Even though we’re 10 months in, it seems this may be the year of Hayley Williams. The 36-year-old Paramore frontwoman released her third solo album, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party on August 28th. The R&B-inspired pop record didn’t shy away from personal topics for Williams, including her struggles with mental health, previous marriage, and another rocky relationship. The latter of which is leaving fans concerned for the fate of Paramore as a band.
In 2022, Williams confirmed her relationship with Paramore’s guitarist Taylor York after years of fan speculation. The pair toured together and were praised as pop-punk’s ‘it couple,’ though lyrics from Hayley’s new album could imply the relationship wasn’t all positive behind closed doors.
In her song Parachute, Hayley angrily shouts: “What was the moment you decided to give up?/You could’ve told me what you wanted/I would’ve done anything.” In the album’s 7th track, Love Me Different, Williams sings: “you’re probably telling yourself that no one’s gonna love me like you did/I know that you’re probably right about that, but someone’s gonna love me different.” Neither York nor Williams has confirmed or denied their relationship status since the album’s release.
The speculation surrounding this album’s subject matter has undoubtedly boosted its publicity, especially on TikTok. Hundreds of videos have been posted by users debating their theories surrounding the relationship (or lack thereof,) the fate of Paramore, and the trajectory of Williams’ career going forward.
Though Hayley has yet to call Taylor out by name, she seemed to put a lot of the rumours to bed last week, when she debuted Good Ol’ Days, a new song to be added to the album’s physical release.
The song was performed on Friday at Rolling Stones Musicians on Musicians event. Williams joyfully danced around the stage while singing: “who knew the hard times were the good ol’ days,” all while wearing the same tinted sunglasses that were a staple theme in Paramore’s 2017 album, After Laughter. This song seems to pretty clearly refer to a single off of After Laughter, Hard Times.
If the references to Paramore’s previous work weren’t enough to convince you of a split between Williams and York, the verses seem to all but spell it out.
“We could sneak around like we’re on tour/Even if that’s all that you want me for/You could call me Miss Paramour.” The release of the song’s official lyrics confirms the spelling of paramour, meaning ‘secret lover,’ while also being a not-so-subtle nod to Paramore, the band her and York share.
The second verse hammers the final nail into the coffin when Williams sings: “Not easy letting go of the one/I’m not Stevie/I won’t hex ya/but my voice will surely vex ya.” This line pays homage to Stevie Nicks and her iconic performance of Silver Springs. Paramore has often been compared to Fleetwood Mac due to the frequency of members quitting and rejoining the bands, speculated romantic relationships, and the drama that surrounds the two groups.
So what does this mean for Paramore as a band? We’ll have to wait and see. As for Hayley, she seems to be on top of the world. With a jaw-dropping performance on The Tonight Show, along with some recent live appearances, fans are practically holding their breath waiting for a tour announcement. The album’s physical release is set for next month, and it seems like Williams just may have a few more secrets up her sleeve. I, for one, can’t wait to see what she does next.