Music and Audio Technology student, Caitlin Fox writes a piece on how Hayley Williams has influenced her musical journey.
In the lead up to International Women’s Day I think it is important for me as a woman to reflect upon the women who have made an impact within the music industry. There have been many notable women who have influenced me throughout my musical journey; women like Pauline Oliveros, Wendy Carlos, Stefani Germanotta, Brittany Howard, Florence Welch, Victoria Smith, Alice Phoebe Lou and Barbra Lynn. With my future career of working in secondary music education it is also important to note the wonderful educators who I have been fortunate to learn from such as Jenny Halliday, Laura Pickton, Ruth Herbert, Anna Neale, Kelly Fraser and Jackie Walduck.
A woman that has increasingly inspired me over the years is Hayley Williams, a Tennessee-based vocalist, songwriter, musician and businesswoman who is also known for fronting the band Paramore.
I have been listening to Hayley Williams for over half of my life. I grew up watching her growth as a woman within the music industry, as well as opening up about her struggles and successes. Although Hayley had many difficulties in creating and performing music in male-dominated genres, she was a popular artist and combated the gender disparity by making pop punk/rock more inclusive. Through Hayley calling out the inequalities, I was able to see more female representation and discover more female artists within the genres I loved. This was also at a time when I began performing publicly and Hayley’s actions made me feel comfortable in selecting repertoire from genres like pop-punk and rock. These choices I made years ago have gone on to shape me as a woman within the music industry today.
In recent years Hayley has stopped using Paramore’s most popular song ‘Misery Business’ in live shows, as well as requesting that it was no longer included in streaming platform’s playlists because of its lyrics being degrading towards women. She mentioned in a blog post that although she had written the song from a narrow-minded perspective at 17, she is now thankful for experiences and mistakes that has shaped her into a better person; also mentioning that she is ‘a proud feminist, just maybe not a perfect one’. Hayley is also a passionate advocate of mental health and has been open with her own struggles, mentioning in her interviews and music that it isn’t shameful to seek help, attended therapy or take medication. She also uses her social media to highlight feminism and key issues such as discrimination within the industry and racism, like allowing the female-led group ‘Teens 4 Equality’ to use her platform to amplify their message.
In May 2020 Hayley released her debut solo album which was rich in topics of female empowerment and emotional and mental growth. This album was also brought into fruition by an all-female team organised by Warner’s Atlantic Records. 9 months later and still in a global pandemic, Hayley released her second album that she recorded at home. Showcasing her female independency by performing all instruments and vocals herself, as well as writing the entire album single-handedly.
Alongside a flourishing music career, Hayley has always utilised her entrepreneurial skills to create business opportunities such as the cruise ship festival ‘Parahoy’ and collaborations with companies like MAC Cosmetics. Hayley is also the co-creator of the inclusive hair care and dye company ‘Good Dye Young’ where her vison is to create a community around the freedom of self-expression, colour and happiness about being who you are.
This is just a small explanation as to why Hayley Williams, one of many women, is such an important figure in my development as not only a woman but as a woman within music.
Caitlin Fox – Music and Audio Technology.