‘Girls Like Girls’ Composer Jessica Rose Weiss on Honoring the Story’s Truth

The moving story told in Girls Like Girls is backed by an emotional and heartfelt score by composer Jessica Rose Weiss. We had the chance to speak with her to discuss how she collaborated with director Hayley Kiyoko and how the film’s music helped bring the story to life.

Uprooting one’s life and moving to a new town is usually a pivotal experience. Add the angst of teenage romance and the recent death of one’s mother, and now we’re dealing with a myriad of emotional complexities. In Girls Like Girls, our protagonist Coley is going through all of this while also exploring same-sex love with the popular girl in town. As her journey explores the upheavals she endures, the film’s score takes us on an emotional trip of its own that both supports the story and in many ways elevates it.

Composer Jessica Rose Weiss worked alongside writer/director Hayley Kiyoko to ensure that the music present throughout the film not only supported each moment, but also honored Kiyoko’s personal relationship with the story. While my favorite songs are “Train Tracks” and “Aim Me,” Weiss’s complete soundtrack fully immerses you in the evolving feelings of Coley’s and Sonya’s attraction, frustration, confusion, and ultimately, love. The Nerds of Color had the opportunity to speak with Weiss in great detail about bringing this all together.

Watch our conversation below to hear how Weiss approaches composing music and her creative process for working on Girls Like Girls:

Girls Like Girls is currently in theaters.