Since late May, rock group Paramore has been embarking on their new North American tour. Lead singer Hayley Williams and band members Zac Farro (drums) and Taylor York (guitar) have been performing new songs from their latest album, This Is Why, as well as their smash 2000s hits such as “Misery Business” and “The Only Exception,” among others. For Williams, the continuing interactions with their diehard fans has certainly been the highlight—no matter which city they’re stopping in. “Twenty years in, it’s a miracle that we're still able to do this,” says Williams. “Being a human being in this day and age, there's so many things to stress on and causes to fight for, so being able to have a couple of hours a night where we get to be with people and see them smiling, screaming, and dancing—I feel really lucky. There's been a lot of joy.”
Though it’s hard for Williams to pick favorite nights of the summer tour thus far, the shows at Madison Square Garden in New York, at the beginning of the tour in late May, makes the cut. “For night two, we made a new best friend because David Byrne rode his bike to our show,” says Williams. “He came and watched us play, and hung out after the show.” More recently, at their Houston show earlier this month, Williams also played a special cover of Beyoncé’s “I Miss You”—a fitting tribute, given Beyoncé was born in the city. “[Beyoncé]’s album 4, to me, is one of the most underrated pop R&B albums,” says Williams. “If I’m a little teensy bit high and listening to Beyoncé, I’ll go on a rant about how underrated she is. As famous as she is, and as long as she’s been in this business—her voice, her artistry, and she arranges all the vocals on her albums—she's still underrated to me.”
Last night, meanwhile, Paramore continued on with a show at the Kia Forum in L.A, where she even brought out special guest Billie Eilish for a rendition of “All I Wanted.” The song has been a crowd-favorite during the tour. “We’ve turned that song into one we bust out when we want to surprise people,” says Williams. “It was a song that almost didn’t make it onto [the album] Brand New Eyes, which is so funny to me now.” For their two shows in L.A.—their second is tonight—Williams also dialed up the fashion drama on stage: Rodarte created two custom looks for her. The first, debuted last night, consisted of a checkerboard mini dress; The second, for tonight, will be a gold lamé victorian blouse and ballerina skirt. “I’ve always loved Rodarte,” says Williams. “When they do something that feels feminine, it feels playful, and there’s a uniqueness to it—it doesn’t take itself too seriously. That’s kind of where I’m at in my life: I’m having a lot of fun exploring and experimenting. I’m so excited to be in this era of my life where I’m really happier to embrace fashion. It’s so much more fun here.”
It’s a sentiment that’s certainly been present throughout the tour. Describing her current stage style as “1960s Alfred Hitchcock-meets-Stanley Kubrick,” the singer says she has been gravitating towards shorter, mod silhouettes. “I like a lot of leg. I’m a very short person, so trying to get my Tina Turner on every night, I need the hemline to be at my hip bones,” says Williams. “I’ve also found that I feel happier when I’m wearing color. I don't love wearing black as much as I thought.” Throughout the tour, she’s been sporting colorful designs as a result, from labels such as Courrèges (she loves the mini skirts and hot pants), Coperni, and Ottolinger. “I have this one chartreuse blazer [from Ottolinger] that’s cut so cool, and I wear it like a dress,” says Williams. “I just love menswear blazers. I’m having fun juxtaposing boxy blazers with skimpy bottoms. It fits my personality: In real life, I essentially just dress like a dude that pretends he skates.”
Williams has also embraced more powerful political style statements during her tour, as well. Just take the “Abort the Supreme Court” tees that she’s worn for performances in both Boston and Texas, drawing attention to worrying decisions such as overturning Roe vs. Wade or limiting LGBTQ+ protections. “I really feel like I should wear it every night,” says Williams of her statement concert tee. “On the back of it, there’s a bit from the Declaration of Independence that reads, ‘Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of People to alter or to abolish it.’ I think that some have forgotten that.”
Once the tour wraps in August, meanwhile, Williams and the band will be wasting no time getting back to work. “The guys and I are already ready to make more music,” says Williams. “We’re getting ready to go into the studio again for fun.” She’ll also be touring with Taylor Swift next year during the European leg of the record-breaking Eras Tour. “We can’t stop talking about it,” says Williams. “Even though we’ve been to Europe a bunch of times as a band, it’s a first for us, because we’re gonna get so much more time in each of the cities.” As for what she’ll be wearing on the Eras tour? Expect a brand new fashion mood. “Taylor and I have been texting and I was like, ‘Well, I gotta start planning my outfits,’” says Williams. “I’m basically just gonna buy one The Row linen shorts suit, and just wear it every day. I’ll be a character—a White Lotus character. I’m really nervous that it’s gonna go Portia really fast, though.”
