Over the years, Hayley Williams has found herself at odds with balancing toughness and softness.
Petals for Armor, her 2020 solo debut, tackled that sentiment head on. Steeped in anger, resilience, and joy, the synth-heavy record dissected Williams' empowering journey to peace after undergoing intensive therapy and a split from her husband.
Almost seven months since its release, the 32-year-old Paramore singer has returned with a new solo project,
Flowers for Vases / Descansos. It's a stark departure from Williams' art-pop debut. Whereas
Petals' "Simmer" and "Cinnamon" touted delicate vocals and raucous choruses, her latest removes the noise, as Williams grapples with the pain that's been lying in wait — that of isolation and sitting with the parts of yourself you've been avoiding.