Hayley Williams Posts New Unheard Solo Demos
Fresh off her first-ever R&B collaboration with Moses Sumney, an award win for dance, and tour production, Paramore’s Hayley Williams is in a generous mood. The vocal powerhouse logged into her old Instagram account to tease demos for songs that eventually wound up on her solo albums.
Williams, one of two anchor members of Paramore, first created the Petals for Armor Instagram account in 2020 to tease her solo project. Atlantic Records released the album entirely produced by the band’s longtime guitarist, Taylor York.
The work includes band member Zac Farro’s instrumentation and collaboration with Boy Genius. At the time, several fan theories popped up about what the album would be and what it would sound like.
PETALS FOR ARMOR INFO THREAD FOR EVERYONE CONFUSED
— yassurrection era (@badapplesmp3) November 13, 2019
Petals for Armor was supported by the lead single, “Simmer,” and music videos for other tracks, such as the fan favorite “Cinnamon,” which featured the singer doing a choreographed dance. Other tracks, like “Sudden Desire,” seemed to hint at the singer’s private romantic relationship with York.
While the album peaked at number 18 on the Billboard charts in the United States, it received critical acclaim. One reviewer wrote of the album, “We have been blessed. We have been given a gift. The entirety of Petals for Armor is here for us to enjoy and drink in, and I am beside myself with how incredible it is.”
With a total of twenty-two posts, Williams shared vocal stems and ramblings of tracks related to the project and its sequel, Flowers for Vases. The posts come as the album has reached its fifth anniversary. However, there is a catch: the account is private, so the demos can only be heard if you’re following her.
hayley has began posting old/unheard audio clips from the PFA and FFV era on the Petals For Armor account pic.twitter.com/VAguNwspNx
— jen (@YELYAHG00N) May 13, 2025
Paramore fans have gushed over the new releases on social media. For its anniversary, one fan wrote on X, “This album came at such a perfect time and made me acknowledge and embrace my pain in ways that made me heal—I treasure this experience dearly.”
Of the album, she commented, “Some of my proudest moments as a lyricist happened while writing ‘PETALS FOR ARMOR.’ And I was able to get my hands a little dirtier than usual when it came to instrumentation.”
simmer by hayley williams. pic.twitter.com/85DdhmlbSu
— songs that changed history (@iconiksongs) December 27, 2022
She continued, “I made this with some of the closest people to me. Their respective talents really shine bright throughout the record. I like to think we all make each other better and the result is something that sounds and FEELS exactly as I’d hoped it would.”
Among the posts, she also shared a throwback vocal note of the track “Jumping Inside,” written before Paramore began.
While the band is still on a hiatus (though she confirmed that new music is on the way), you can stream their entire discography. You can also check out the Hayley Williams and Moses Sumney track, “I Like It, I Like It,” below. While you’re at it, try your luck to hear the unreleased gems on Instagram.
