much love and support."
Keep reading for a complete timeline of Hayley Kiyoko and Becca Tilley's relationship.
April 2018: Hayley Kiyoko and Becca Tilley meet for the first time
Hayley Kiyoko Instagram
According to an Instagram post shared by Kiyoko in May 2022, the singer first met Tilley in 2018 at the release party for her debut album Expectations. The snap shows the pair smiling at the camera with Tilley's arm around Kiyoko's waist.
August 2018: Becca Tilley says she's dating again
Becca Tilley Instagram
In an interview with PEOPLE, Tilly revealed that while she's back in the dating game, she's keeping her private life on the down low.
"My last relationship was pretty public and out there and I've kind of got to the point where I'm like, 'Am I able to keep anything to myself?' " she said. "So in this process of dating and going through that again I've been trying to keep it more low-key … it's been tricky, it's a tough world out there the dating world."
The Bachelor alum didn't specify who she was dating at the time, and added that she finds it "endearing that people care and are really rooting for me and want me to find love."
December 2018: Becca Tilley congratulates Hayley Kiyoko on Twitter
SO PROUD! @HayleyKiyoko https://t.co/Yv6B8Lqv7q
— Becca Tilley (@beccatilley5) December 7, 2018
After Kiyoko took home the Rising Star Award at Billboard's Women in Music Awards in 2018, Tilley shared the singer's touching acceptance speech on Twitter. "SO PROUD!" she wrote in the tweet, tagging Kiyoko.
February 2019: Becca Tilley supports Hayley Kiyoko on tour
Tilley was spotted cheering Kiyoko on in the crowd at the singer's Birmingham concert in 2019. In a Twitter video of Kiyoko performing her song "Curious" during her Encore tour, a fan captured Tilley smiling and singing along during the show.
December 2019: Becca Tilley says she's keeping her relationship private
Charley Gallay/Getty
On an episode of Entertainment Tonight's Roses & Rosé, Tilley told host Lauren Zima why she's kept her relationship out of the public eye.
"It's something that's mine, and I feel like I'm pretty open about everything else in my life … I share pretty much everything," she said. "My last relationship with Robert was very public and it made it very hard once we broke up, just the pressure of it, and I decided with this one that I don't want that."
Tilley added: "The people who I want to know, know about it ... I think there's something really special that it's just ours."
February 2020: Becca Tilley hints at marriage with Hayley Kiyoko
Though she refrained from naming Kiyoko, Tilley revealed just how serious her relationship had become during a live taping of her podcast Scrubbing In with Becca Tilley and Ranya Rad. In the episode, Tilley said that she was "95 percent" sure she would marry her current partner.
May 19, 2022: Hayley Kiyoko and Becca Tilley confirm their relationship
Hayley Kiyoko Instagram
After years of hints and speculation, Kiyoko and Tilley went public with their relationship. On May 19, 2022, Kiyoko hosted a release party for her new single, "For The Girls," at Mickey's in West Hollywood. While addressing the crowd, Kiyoko requested that Tilley, who makes a cameo in the song's Bachelor-themed music video, join her onstage.
"Where's Becca?" said Kiyoko as she looked for Tilley. Once the reality star made her way onstage, Kiyoko handed her a "final rose" before they shared a hug and kiss.
Following the event, both Kiyoko and Tilley made things official on social media. In addition to a tweet reading, "3rd time's a charm. So so happy", Tilley shared a video montage of the couple on Instagram, writing, "Hard to say if this is a hard or soft launch, but it is a launch ❤️."
In a photo carousel posted by Kiyoko, the singer shared a snap of the first night the couple met in 2018. "This photo is from the first night we met at my Expectations album release party, we took this picture after 5 minutes," she said in the caption. "Her shirt said 'no time for romance'…..it's been 4 years. I guess she had some time 🤷♀️"
Tilley responded by saying: "It was me manifesting in my own way…. Glad I found the time, though! I love you!"
May 24, 2022: Becca Tilley opens up about going public with Hayley Kiyoko
Becca Tilley Instagram
Just a few days after confirming her relationship with Kiyoko, Tilley became emotional when talking about the experience on her podcast.
"I was prepared for anything and everything," she said. "I was not prepared for the amount of love and support that we got. Like, I just could have never predicted."
Tilley also said that Kiyoko helped her "feel brave" in the decision to go public. "She was always like people are gonna love you, people love you, and they want to see you happy," she said.
May 27, 2022: Becca Tilley says that Taylor Swift was one of the first people to learn about her relationship with Hayley Kiyoko
On Scrubbing In with Becca Tilley & Tanya Rad, Tilley shared that Taylor Swift was one of few people who knew about her and Kiyoko's romance before they went public.
At one point during their relationship, Tilley flew out to Boston to watch Kiyoko perform with Swift — presumably when they duetted "Curious" at Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour in July 2018 — and got to meet the star in her dressing room after the show.
"When I was thinking about it, I was, like, I think that was the first person who knew outside of my friends and family," Tilley said on the podcast. She also added that meeting Swift "felt like talking to a friend."
"I thought that was a really cool thing," Tilley said, "because obviously Taylor Swift stan forever."
June 7, 2022: Hayley Kiyoko opens up about going public with Becca Tilley
Hayley Kiyoko Instagram
Shortly after unveiling their relationship to the world, Kiyoko spoke to PEOPLE about feeling "overwhelmed in the best way."
"It feels really good," she said. "I mean, we lived a very normal life. It just wasn't on social media. We lived very open. And we've been together for four years, but now it's on social media. And now we get to share with the world. It's just been really nice — we've had so much love and support."
She continued, "It's overwhelming in the best way — I think people love love. And I think anytime you see a love story that's been able to last ... and I think a lot of people are shocked that we were able to keep it private for four years. But I think people are ... it's really cool that people root for my happiness and our happiness and our relationships. So it's really humbling and overwhelming in the best way."
September 2022: Hayley Kiyoko cries recalling Becca Tilley's coming out process
While appearing on her girlfriend's Scrubbing In podcast, Kiyoko got emotional while discussing the time period when the pair were keeping their relationship private.
"When we started dating, I was ready to have a public relationship," the singer shared. "When we were navigating her experience and where she was at in her journey, that obviously shifted. But it was worth it to me because I wanted to be in a relationship with her, and I never felt like she was hiding me."
Kiyoko started crying while talking about how Tilley has "been through a lot" that she hasn't shared with fans. "She deserves lots of love, and everyone in my community, in our community, deserves to be loved and accepted for who they are," she said of Tilley.
The Bachelor alum also spoke about the decision to wait to go public, saying that she emphasized with Kiyoko, but was more hesitant to share their relationship. "I never want you to feel hidden or like you're a secret, but this is my first time navigating it, and I don't want to have to do it in the public yet,' " she said.
"I'm just really proud of us navigating those hard conversations," Tilley continued. "I had my own stuff going on, but I was so certain of her. It was never like I had doubts about her or was ashamed of her."
September 23, 2022: Hayley Kiyoko and Becca Tilley make red carpet debut as a couple
Kiyoko and Tilley walked the red carpet together at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas. The couple were photographed holding hands — and at one point, Tilley was seen smacking Kiyoko on the butt.
"Hayley's 1st iheart festival," Tilley captioned a video from that evening.
October 29, 2022: Hayley Kiyoko and Becca Tilley dress up as Scooby-Doo characters for Halloween
Kiyoko, who played Velma in Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins and Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster, put on the fictional character's iconic glasses and orange ensemble once again for Halloween. To complete the couple's costume, Tilley dressed up as Daphne.
"Unexpected plot twist," Tilley wrote on Instagram, referring to the Velma and Daphne romantic storyline that has yet to be realized on screen.
December 2022: Hayley Kiyoko and Becca Tilley dress up as the Grinch and Martha May Whovier
Kiyoko and Tilley love a good costume moment. On Instagram, the "Sleepover" singer said it was "a dream come true" to transform into the Grinch.
"I grew up loving the Grinch. I really connected to him," Kiyoko said. "My dream was to date someone like Martha May."
Speaking directly to Tilley, she said: "You're my dream girl, and I'm the Grinch." The Bachelor alum responded: "You are but I love you."
December 13, 2022: Becca Tilley and Hayley Kiyoko visit the White House
Standing on the South Lawn, Tilley and Kiyoko watched President Joe Biden sign the Respect for Marriage Act.
"I wish I could tell my younger self — a closeted biracial girl searching for acceptance — that one day I could live authentically and choose to legally marry whomever I love regardless of their race or sexual orientation," Kiyoko captioned a carousel of images on Instagram. "The Respect for Marriage Act secures the safety of so many unions around the country, and it was an honor to be there today to witness history."
Tilley responded in the comments: "I love you, I was so proud to be there with you today! ❤️"
February 5, 2023: Becca Tilley and Hayley Kiyoko hang out with Taylor Swift at Grammys afterparty
Hayley Kiyoko Instagram
Tilley and Kiyoko attended a post-Grammys party at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. While there, they hung out with celebrities including Taylor Swift, Kelsea Ballerini and Fletcher.
"And by the way, we went out last night," the pair wrote in a joint Instagram post.
The "Curious" singer also shared on Instagram that the party venue held sentimental value for her and Tilley.
"Our love story started at the Chateau in 2018 and now we're here, almost 5 years later. 🥹," Kiyoko captioned a series of sweet photos with her girlfriend.
March 3, 2023: Hayley Kiyoko says her song "Hungry Heart" was inspired by Becca Tilley
Kiyoko shared on Instagram that her single "Hungry Heart" was written shortly after meeting Tilley in 2018.
"Remembering when I hung out with this girl one time, and the next day started missing her like crazy and felt like my heart couldn't go on without her, so I wrote a song about it," the songstress captioned a video of her mouthing the words "F---. What the f--- was that about? Dude, you're weird."
Kiyoko added: "Plot twist she is now my gf."
