There haven’t been many constants for music fans to hold onto through the past few weeks of the COVID-19 quarantine, but among all the closings, cancellations and postponements, Hayley Williams has been a creative stronghold.
Leading up to her debut solo album Petals for Armor (due May 8 on Atlantic), the Paramore leader has been dropping new tracks on a near-weekly basis, giving each its shine with an accompanying music video.”My hope is that in doing this, there will be something new to look forward to as the strange days roll by,” Williams wrote last month. “I want people to be able to take time to get to know each song and I’m really hoping to find creative ways to introduce them to you.”
The latest installment is “My Friend,” an elegant, densely rhythmic alt-pop song. It arrived Thursday (April 9) with a quirky, DIY-style video featuring Williams goofing off alongside pals like Brian J. O’Connor (the creative director of her hair dye company Good Dye Young) and Joey Howard (Paramore’s bass player and a collaborator throughout Petals for Armor). All this is probably no accident, considering the “My Friend” lyrics deal closely with camaraderie and devotion. “You see me from every side, still down for the ride,” goes the song’s nimble chorus.
“My Friend” was co-written by Williams and Howard and produced by Paramore guitarist Taylor York. Check out the video below.
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