Hayley Williams took to Discord to share a new, first in months, long message to Paramore fans. She talks the return, music industry, hopes and looking forward to playing shows.
Hello again, dear friends. It feels like it’s been a thousand lifetimes… Not only since we’ve put music out into the world but even longer since I’ve sat down with my computer to type out a note meant just for you to read.
The last few years at home were so crucial. We’re all in our 30’s now. Almost every single time the guys and I are together – and that’s a lot – we find ourselves reminiscing on the last 2 decades of friendship as if we’re ancient. It may sound silly but none of us can actually believe that we’re still here and that somehow, people still seem to care. It’s a massive deal… something we don’t take lightly.
From late 2018 until today, and for the first time in my adult life, I’ve been able to spend consecutive days, months, years, etc., at home. I kept weekly appointments (shouts to my many doctors), I cooked many meals (still wish it’d been more) in my own kitchen, and saw family (in person) any chance I could. The realization of just how luxurious all of these things are for anyone, anywhere, also became more apparent than ever. The lessons have been endless and they’ve been so different than any of the lessons I learned from living on the road, doing Paramore 24/7/365. This was a real break from whatever living I’d done before. Looking at our calendar for the next couple of years, I know that I would not be ready to give myself back to the band and the music and the life that I love so much had we not voluntarily given it up for a season.
For all of that, on behalf of us all, I want to say thank you for being so loving and supportive of us as humans first. The music industry is not a human-first industry. It’s not even a music-first industry. Look, we don’t even live in a human-first society!!!!!!!!!!!! So choosing to walk away for a spell simply for our own sanity was not an ill-considered concept.
I must admit, coming out of our respective holes in the ground and back into the “real world” is kind of terrifying. Watching and reading the news is like having the wind knocked out of you on a daily basis. The idea of getting out there and doing what we do at a time like this feels heavy and futile and necessary all at once. It also feels like the perfect time to take advantage of every opportunity we are given to leverage our platform and all of that for good causes. Whether those are literal causes or whether it’s just about showing ourselves and each other that music is still a good place to be. A show can still be a gathering and not simply a crowd. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most.
And I guess I’ll end this here.
Tomorrow, we start again!— And yet, really, we’re just picking up where we left off. For so many reasons I don’t even have words for, I think we are about to experience our happiest, most fulfilling moments as Paramore. And when I say, “WE”, I do hope by now you know what I mean.You’ll hear from me again before long. Sending you love and all my gratitude and hopes and solidarity and all that exists in between.
Miss Williams
