A new interview with Hayley Williams for Paper Magazine, with new photos taken by Lindsey Byrnes, has just been published! Click HERE to access it.
“The truth is, I really don’t love doing the whole ‘writer’s room’ thing, because it feels like a meeting, you know?” Williams says. “I have a really hard time scheduling creativity that way and I think that artists who do that [are amazing]. [For example], someone who I am constantly blown away by, for her work ethic and her creativity is Charli XCX. She’s writing with everybody; she’s making a whole record in quarantine right now; she is an endless well of that type of work ethic.”
Speaking about dividing Petals for Armor into three parts she said: “There was a heaviness to “Leave It Alone,” “Simmer” and “Sudden Desire” that I was drawn to. They were darker, heavier sounding and came with more emotional weight than some of the other tracks I’d finished. They fit together and I wanted to put them out in the winter, so that formed Part I. Then, Part II, which has songs like “Why We Ever,” is a bit quieter. The way I see it, Part II represents a period of time where you’re maybe in between seasons and you’re reflecting but anxious. We talk so much about the caterpillar and the butterfly, but all the transformation happens inside the cocoon. The full album is like, I’m going to step out and really put an effort in to heal and to grow and take some big risks.”
“Right after that I moved to Nashville and I obviously joined Paramore, and my musical landscape shifted out more. My mind opened up to this other type of music, but I never lost my fascination with dance and with beats, which doesn’t necessarily fit in an “alternative” community. Growing up, I was obsessed with Aaliyah, as well. When she died, I lost myself. Obviously anyone who listened to Missy was going to listen to Aaliyah at some point.”
