On July 28, Hayley Williams surprise released 17 songs on her website under the title Ego. 48 hours later, the album was gone, replaced by a message reading “Hello, there. Thank you for listening.” On August 1, the songs were released as separate singles on streaming platforms, including a track titled “Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party.”
As of August 29, Williams has officially released those 17 songs once again. It’s now packaged as a complete album called Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party. She also added a new track, “Parachute.” This new solo endeavor comes on the heels of a limited edition dye color with her brand Good Dye Young, which she tested out on her own hair. According to a post on the company’s website, the color was intended to “kick off Hayley’s new creative era.”
The goldenrod-esque yellow color is featured in the design for the new album and previous single art. In the cover art for the physical releases, Hayley Williams poses in monochrome with her face propped up in her hand. Her image is surrounded by a thin yellow square.
While the album is available on streaming now, the physical releases won’t arrive until November 7. It can be pre-ordered now, and includes CD editions as well as eight vinyl color variants.
As always with a hayley williams solo release, fans worry about paramore future
While the 17 songs were merely singles on streaming, fans took it upon themselves to design their own preferred tracklist. Many posted their ideal track order on social media, comparing notes. Hayley Williams then revealed she was “inspired by” the lists when putting together the final album, according to a press release.
Meanwhile, fans are still concerned about the future of Paramore, which usually happens when Williams releases solo work. Since their contract with Warner/Atlantic ended in 2023, the band’s future plans have been a little up in the air. They wiped their website and social media that December, sparking frantic rumors of a break up. However, they later shared that the band was still together, just gearing up for a new era.
Fans are also worried about Williams’ relationship with Paramore guitarist Taylor York. The two revealed they were dating in 2022, but keep their relationship private. However, many fans have been combing through the lyrics to Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party and attempting to connect the dots. Whether there are any dots to connect remains a mystery. As of this time, neither Williams nor York have shared any news of a break up.
In the comments on the “Parachute” visualizer, however, fans are expressing shock, heartbreak, and sympathy for Hayley Williams based on the “brutal” lyrics of the song.
“THIS IS BRUTAL OMG HAYLEY BABY ARE YOU OKAY,” one person wrote. Another commented on the location of the song in the tracklist, writing, “The whiplash of going from crystal clear to parachute is literally gut wrenching.”
Photo by Gregor Fischer/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
The post Hayley Williams Officially Releases ‘Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party’ Album With New Song Fans Call “Brutal” appeared first on VICE.
