On July 28, lead vocalist of rock band Paramore, Hayley Williams, threw an unexpected curveball when she released 17 new tracks to her website. Titled Ego, her solo album garnered a great amount of internet eyeballs and excitement — that is, until it disappeared. She only left behind one message: “Hello, there. Thank you for listening.” On August 1, she made another shocking decision.
It had been four years since Hayley Williams’ last album. It’s been one year since any Paramore release. Then, out of nowhere, the band released the following on X:
- “Kill Me”
- “Negative Self Talk”
- “Discovery Channel”
- “Mirtazapine”
- “DisappearingMan”
- “Whim”
- “Glum”
- “LoveMeDifferent”
- “DreamGirlnShibuya”… amongst others.
Only “Mirtazapine” had the privilege of being aired on a public radio station and being debuted at the Newport Folk Festival, where Williams made a surprise cameo. Additionally, the website hosted a “Misc.” folder with parody merchandise designs, images of lyrics in a colouring book, and a live video of the band Phoenix, to name a few.
What Are Fans Saying?
Immediately, X and Reddit were stormed by listeners, their comments, and access codes. One listener said:
“This is her best album by far god damn I’m shocked at how much I’m loving this.”
Another exclaimed:
“The rollout of this album is so fun. Really enjoying the sound of it as well. Really well put together and totally unexpected. Happy to call her my fave artist for real”
Despite this fairly positive reception, Paramore rolled out another statement on X, this time putting out an image of the page that is visible on the lead singer’s website today.
Fans insisted that the singer release Ego on streaming platforms so they could support her and Paramore. However, there was no expectation for an official album drop. This temporary move added to the intrigue of the rollout. For those who did get to access the album, it was no short of a treat. So, just when everyone mourned the fact that the songs would perhaps not be available to them, the artist shocked her fans with another spectacular move.
Hayley Williams’ Official Release?
On August 1, Hayley Williams released all 17 tracks previously teased on her website on major streaming platforms. However, they are not under the prior label Ego, but as stand-alone tracks — making their release an invigorating listen as individual pieces. As fans and listeners revel in this drop, why not check them out? Drop your thoughts and reviews in the comments!
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