Hayley Williams has declared that racist, sexist and anti-trans people are “not welcome” at her upcoming solo tour.
The Paramore frontwoman announced a run of dates earlier this month, and within days she extended the tour due to “overwhelming demand”. The shows kick off in Atlanta on March 27 and include dates in London, Manchester, Glasgow and Dublin in June. See all the info here and find any remaining tickets here.
Now, she has given an interview to Clash in which she has clearly stated that she intends the tour to be entirely inclusive, saying she wants everybody to “feel welcome to the party”.
“I don’t want racists around, and I don’t want sexist people around, and I don’t want people there who think that trans people are a burden,” Williams told the publication.
“I think that’s a hard line for me now. I hope it naturally happens that people who do harbour those harmful ideologies aren’t going to feel welcome, because they’re going to walk in the door and realise that the gang’s all here, all banded together around something positive,” she continued. “All are welcome if you believe all should be welcome… If you don’t believe that, you’re not welcome!”
Williams is a long-standing campaigner on these subjects, openly criticising the Tennessee Republican leadership last year after turning down an official State Honour. “The blatant racism of our state leadership is embarrassing and cruel,” she said. “Myself, as well as Paramore, will continue to encourage young people to show up to vote with equality in mind.”
She also said in 2022 that she doesn’t play guitar on stage due to the likelihood of sexist comments. “I don’t even dare, because I love to play guitar but I don’t know if I could handle… man. I feel you so hard,” she said in a joint interview with Wet Leg.
“I just hate that people even need to point it out,” she said. “I don’t even really think about my gender at all, when we play the music especially. It’s just not part of the picture.”
In 2023, she hit out at sexist “internet bros” after she was criticised for postponing a run of Paramore shows due to illness. “Don’t think for a second your fav bands – metal or punk or otherwise – endorse your weird incel ass lifestyle,” she said.
Next year’s tour is in support of Williams’ latest solo album ‘Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party’, which was released digitally in August and has now earned four Grammy nominations, including Best Alternative Music Album.
In a glowing five-star review of the record, NME wrote: “As with almost every era of Hayley Williams’ career, this new release has come with questions about the future of Paramore. The determined lyrics on the tender ‘I Won’t Quit On You’ should be all the reassurance worried fans need, but if that’s not enough, there’s plenty in this brilliant, swaggering new chapter to be excited about.
“These songs might be about missed second chances, but Williams is certainly making the most of hers.”
