"The Hayley Williams Show" Kicks Off With A Reintroduction In West Palm Beach
BY SASHA BASANT
What a whirlwind of emotions, you'll cry, you'll laugh, you'll dance and you'll cry again.
Hayley Williams has had quite the career. Most know her as the frontwoman of the band Paramore, but her solo career has given us a completely different side of her as an artist. From Petals to Armor, to Flowers for Vases / Descansos, to Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party, her solo music has evolved quite a bit over the years. But the kickoff show for her tour “The Hayley Williams Show,” in West Palm Beach, FL felt like a reintroduction.
Much like most of us, I discovered Hayley through Paramore as an emo preteen. It’s nearly impossible not to feel close to an artist you’ve watched grow up alongside you. However, my bond with Ms.Williams really tightened when she released her first solo album. It was the first time an album made me self-reflect on everything I had been running from.
PHOTO BY ZACHARY GRAY
First up was Rico Nasty, a rapper from Largo, Maryland. The amphitheater wasn’t quite full yet, but it was clear the early comers had done their research on the openers. The crowd was already hyped throughout Rico’s set, singing along and feeding off her energy. It was a strong start to the night, showing the crowd came ready for more than just the headliner.
Next up was Magdalena Bay, the Miami-born, Los Angeles based duo. Their set took a completely different direction, creating an atmosphere that felt almost mystical. With almost eerie imagery filling the video backdrop and a whimsical stage setup, Magdalena Bay created a dimension of their own. It was easy to become mesmerized by the world they created onstage.
Shortly after, it was time for Hayley Williams to take the stage. Her look was a clear departure from the visuals from her Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party era. Instead of her brighter makeup, and sheer outfits she had previously worn, Hayley came out like the Hayley you’d meet on the street, not the Hayley we’ve grown accustomed to seeing onstage. The stage itself was filled with curtains, her touring band and Hayley's piano, a clear hint we were gonna get hit in the feels.
The moment Hayley appeared was the moment the entire amphitheater erupted, thousands of voices coming together before she had even sung a note. And when she did, I really thought we were about to be emotionally wrecked as she opened with the start of “Just a Lover.” Instead, she quickly transitioned into “Over Yet” and while the shift was unexpected, it felt necessary, equipping us with one of her most empowering songs as the night was bound to get heavy.
From there, the setlist wove through each era of Hayley's solo career, jumping from live debuts of “Creepin’” and “Pure Love” to the fan favorite “Ice in my OJ”. “Crystal Clear” was another highly anticipated moment, especially since fans weren't sure if Hayley would perform it at all. While she had performed the song with Paramore before, this marked its solo live debut.
But beyond the surprises and live debuts, the setlist carried a much heavier emotional weight. Hayley’s solo project has always felt deeply intertwined with my own personal journey, and hearing songs like “Hard,” “Pure Love,” "Disappearing Man,” and “Parachute” live genuinely had me in tears. These were songs I, and I’m sure many other fans, had spent years listening to on our own. Some of us found comfort in them, some found pieces of ourselves, and some of us found pieces of ourselves we weren't quite ready to face yet. Hearing them together in a room full of people who had their own relationship with these songs made one thing clear: I wasn't the only one healing that night.
One of my favorite moments of the night came during “My Friend,” when Hayley brought her makeup artist, and longtime friend, Brian, onto the stage. As he applied gold flakes to her face, the moment felt especially sweet knowing the song was written about him. The pair have worked together for some time, making the moment feel like a celebration of the friendship that has been part of her career for years. Ironically, “My Friend” carries a much sadder meaning for me. I’ve always tied the song to someone who's no longer in my life, so watching Hayley perform it for someone who is still so deeply a part of hers felt bittersweet.
Hayley teased “Mirtazapine” several times throughout the night, each time leaving the crowd wondering if she was actually going to play it. By the time she finally did, I’m not sure even Hayley was prepared for just how loud the crowd would get.
For me, the night felt like a reintroduction to an artist I’ve known for years. But I think for fans who discovered Hayley through Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party, it was an introduction altogether. The setlist opened the door to everything that came before it, showing just how much her solo career has evolved and how much there is to discover.
There's something about singing at the top of your lungs with thousands of strangers that feels a lot like therapy. By the time we reached “Parachute” there wasn't much left to give. Tears were running down our faces as we screamed along to every word, our voices barely holding on by the end. Maybe that's what made the night feel like a reintroduction. These songs had already been a part of our lives, but hearing them live reminded us why we connected with them in the first place. Hayley may have been the one on stage, but for a few hours, it felt like we were all looking back at parts of ourselves we’d found in her music.
