EP Review: Hayley Williams' Petals for Armor I

Written & Edited by: Maddie McVey

When Hayley Williams first announced her upcoming solo album, Petals for Armor, perhaps no one was more surprised than Paramore fans themselves. Because they, more than anyone, knew that going solo was something she had always sworn she’d never do. In an email to the Paramore fan-club members on the release day of her debut single, “Simmer,” she started, “Hey friends, I really never thought we’d be here but here we are.” Time off the road and life circumstances played a massive role in motivating Williams to create what would eventually become Petals for Armor, which showcases her most experimental, personal music yet. The full album will be released on May 8th, but she decided to put out the first half of the project on February 6th as an EP to let fans start on the journey with her early.

So far, the five songs we’ve been treated to have showed us sides to Hayley Williams that she’s never expressed so openly before in her work. While many of the themes touched on throughout the EP have also been included in Paramore’s music, Williams’ lyrics on Petals for Armor I are less universal and even more specific than usual to her own private life. Also distinct from her prior work is the sound of the EP, which drew comparisons to more mellow, sometimes experimental artists like Radiohead. The songs that showcase this sound the most, “Leave It Alone” and “Creepin’,” will stand out to listeners as the biggest departures from the Paramore front woman’s previous work.

Still, as different as this project may seem, the same team behind all of Paramore’s recent work – comprised of Williams’ closest friends and collaborators – is also the team behind Petals for Armor I. The EP (and full album) was produced by Paramore guitarist and songwriter Taylor York, mixed by past Paramore engineer Carlos de la Garza, and co-written by Paramore touring bassist Joey Howard. Additionally, art direction and styling for all the visuals of the project were handled by Williams’ longtime friends and collaborators, Lindsey Byrnes and Brian J. O’Conner, respectively. The wide range of music videos and interludes for the EP were directed by Warren Fu, another past Paramore collaborator. It’s a testament to how humble Hayley Williams is, and how much she values and trusts in her friends, that she didn’t go off and work with any big-name producers, writers, or directors for this EP. The entire project is living proof of not only her own talents, but the talents of her loved ones that shine brightly due to the chemistry they all share.

Despite the sizable team behind the album, the record is still Williams’ alone for a reason. During the long break after touring Paramore’s magnificent 2017 album, After Laughter, Williams delved deep into going to therapy and tracing back the roots of personal connections and relationships in her life and family. This included taking a look at some hard truths, such as her own divorce in 2017, the multiple divorces of both of her parents, deaths in her family, and her long struggles with depression and suicidality. All of these truths are showcased openly and bravely on the EP, expressed with Williams’ characteristic striking vocals and lyrics.

The themes of the five released songs range from dark topics like rage, doubt, personal loss, mortality, and struggles to leave pain in the past, to more optimistic concepts like femininity, desire, liberation, strength, and security with self. Williams’ skill as a lyricist is as sharp as ever, as evidenced in lines like, “batty pair of eyes; creepin’ / aiming like a laser pointer / poor little vampire, baby / we bleed holy water” on “Creepin’,” as well as “take the elephant by the hand and hold it / it’s cruel to tame a thing that don’t know its strength / but better to walk beside it / than underneath” on “Sudden Desire.” Her vocals are also characteristically jaw-dropping, from the low murmurs on “Simmer,” to the playful runs on “Cinnamon,” to the all-out belting on “Sudden Desire.” And as if all of that wasn’t enough to impress, Williams also wrote and played more instrumental music on this project than ever before; expanding her prowess from just vocals and keys to include guitar and drums.

Despite her consistent talents and artistic collaborative team, almost every aspect of Petals for Armor I is executed in a completely fresh and new way. Because of this, that may mean Hayley Williams, the solo artist, is not for everyone – including some Paramore fans. But it also means she’s proved that she is an artist who can do much more than just what she’s known for, and that she is never comfortable resting on her laurels. It’s clear through this project that music has never been just a job for Hayley Williams – it is her artistic expression, her therapy, and her truth. These five songs share that bravely with the world – and this is only just the beginning.