hayleyofparamore

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, l'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.

hayleyofparamore

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
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hayleyofparamore

The lessons have 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.
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hayleyofparamore

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, l'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.

hayleyofparamore

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
• Reply

hayleyofparamore

The lessons have 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.
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hayleyofparamore

          The last few years went by so fast and yet they were so full. When the band decided to come home in 2018 for an extended break, I really thought I'd just be home recharging. Maybe I'd travel for fun instead of work. Definitely, I'd spend a lot of time with family, catching up on whatever I thought "normalcy" felt like. I did not anticipate all the therapy, the deep emotional purging, the neck aches and chiropractic appointments (ha), and the world changing in ways that left a lot of us with whiplash (and then even more chiropractic appointments)... little glimmers of hope and then nothing but grief. A little more hope. Followed by some more grief. On and on and on.
          
          In the thick of it all, I wrote. Enough to make up 2 solo albums. The kind of albums I swore I'd never make! Because how dare anyone, most of all me, think for a second that my loyalty to Paramore had dwindled. The guys were by my side nearly the entire process. If not actually working on the project with me then cheering me on. I even got to write with a few friends outside of - but very much connected to - Paramore, who taught me so much and gave me so much to be inspired by. Petals would likely not even exist if not for Joey Howard, his bass guitar, and a drum machine!!

hayleyofparamore

I'm so thankful for this experience. I got to (very literally) dance with demons I'd been too afraid to even acknowledge before. This deluxe edition of Petals For Armor + Flowers for Vases/descansos is a summary of all the lessons and beautiful moments I don't ever want to forget, in one place. The booklet is full of unreleased photos taken by my trusted friend and creative ally, Lindsey Byrnes. The journal entries span the last couple of years, with just a couple bits from decade old journals I finally had the time to dig through during quarantine.
            
            Before I go, thank y'all so much for the incredible support these last couple years. I know we didn't get to properly come together to sing and vent and sweat it all out... but I do think that Petals and descansos lived exactly the lives they were meant to. Besides, Paramore can't be "on a break" forever now can we?
            
            I love y'all. See you sometime next year?
            Hayley
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hayleyofparamore

I've been on the internet and more specifically, social media, since I was 15. Maybe even younger. It started with the blog sites then Myspace. Then Paramore became a thing and social media wasn't even just for my own personal use anymore but it was part of the job. It has been a useful and mostly beautiful part of the job. I crave connection and
          the internet is a pretty good tool for that when it's
          not tearing us apart. 
          
          The thing is, connection is and will always be a part of my job (thankfully). As for my own personal experience with social media, I just don't want it anymore. I've carefully considered this decision for almost a year now. Now I know for sure that my desire to move away from personal accounts (yes, even my finsta) is based on nothing more than my interest in keeping a boundary between a public and a private life and wanting to spend more time looking up and out, rather than down.
          
          No judgement to anyone who loves their social media. Just a huge encouragement to anyone needing permission to create more boundaries and space to grow- sometimes "no" is the kindest thing you can say to anyone! even yourself.
          
          Finally, if you're lookin for me, don't look here
          Follow @paramore

hayleyofparamore

crazy this was about a year ago... tiny desk and recording solo album #2, both at home. alf loved having visitors after most of the year in lock down. FfV/desansos
          
          https://twitter.com/yelyahwilliams/status/1445469495439486977?s=21

hayleyofparamore

anyway. been a wild time since coming off the road. many twists i wasn't expecting and mostly for the better, even when i couldn't see it in the middle. 
            
            also i ate more amy's frozen pizzas this past year than ever, dont let the garden fool you.
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hayleyofparamore

also about a year ago... makes me realize how much i've grown since coming home. a garden, a hairdye company... i dunno why i included this pic of my halloween costume last year, it has nothing to do with personal growth, rather some sort of regression. and RIP GDY's old office.
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