Petals for Armor

Petals for Armor is the debut solo studio album by American singer-songwriter and Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams. It was released on May 8, 2020, on Atlantic Records and serves as the singer's first solo release outside of being a featured artist. 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 two parts.

Petals for Armor
Studio album by
Hayley Williams
ReleasedMay 8, 2020
Recorded2019–2020
Studio
Genre
Length55:45
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]

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 will tour in support of Petals for Armor following its release.

Petals for Armor debuted at number eighteen on the US Billboard 200 selling 22,000 copies in its first week.[8]

Background

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.[9][10] In an interview with BBC Radio, in January 2020, Williams explained her process behind developing the album.[11]

“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.”

Promotion and release

Singles

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.[12] 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."[13] The music video was released on May 8. It was directed by Zac Farro.[14][15]

Singles for 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".[16] It premiered on the same day as the single's release.[16] Another music video, "Leave It Alone Interlude", premiered on February 3, 2020.[17]

"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".[18]

Singles for Petals for Armor II

"Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris" was released on March 19, 2020 with an official lyric video.[19] The song features indie rock band Boygenius, which consists of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus, on background vocals. Williams said about the single in her Twitter account.[20]

“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".[13]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.1/10[21]
Metacritic83/100[22]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[23]
Clash8/10[24]
Consequence of SoundB+[25]
The Daily Telegraph[26]
The Observer[27]
The Independent[28]
NME[29]
Pitchfork7.2/10[3]
Rolling Stone[30]
The Times[31]

Petals for Armor was met with critical acclaim. 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".[22] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 8.1 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[21]

Accolades for Petals for Armor
Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
American Songwriter The Best Albums Of 2020, So Far N/A
[32]
The A.V. Club The best albums of 2020 so far N/A
[33]
Billboard Billboard's 50 Best Albums of 2020 – Mid-Year N/A
[34]
Top 50 Best Albums of 2020 41 [35]
Consequence of Sound Top 25 Albums of 2020 (So Far)
8
[36]
Top 50 Albums of 2020 21 [37]
Entertainment Weekly The best albums of 2020… so far N/A
[38]
Top 15 Albums of 2020 15 [39]
The Line of Best Fit Top 50 Albums of 2020 36 [40]
Rolling Stone Spin's The 50 Best Albums of 2020 So Far N/A
[41]
The 50 Best Albums of 2020 31 [42]
Slant Magazine Top 50 Albums of 2020 48 [43]
Spin Spin's 30 Best Albums of 2020 – Mid-Year N/A
[44]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Simmer"Hayley Williams, Joey Howard, Taylor York4:26
2."Leave It Alone"Wiliams, Howard4:05
3."Cinnamon"Williams, York3:31
4."Creepin'"WIlliams, Howard, Steph Marziano2:58
5."Sudden Desire"Williams, Howard3:07
6."Dead Horse"Williams, Daniel James3:19
7."My Friend"Williams, Howard3:39
8."Over Yet"Williams, Howard, Marziano3:39
9."Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris"Williams, James, York5:18
10."Why We Ever"WIlliams, Micah Tawlks4:23
11."Pure Love"Williams, Howard3:07
12."Taken"Williams, Howard, Marziano2:46
13."Sugar on the Rim"Williams, York4:14
14."Watch Me While I Bloom"Williams, James, York3:44
15."Crystal Clear"Williams, York3:33
Total length:55:47
Japanese bonus track[45]
No.TitleLength
16."Simmer" (Caroline Polachek remix)3:16
Total length:59:30

Notes
  • "Crystal Clear" contains music from "Friends or Lovers" by Rusty Williams.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.[46]

Charts
Chart performance for Petals for Armor
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[47] 6
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[48] 51
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[49] 117
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[50] 200
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[51] 24
Irish Albums (OCC)[52] 38
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[53] 24
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[54] 21
Scottish Albums (OCC)[55] 1
UK Albums (OCC)[56] 4
US Billboard 200[57] 18

See also

Notes
  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
  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. 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. https://www.allaccess.com/alternative/future-releases
  6. "Hayley Williams – Hayley Williams and Zane Lowe "Petals for Armor I" Apple Music Interview" – 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"". January 22, 2020.
  8. https://twitter.com/chartdata/status/1262402060781268992
  9. Magazine, Alternative Press (March 20, 2019). "Hayley Williams addresses Paramore's future in emotional interview".
  10. Greenwood, Koltan (January 23, 2020). "Paramore had to "get quiet for a minute" for Hayley Williams' exploration".
  11. "Hayley Williams' First Solo Single Is Here: Watch the Paramore Frontwoman's Horror Flick 'Simmer' Video". Billboard.
  12. Campbell, Rachel (January 20, 2020). "Hayley Williams reveals Petals For Armor song title with latest teaser". Alternative Press. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  13. https://www.stereogum.com/2081823/hayley-williams-dead-horse-petals-for-armor-ii-ep/music/
  14. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_nyLG_hBZ2/
  15. https://www.facebook.com/hayleywilliams/photos/a.554108634622984/3390502017650284/?type=3&theater
  16. "Hayley Williams - Leave It Alone [Official Music Video]" – via YouTube.
  17. "Hayley Williams - Leave It Alone Interlude [Official Music Video]" – via YouTube.
  18. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/paramore-hayley-williams-cinnamon-video-948730/
  19. https://www.nme.com/news/music/hayley-williams-shares-love-for-nature-on-new-song-roses-lotus-violet-iris-2630615
  20. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/hayley-williams-boygenius-roses-lotus-violet-iris-969755/
  21. "Petals for Armor by Hayley Williams reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  22. "Reviews for Petals for Armor by Hayley Williams". Metacritic. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  23. Collar, Matt. "Petals for Armor – Hayley Williams". AllMusic. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  24. Walker-Smart, Sam (May 7, 2020). "Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor". Clash. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  25. Dzubay, Laura (May 8, 2020). "Hayley Williams' Petals for Armor Discovers the Strength in Vulnerability: Review". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  26. McCormick, Neil (May 9, 2020). "This week's best new albums: Kehlani, Mark Lanegan, Hayley Williams". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  27. Empire, Kitty (May 9, 2020). "Hayley Williams: Petals for Armor review – one of the year's biggest revelations". The Observer. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  28. Pollard, Alexandra (May 8, 2020). "Hayley Williams review, Petals for Armor: Distorted, disorienting funk that charts singer's evolution towards peace". The Independent. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  29. 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.
  30. Shaffer, Claire (May 8, 2020). "Hayley Williams Explores Rage and Revelation on 'Petals For Armor'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  31. 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.
  32. "The Best Albums Of 2020, So Far". American Songwriter. 2 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  33. "The best albums of 2020 so far". The A.V. Club. 11 July 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  34. Billboard Staff (June 9, 2020). "The 50 Best Albums of 2020 (So Far)". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  35. "The 50 Best Albums of 2020: Staff Picks". Billboard. December 7, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  36. https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/06/top-25-albums-of-2020-so-far/full-post/
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  38. "The best albums of 2020… so far". Entertainment Weekly. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  39. "The 15 best albums of 2020". Entertainment Weekend. December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  40. "The Best Albums of 2020". The Line of Best Fit. December 3, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  41. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/50-best-albums-2020-so-far-1012026/charli-xcx-how-im-feeling-now-1012470/
  42. "The 50 Best Albums of 2020". Rolling Stone. December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  43. "The 50 Best Albums of 2020". Slant Magazine. December 9, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  44. Spin Staff (May 21, 2020). "The 30 Best Albums of 2020 (So Far)". Spin. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  45. "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 1 September 2020.
  46. "Simmer" (single liner notes). Hayley Williams. Atlantic Records. 2020. Back cover.CS1 maint: others (link) CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  47. "Australiancharts.com – Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  48. "Austriancharts.at – Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  49. "Ultratop.be – Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  50. "Ultratop.be – Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  51. "Offiziellecharts.de – Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  52. "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  53. "Charts.nz – Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  54. "Portuguesecharts.com – Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  55. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  56. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
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