For longtime Paramore fans, Hayley Williams’ debut single ‘Simmer’ is well worth the wait. For over sixteen years, Williams has been the undisputed face of the alternative rock act as its cherished lead singer and has essentially grown to become a musical and fashion icon for rock and punk communities all across the world.

The fearless orange hair, the brazen attitude, and an inherent passion for jamming out to the most spirited, audacious music within the punk genre; those are attributes that defined the singer’s persona as she maneuvered through the recording studios, the tours, and the heart-thumping stages as the lead vocalist of Paramore over the years. She channels that same angst and eeriness for her solo effort, which can be described as a moody, intense, pop-rock piece delving into the complexities of the inner psyche as it ‘simmers’ through a spectrum of emotions. 

Right off the bat, she sets the tone for a macabre, grim theme with unusual, haunting vocal effects that invoke the ghastliness of psychological horror. The accompanying music video continues those deathly notes by depicting a woman running morbidly through the woods as if she is enacting the scenes in a slasher-horror flick. The bassline becomes stronger as it hits the chorus, and the composition does well to incorporate the chilling nature of Williams’ vocals; she is decidedly terrifying at moments, and gentle in others. It is a bold but rewarding vehicle for Williams’ first foray into solo work, and the level of depth being showcased through both the sound and music video points to the level trust she has built with her core group of fans, and how she entrusts them to absorb the confounding meanings included within the track. 

‘Simmer’ has been announced as part of an extended solo project, with Hayley Williams’ debut album Petals for Armor set to be released on May 8th, 2020. She says;

the lyric is “wrap yourself in petals for armor” cos I kept feeling like the way for me to protect myself best is to be vulnerable and be OK with having a lot of pain at certain times and also feeling a lot of joy at certain times.”

  Singer-songwriter     Pop-rock 

Author: Shaoni Das

Shaoni Das is a writer/editor currently based in Edmonton, Canada. She remains eager to inspect how the changing culture of music impacts upon the greater world.