Paramore have addressed growing speculation about the band’s future, with frontwoman Hayley Williams confirming the band are just taking a break rather than calling it quits permanently.
The reassurance comes as fans expressed concerns following Williams’ recent solo album release and the band’s extended period away from new material.
Williams clarified the band’s status during a recent interview with The Face, stating they are currently on a break but have not broken up. “Do we ever know where we’re at?! We always take huge breaks. In order for us to metabolise shit that we go through as people, it takes the amount of time it takes between albums,” Williams explained.
The Tennessee trio have maintained a pattern of extended gaps between releases since 2009, with intervals typically spanning four to five years. Their most recent album, This Is Why, arrived in 2023 after a five-year hiatus following After Laughter. The band toured extensively in support of the record, which marked the first time Paramore released consecutive albums with the same lineup.
Williams released her surprise solo album Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party in August, initially uploaded to a cryptic, password-protected website before its official release. The album’s arrival prompted fresh speculation about Paramore’s future, despite containing lyrics that reference her continued commitment to the band. The opening track “Ice in my OJ” features Williams chanting “I’m in a band, I’m in a band,” while the closing song is titled “I Won’t Quit on You”.
“There are no better musicians in the world than Zac and Taylor,” Williams said, referring to drummer Zac Farro and guitarist Taylor York. “I feel such a vindication in knowing that nobody can discount Paramore. But it’s also really important for me to strengthen other muscles and these parts of myself that I deflated because I was scared that people were going to notice me too much.”
The solo project allowed Williams to reconnect with her earlier artistic identity. “Writing this record gave the 15-year-old version of myself, who felt like she had lost a lot of her power by signing to a major label, a voice. It freed her, so I don’t have to be arrested in that stage of development anymore,” she told The Face.
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