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Petals for Armor

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Petals for Armor
Studio album by
Hayley Williams
ReleasedMay 8, 2020
Recorded2019–2020
Studio
  • East Iris (Nashville)
  • Music Friends (Los Angeles)[a]
Genre
Length55:49
LabelAtlantic
ProducerTaylor York
Hayley Williams chronology
Petals for Armor II
(2020) 		Petals for Armor
(2020) 		Petals for Armor: Self-Serenades
(2020)
Singles from Petals for Armor
  1. "Simmer"
    Released: January 22, 2020
  2. "Dead Horse"
    Released: April 24, 2020[5]

Petals for Armor is the debut solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Hayley Williams. It was released on May 8, 2020, by Atlantic Records. The album was preceded by two extended plays (EPs), Petals for Armor I and Petals for Armor II,[6] which make up the album's first ten songs.

Williams explained the inspiration behind the title of the album is due to her belief that "the best way for me to protect myself is to be vulnerable."[7] The album was produced by Williams' Paramore bandmate Taylor York and was written throughout 2019 during Paramore's hiatus after touring in support of their fifth studio album, After Laughter (2017).

The album was supported by its lead single, "Simmer", which was released in January 2020, accompanied with its music video. In an interview with BBC Radio, Williams confirmed that she was to embark on a tour in support of Petals for Armor following its release. The tour was originally planned to begin in mid-2020 but was postponed and subsequently canceled in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background

[edit]

Following extensive touring in support of Paramore's fifth studio album After Laughter (2017), Hayley Williams expressed her feelings about the group's future moving forward explaining that they were not breaking up, however needed time away from writing and touring.[8][9] In an interview with BBC Radio, in January 2020, Williams explained her process behind developing the album.[10]

“I'm so ready and so incredibly humbled to get to share this project... Making it was a scary, empowering experience. 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. I'm in a band with my favorite musicians so I never really feel the need to step into a role as a player when it comes to Paramore records. This project, however, benefited from a little bit of musical naïveté and rawness and so I experimented quite a bit more. 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. Now that it's time to put it all out there, I can finally exhale. I'm excited to let people in to experience a different side of myself that I’ve only very recently become familiar with.”

Composition

[edit]

Williams stated that the album initially began as a casual endeavor to "write a bunch of R&B songs for fun", before it developed into a fully realized project.[11] Petals for Armor is largely a soft pop and R&B-influenced album,[12][13] exploring R&B, funk, and pop.[14] Rolling Stone Australia described it as containing remnants "of the disco-funk grooves" from Paramore’s then-latest studio album, After Laughter.[15] However, Caryn Ganz of The New York Times described it as far removed from that project's "crunchy guitars" and "bouncy new wave", replacing it with "intricate and ominous layers, neck-snapping funk, dizzying industrial electro, glitter-pop reveries".[11]

Lucy O'Toole of Hot Press said that despite sharing some elements with Paramore’s pop-punk sound, Petals for Armor largely defies genre classification, "instead carving out a unique, somewhat eccentric art-pop sound" that draws from R&B.[16] Pitchfork's Jenn Pelly described it as consisting of "introspective art-pop songs".[17] Both O'Toole and Pelly agreed that Williams borrows inspiration from Björk and Radiohead,[16][17] while Pelly observed that she is equally indebted to "the ’80s pop-R&B of Janet Jackson".[17] Sam Walker-Smart of Clash observed that the final third of Petals for Armor is "poppier" than the rest of the album, with some tracks such as "Pure Love" and "Taken" embracing R&B, and the latter accompanied by a "slight bossa nova rhythm".[18] According to Jolie Lash of Spin, the album "never quite returns" to any other genre by the time Williams embodies 1980s-influenced R&B on "Pure Love",[19] and Lindsay Zoladz of The New York Times described the third part of the album as "sultry, R&B-tinged".[13]

Promotion and release

[edit]

Singles

[edit]

In December 2019, Williams announced on her birthday that she would be releasing a "taste" of new solo music in January 2020. Williams revealed the song title on social media on January 20, 2020, after posting various teasers over the course of January which featured a "dark aesthetic", with one including a person running through the woods.[20] On January 22, 2020, Hayley Williams released the lead single "Simmer", the song was written by Williams, Paramore touring musician Joseph Howard, and guitarist Taylor York.

The album's second single, "Dead Horse", was released on April 21, 2020. "'Dead Horse' offers strength back to a younger, weaker version of myself," Williams continues. "I feel like all of this needed to be said in order to embody the kind of woman I hope to be."[21] The music video was released on May 8. It was directed by Zac Farro.[22][23]

Promotional singles

[edit]

Singles for Petals for Armor I

[edit]
Main article: Petals for Armor I

"Leave It Alone" was released on January 30, 2020 by Atlantic Records for digital download and to streaming platforms and serves as the second single for Williams' debut solo EP, Petals for Armor I. The song was written by Williams and Joseph Howard and was produced by Taylor York. The music video for "Leave It Alone" was directed by Warren Fu and serves as a sequel to its predecessor "Simmer".[24] It premiered on the same day as the single's release.[24] Another music video, "Leave It Alone Interlude", premiered on February 3, 2020.[25]

"Cinnamon" was released on February 6, 2020, as a third single from her Petals for Armor I project along with the EP's release. The music video for "Cinnamon" was directed by Warren Fu and serves as a sequel to its predecessor "Leave It Alone".[26]

Singles for Petals for Armor II

[edit]
Main article: Petals for Armor II

"Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris" was released on March 19, 2020, with an official lyric video.[27] The song features indie rock band Boygenius, which consists of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus, on background vocals. A music video for the song was written and set to be directed by actress Kristen Stewart, though plans fell through due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[28] Williams said about the single in her Twitter account:[29]

“In honor of my personal journey through femininity, with its endless facets; and in honor of the feminine wonder that connects literally everyone and everything.”

Williams also released the songs "Over Yet", "My Friend" and "Why We Ever".[21]

Petals for Armor Tour

[edit]
Petals for Armor Tour
World tour by Hayley Williams
Promotional tour poster with dates
Location
  • Europe
  • United Kingdom
  • North America
Associated albumPetals for Armor
Start dateMay 13, 2020
End dateJune 29, 2020
Legs2
No. of shows22 expected (Tour cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic)
Supporting act(s)

Planned to take place alongside the release of album, on March 5, 2020, Williams announced the European and North American legs of the Petals for Armor Tour, set to start in May 13 in Amsterdam, Netherlands and conclude on June 29, 2020, in Nashville, United States.[30] The pre-sale started on March 13, 2020. It was announced that the support acts would be English R&B artist Arlo Parks on the North American leg and Scottish band the Ninth Wave in Europe and the UK. However, in August 2020, Williams announced that the tour was already cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that there were "no immediate plans to schedule new dates".[31]

Via an Instagram story posted by Williams on her 36th birthday on December 27, 2024, the artist announced plans to play the cancelled solo shows in 2025, five years after their original timeframe.[32]

List of planned shows

[edit]
List of planned concerts, including date, city, country, and venue[33]
Date City Country Venue Cancellation reason(s)
Europe & UK leg
May 13, 2020 Amsterdam Netherlands Melkweg Max COVID-19 pandemic[31]
May 15, 2020 Brighton United Kingdom The Great Escape
May 16, 2020 London Electric Brixton
May 18, 2020 Paris France La Cigale
May 19, 2020 Cologne Germany Live Music Hall
North America leg
May 28, 2020 Seattle United States Moore Theatre COVID-19 pandemic
May 30, 2020 San Francisco Masonic Auditorium
June 1, 2020 Los Angeles The Wiltern
June 3, 2020 Denver Paramount Theatre
June 5, 2020 Dallas The Hifi
June 6, 2020 Houston House of Blues
June 8, 2020 Orlando
June 10, 2020 Atlanta Tabernacle
June 15, 2020 Charlotte The Fillmore
June 17, 2020 Silver Spring
June 18, 2020 Philadelphia
June 20, 2020 Boston House of Blues
June 22, 2020 Toronto Canada Rebel
June 24, 2020 Brooklyn United States Brooklyn Steel
June 26, 2020 Chicago House of Blues
June 27, 2020 Detroit The Fillmore
June 29, 2020 Nashville Brooklyn Bowl

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.1/10[34]
Metacritic83/100[35]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[36]
Clash8/10[18]
Consequence of SoundB+[37]
The Daily Telegraph[38]
The Observer[39]
The Independent[40]
NME[41]
Pitchfork7.2/10[3]
Rolling Stone[42]
The Times[43]

Petals for Armor was met with critical acclaim.[44][45][46] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 83, based on 22 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[35] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 8.1 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[34]

Year-end rankings of Petals for Armor
Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
Billboard Top 50 Best Albums of 2020 41 [47]
Consequence of Sound Top 50 Albums of 2020 21 [48]
Entertainment Weekly Top 15 Albums of 2020 15 [49]
The Line of Best Fit
 Top 50 Albums of 2020 36 [50]
Rolling Stone The 50 Best Albums of 2020 31 [51]
Slant Magazine
 Top 50 Albums of 2020 48 [52]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Simmer"
4:26
2."Leave It Alone"
  • Williams
  • Howard
4:05
3."Cinnamon"
  • Williams
  • York
3:31
4."Creepin'"
  • Williams
  • Howard
  • Steph Marziano
2:58
5."Sudden Desire"
  • Williams
  • Howard
3:07
6."Dead Horse"
3:19
7."My Friend"
  • Williams
  • Howard
3:39
8."Over Yet"
  • Williams
  • Howard
  • Marziano
3:39
9."Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris"
  • Williams
  • James
  • York
5:18
10."Why We Ever"
  • Williams
  • Micah Tawlks
4:23
11."Pure Love"
  • Williams
  • Howard
3:07
12."Taken"
  • Williams
  • Howard
  • Marziano
2:46
13."Sugar on the Rim"
  • Williams
  • York
4:14
14."Watch Me While I Bloom"
  • Williams
  • James
  • York
3:44
15."Crystal Clear"
  • Williams
  • York
3:33
Total length:55:49
Japanese bonus track[53]
No.TitleLength
16."Simmer" (Caroline Polachek remix)3:16
Total length:59:05

Notes

[edit]
  • "Crystal Clear" contains music from "Friends or Lovers" by her grandfather, Rusty Williams.

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from liner notes.[54]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Petals for Armor
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[55] 6
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[56] 51
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[57] 117
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[58] 200
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[59] 24
Irish Albums (OCC)[60] 38
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[61] 24
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[62] 21
Scottish Albums (OCC)[63] 1
UK Albums (OCC)[64] 4
US Billboard 200[65] 18

Petals for Armor: Self-Serenades

[edit]
Petals for Armor: Self-Serenades
EP by
Hayley Williams
ReleasedDecember 18, 2020[66]
Recorded2020
GenreAcoustic
Length11:04
LabelAtlantic
ProducerDaniel James
Hayley Williams chronology
Petals for Armor
(2020) 		Petals for Armor: Self-Serenades
(2020) 		Flowers for Vases / Descansos
(2021)

Petals for Armor: Self-Serenades is an extended play (EP) containing acoustic versions of two songs from Petals for Armor, and one new song. It was released on Atlantic Records on December 18, 2020.

A studio version of "Find Me Here" appears as the twelfth track on Williams' second album, Flowers for Vases / Descansos.

Background

[edit]

The EP was entirely a home recording on a 4-track recorder. Williams played alone on the EP, with Williams on vocals and acoustic guitar. Williams cites "Find Me Here" as one of her favorite songs she wrote in 2020.[67]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Simmer" (acoustic)Hayley Williams, Joey Howard, Taylor York 5:35
2."Why We Ever" (acoustic)Williams, Micah Tawlks3:40
3."Find Me Here"Williams1:49
Total length:11:04

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from liner notes.[68]

Musicians

Additional personnel

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Except "Why We Ever", recorded at Pep Talk (Nashville), East Iris and Music Friends; and "Watch Me While I Bloom", recorded at Sunset Sound (Los Angeles) and Music Friends

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Hayley Williams' solo debut 'Petals For Armor' is an art pop triumph – review". BrooklynVegan.
  2. ^ O'Toole, Lucy. "Album Review: Hayley Williams, Petals for Armor". Hotpress.
  3. ^ a b Gordon, Arielle (May 12, 2020). "Hayley Williams : Petals For Armor Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  4. ^ "ALBUM REVIEW: 'Petals For Armor' by Hayley Williams". May 11, 2020.
  5. ^ "Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations, Independent Artist Song Releases |".
  6. ^ "Hayley Williams – Hayley Williams and Zane Lowe "Petals for Armor I" Apple Music Interview". February 3, 2020 – via www.youtube.com.
  7. ^ "Hayley Williams explains meaning of Petals For Armor: "The way for me to protect myself best is to be vulnerable"". NME. January 22, 2020.
  8. ^ Magazine, Alternative Press (March 20, 2019). "Hayley Williams addresses Paramore's future in emotional interview". Alternative Press.
  9. ^ Greenwood, Koltan (January 23, 2020). "Paramore had to "get quiet for a minute" for Hayley Williams' exploration". Alternative Press.
  10. ^ "Hayley Williams' First Solo Single Is Here: Watch the Paramore Frontwoman's Horror Flick 'Simmer' Video". Billboard.
  11. ^ a b Ganz, Caryn (March 4, 2020). "How Hayley Williams Saved Herself (and, BTW, Paramore)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  12. ^ Cuzick, Brooke (May 8, 2020). "Album review: Hayley Williams' solo debut 'Petals for Armor' is a masterful act of introspection". Daily Bruin. Retrieved May 22, 2025. the mainly R&B- and soft-pop-influenced record
  13. ^ a b Zoladz, Lindsay (May 8, 2020). "Hayley Williams Lays Down New Roots on Her First Solo Album". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2025. an exploration of past traumas and future hopes in tracks that veer from pop to R&B and beyond
  14. ^ "Flowers for Vases / Descansos". Apple Music. 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  15. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2020 So Far". Rolling Stone Australia. June 18, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  16. ^ a b O'Toole, Lucy (May 11, 2020). "Album Review: Hayley Williams, Petals for Armor". Hot Press. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  17. ^ a b c Pelly, Jenn (May 8, 2020). "Hayley Williams Breaks Down Every Song on Her Deeply Personal Solo Album, Petals for Armor". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  18. ^ a b Walker-Smart, Sam (May 7, 2020). "Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor". Clash. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  19. ^ Lash, Jolie (May 21, 2020). "The 30 Best Albums of 2020 (So Far)". Spin. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  20. ^ Campbell, Rachel (January 20, 2020). "Hayley Williams reveals Petals For Armor song title with latest teaser". Alternative Press. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  21. ^ a b "Hayley Williams - "Dead Horse"". April 21, 2020.
  22. ^ "Petals for Armor on Instagram: "🌺🔨 ⚰️ 05.08.2020".
  23. ^ "Hayley Williams on Facebook". Facebook. Archived from the original on April 30, 2022.[user-generated source]
  24. ^ a b "Hayley Williams - Leave It Alone [Official Music Video]". January 30, 2020 – via YouTube.
  25. ^ "Hayley Williams - Leave It Alone Interlude [Official Music Video]". February 3, 2020 – via YouTube.
  26. ^ "Hayley Williams Releases 'Cinnamon,' 'Sudden Desire' and 'Creepin' off 'Petals for Armor 1' EP". Rolling Stone. February 6, 2020.
  27. ^ "Hayley Williams shares love for nature on new Boygenius collaboration 'Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris'". NME. March 19, 2020.
  28. ^ McCarthy, Lauren (April 21, 2020). "Hayley Williams Goes Solo, But She Is Never Alone". Nylon Magazine. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  29. ^ "Hayley Williams Drops 'Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris' Featuring Boygenius". Rolling Stone. March 19, 2020.
  30. ^ Bass Magazine (March 5, 2020). "Hayley Williams Announces "Petals For Armor Tour" With Joey Howard on Bass". Bass Magazine. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  31. ^ a b Anna Chan (August 6, 2020). "Paramore's Hayley Williams Cancels Solo Tour Amid Coronavirus Pandemic". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  32. ^ Kreps, Daniel (December 28, 2024). "Hayley Williams Hints That First-Ever Solo Tour Might Finally Happen in 2025". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 2, 2025. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  33. ^ Williams, Hayley [@yelyahwilliams] (March 5, 2020). "intimate shows. been craving the closeness a long time. love to @theninthewave_ for joining me overseas and to @arloparks for coming with me stateside. 💐 tix go on sale next friday, 3/13 @ 10am local. http://petalsforarmor.com" (Tweet). Archived from the original on August 8, 2021 – via Twitter.
  34. ^ a b "Petals for Armor by Hayley Williams reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  35. ^ a b "Reviews for Petals for Armor by Hayley Williams". Metacritic. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  36. ^ Collar, Matt. "Petals for Armor – Hayley Williams". AllMusic. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  37. ^ Dzubay, Laura (May 8, 2020). "Hayley Williams' Petals for Armor Discovers the Strength in Vulnerability: Review". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  38. ^ McCormick, Neil (May 9, 2020). "This week's best new albums: Kehlani, Mark Lanegan, Hayley Williams". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  39. ^ Empire, Kitty (May 9, 2020). "Hayley Williams: Petals for Armor review – one of the year's biggest revelations". The Observer. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  40. ^ Pollard, Alexandra (May 8, 2020). "Hayley Williams review, Petals for Armor: Distorted, disorienting funk that charts singer's evolution towards peace". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  41. ^ Hunt, El (May 8, 2020). "Hayley Williams – 'Petals For Armor' review: Paramore star goes it alone with fiercely vulnerable alt-pop". NME. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  42. ^ Shaffer, Claire (May 8, 2020). "Hayley Williams Explores Rage and Revelation on 'Petals For Armor'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  43. ^ Hodgkinson, Will (May 8, 2020). "Hayley Williams: Petals for Armor review — the former teenage icon tackles her demons full on". The Times. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  44. ^ Prance, Sam (January 25, 2021). "Paramore's Hayley Williams teases new project Flowers for Vases". Capital. Retrieved May 21, 2025. The record was Hayley's first project as a soloist and it was met with widespread acclaim from fans and critics alike.
  45. ^ Seah, Daniel (August 3, 2020). "Watch: Hayley Williams shares an unplugged performance of Simmer". Guitar.com. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  46. ^ Lucano, Ed (February 17, 2021). "Hayley Williams Discusses Loss and Heartbreak in "FLOWERS for VASES / descansos"". The Fordham Ram. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  47. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2020: Staff Picks". Billboard. December 7, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  48. ^ "Top 50 Albums of 2020". Consequence of Sound. December 1, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  49. ^ "The 15 best albums of 2020". Entertainment Weekend. December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  50. ^ "The Best Albums of 2020". The Line of Best Fit. December 3, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  51. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2020". Rolling Stone. December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  52. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2020". Slant Magazine. December 9, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  53. ^ "Hayley Williams / ヘイリー・ウィリアムス「Petals for Armor / ペタルス・フォー・アーマー」 | Warner Music Japan". ワーナーミュージック・ジャパン | Warner Music Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  54. ^ "Simmer" (single liner notes). Hayley Williams. Atlantic Records. 2020. Back cover.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  55. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  56. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  57. ^ "Ultratop.be – Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  58. ^ "Ultratop.be – Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  59. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  60. ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  61. ^ "Charts.nz – Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  62. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  63. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  64. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  65. ^ "Hayley Williams Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  66. ^ Mortensa, Mala (October 27, 2020). "Here's What's Ss Special About Hayley Williams' Upcoming Song". Alternative Press. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  67. ^ Dowd, Rachael (December 18, 2020). "Hear Hayley Williams Serenade Her Loved Ones In "Find Me Here"". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  68. ^ Petals for Armor: Self-Serenades (liner notes). Hayley Williams. Atlantic Records. 2020. Booklet.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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