Hayley Williams surprised fans earlier this month by releasing a collection of 17 singles, all produced by Daniel James. On August 18, she dropped the music video for “Glum,” directed by fellow Paramore bandmate Zac Farro and AJ Gibboney. The music video features Williams isolated in a bare house, garden area, and pool. The film-like quality of the video, paired with Hayley alone in large spaces, gives the video a melancholy vibe that matches up perfectly with lyrics such as “In the wake of your sunshine, I’ve never felt so glum” and “Do you ever feel so alone? You could implode and no one would know?”
After spending 20+ years fulfilling a contract with Atlantic Records – a contract signed when Williams was just a teenager – Paramore announced in 2023 that they were finally an independent band. This Post Atlantic collection of songs was self-released by Hayley Williams via Secretly Distribution. Across each of these new tracks, Williams and Daniel James played, wrote, and recorded multiple instruments with cross-project contributions from long-time collaborators Brian Robert Jones and Joey Howard. Jim E-Stack contributed on “True Believer,” which currently sits at No. 1 on the Billboard Alternative Digital Sales Chart. The music video for “Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party,” directed by Zachary Gray, was also recently released. The clip features a portrait of Williams’ hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. You can see her contemplating the city at dusk with Representative Justin Jones, sifting through the crowds on Broadway and singing in a karaoke bar.
Hayley Williams puts her range on full display with the drop of these 17 singles. “Mirtazapine” is a late ’90s rock anthem that serves as a love letter to antidepressants, and “Glum” uses vocal presets to striking effect as the track meditates on loneliness. Other songs that stand out include “Whim,” an Americana earworm that nods to her Nashville roots, and “Ice in My OJ,” which is a sharply produced track featuring some of Williams’ most biting and humorous lyrics to date. The chorus of “Ice in My OJ” may be recognized by long-time Paramore fans, as it was first sung by Williams in 2004 on “Jumping Inside” by the Mammoth City Messengers. The collection captures the dynamic sound Williams has shown throughout her career. The songs, at their core, are the work of an extremely gifted artist with a genre-defying appetite for creative exploration.
As a solo artist, this is the third body of work that Hayley Williams has released. Her COVID-era albums, Petals for Armor (2020) and Flowers for Vases (2021), serve as beautiful meditations on loss and provide an interesting contrast to the high-energy music of Paramore. “The record—epitomizing vulnerability and transformative growth—reveals a more mature and introspective side of Williams,” said Pitchfork of Petals, and went on to say of Flowers “her voice is undoubtedly the standout feature… husky and gentle, dangerous yet warm,” and explained that the minimal production “makes this a purposeful reset.”
Being a three-time Grammy-winning singer, Hayley Williams has an incredible range and delivery. Billboard ranked her at No. 13 on their list of 50 Greatest Rock Singers of All Time, saying, “When it comes to singers in contemporary rock, Hayley Williams reigns supreme.” Many contemporary artists like Chappell Roan and Doechii have named Williams as a source of inspiration, and she has appeared as a collaborator / guest vocalist on tracks like Turnstile’s “Seein’ Stars,” Moses Sumney’s “I Like It I Like It,” and Taylor Swift’s “Castles Crumbling.” Paramore went on to open for many shows on Swift’s “The Eras Tour,” including the debut show in Arizona.
At 16 years old, Williams brought the band to light with their first album, All We Know Is Falling, which was certified gold and just celebrated its 20th anniversary recently. The band had their breakthrough with their 2007 album Riot!, powered by the success of the six-time certified platinum single “Misery Business.” Their 2009 record, Brand New Eyes, solidified their space in the world of rock music and was followed by their 2013 self-titled album, which marked their commercial peak with their song “Ain’t It Fun,” which earned Paramore their first Grammy for ‘Best Rock Song’ in 2015. Later albums, such as After Laughter, continued to have fans jamming out and included well-known hits such as “Hard Times.” After a long hiatus, in 2023, they returned with This Is Why, a full-grown, alternative-leaning record that earned the band two Grammy wins for ‘Best Alternative Song’ and ‘Best Rock Album.’ This makes Paramore the first female-fronted rock band to ever win the category in its 31-year history.
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