Hayley Williams escapes herself in solo song debut “Simmer”
Less than a month after Hayley Williams revealed she’d be releasing music she’ll “call [her] own” in 2020, the moment has finally arrived. Having unveiled “Simmer” as the title on Monday, the Paramore frontwoman is now delivering the result of all her Petals For Armor teasers as promised.
Many believed Petals For Armor would mark the name of the project itself given the newly launched Instagram account. However, Williams has revealed it’s actually her album title and will feature first single, “Simmer.”
Read more: YUNGBLUD announces ‘the underrated youth’ North American Tour
As the music scene is very much aware, Williams has released music with Paramore for more than 15 years, kicking things off with All We Know Is Falling in 2005. Four albums and countless accolades later, the band released their fifth LP, After Laughter, in 2017.
Paramore ended the After Laughter cycle and retired “Misery Business” in September 2018, and they haven’t played together since. Not much was said about the future of Paramore until June 2019 when they posted a muted video. Nothing transpired from it, however, and Williams does regret leaving fans question the band’s future. They took to Instagram, sharing a year-end post reflecting on the band’s time together before clarifying it didn’t mean a breakup was in store.
Ahead of the release of “Simmer,” Williams reflected on that past year of relative silence, sharing the image from the poster teasers that popped up around the world.
Read more: Hayley Willams bringing back Sanctuary of Self-Love for Bonnaroo 2020
“So very grateful for the last year at home,” she writes in a post Tuesday night. “Didn’t realize I’d have such a thing to show for the time away. Tomorrow is only the start. I’m hardly prepared but I’m definitely proud.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7mb8SpJ0z-/
While Williams has released her fair share of vocal features—the most recent with American Football marking her only music since After Laughter—“Simmer” is the first song that’s 100% hers.
Williams definitely didn’t forget about her Paramore fam though, revealing on Twitter she recruited guitarist/vocalist Taylor York to produce the new song. The duo also worked with touring Paramore bassist Joey Howard who has been on the road with them since 2016. Additionally, Williams shared on her Instagram story that Carlos de la Garza (Bad Religion, Jimmy Eat World) engineered and mixed it, returning to work with Williams again after After Laughter and 2013’s self-titled.
Read more: Hayley Williams turns Paramore-inspired ‘SNL’ skit into perfect meme
It’s not confirmed who’s backing her instrumentally, but Howard credits himself as the singer’s bassist and a Petals For Armor songwriter/musician on Instagram. Keeping it all close-knit, Howard also plays bass in Paramore drummer Zac Farro’s HalfNoise.
“I’m so ready and so incredibly humbled to get to share this project,” Williams says. “Making it was a scary, empowering experience. Some of my proudest moments as a lyricist happened while writing ‘PETALS FOR ARMOR.’ And I was able to get my hands a little dirtier than usual when it came to instrumentation.
“I’m in a band with my favorite musicians so I never really feel the need to step into a role as a player when it comes to Paramore records. This project, however, benefited from a little bit of musical naïveté and rawness and so I experimented quite a bit more. I made this with some of the closest people to me. Their respective talents really shine bright throughout the record.
“I like to think we all make each other better and the result is something that sounds and feels exactly as I’d hoped it would. Now that it’s time to put it all out there, I can finally exhale. I’m excited to let people in to experience a different side of myself that I’ve only very recently become familiar with.”
Petals For Armor will drop May 8 via Atlantic, and you can watch the dark new visuals or first single “Simmer” below.
Hayley Williams “Simmer” lyrics
Rage is a quiet thing
You think that you’ve tamed it
But it’s just lying in wait
Oh, rage
Is it in our veins?
Feel it in my face when
When I least expect it
Give in
Control
There’s so many ways to give in
Eyes closed
Another way to make it to ten
Oh, how to draw the line between wrath and mercy?
Gotta simmer, simmer, simmer, simmer, simmer down
Control
There’s so many ways to give in
Eyes closed
Another way to make it to ten
Oh, how to draw the line between wrath and mercy?
Gotta simmer, simmer, simmer, simmer, simmer down
If I had seen my reflection
As something more precious
He would’ve never
Mmm, and if my child needed protection
From a fucker like that man
I’d sooner gut him
‘Cause nothing cuts like a mother
Give in
Control
There’s so many ways to give in
Eyes closed
Another way to make it to ten
Oh, how to draw the line between wrath and mercy?
Gotta simmer, simmer, simmer, simmer, simmer down
Control
There’s so many ways to give in
Eyes closed
Another way to make it to ten
Oh, how to draw the line between wrath and mercy?
Gotta simmer, simmer, simmer, simmer, simmer down
Wrap yourself in petals
Wrap yourself in petals
Wrap yourself in petals for armor
Petals for armor
Give in
Control
There’s so many ways to give in
Eyes closed
Another way to make it to ten
Oh, how to draw the line between wrath and mercy?
Gotta simmer, simmer, simmer, simmer, simmer down
Control
There’s so many ways to give in
Eyes closed
Another way to make it to ten
Oh, how to draw the line between wrath and mercy?
Gotta simmer, simmer, simmer
What do you think of Williams’ solo debut? Let us know in the comments below.
More on Hayley Williams and Petals For Armor
Soon after clarifying Paramore weren’t breaking up, Williams first revealed a new project was on the way at the end of December, celebrating her birthday with the news.
“Thanks so much for all the birthday wishes. 30 was a very important year. 31 will be too.”
“I’m putting out some music next year. With the help of some of my closest friends, I made something I’m going to call my own. It’s a really special project and you’ll get a taste of it in January. Happy New Year, friends. Hayley Williams.”
Read more: 40 most anticipated albums of 2020 including Hayley Williams, Black Veil Brides and more
https://twitter.com/yelyahwilliams/status/1210728345387716608
On Jan. 6, Williams began the first of many mysterious teasers by sharing three black boxes across her Instagram feed. The following day, the Internet caught on to Petals For Armor with an Instagram account that had been first launched in October.
With several Petals For Armors posters appearing in U.S. towns and a new website, Williams finally released the first visual announcing the track’s release date of Jan. 22.
Read more: Top 10 Hayley Williams collabs to add to your playlist
Days later, the vocalist shared a black image with a caption many believed was the first lyric reveal: “how to draw the line between wrath and mercy.”
On Jan. 13, Williams shared a second visual traveling through the same wooded area and the same date.
Read more: Do you remember Hayley Williams’ hair color in these Paramore videos?
A few days later, Williams returned with more movie references and another possible lyric: “nothing cuts like a mother.”
She shared two more images in the following days reading, “if i had seen my reflection as something more precious” and “wrap yourself in petals” respectively before making way for the last teaser.
Read more: Hayley Williams further teases Petals For Armor with movie references
Keeping with the dark aesthetic surrounding previous teasers, the latest post focused on a person as they run through the woods. Another familiar gasp-like sound appears before flashing Wednesday’s date, Jan. 22., and “Simmer” across the screen.
See more: 16 memorable band photos
[envira-gallery id=”186668″]
