While Hayley Williams‘ new album has been massively well-received by fans, it’s also sparked fears of a Paramore split.
- READ MORE: On The Cover – Hayley Williams: “Women’s rage has been such a catalyst for beautiful things”
Earlier this week (July 28), Williams surprise-released ‘Ego’ on her website, with the new solo record containing 17 tracks, including the single ‘Mirtazapine’ which was premiered on a Nashville radio station last week.
The album wasn’t made available on digital streaming platforms, and was only accessible to fans with a 16-digit code after buying something from her hair dye company Good Dye Young. Less than two full days after releasing the surprise album, she pulled the record from her website, newly updated to read: “Hello, there. Thank you for listening.”
However, fans made use of the brief window it was up, poring over lyrics that have left many speculating about a potential breakup between her and Paramore guitarist Taylor York, who she confirmed she was dating in 2022.
Many honed in on lines from ‘Disappearing Man’, which appear to allude to a breakup with the lines: “Just like I said, had to come up for air / ‘Cause I know bеtter than to hold my breath for too long / Now, love, you’re not the only one who’s lonely / My final act of love was surrender.”
— shi (@afterlauqhter) July 29, 2025
Hayley Williams just released 17 songs about breaking up Taylor York. Hopefully unrelated, she also is selling a shirt that says “HW is my favorite band”. Please say sike. I cannot handle another Paramore breakup rn 😭
— Camille Denise ⚖️ (@_Ellimac__) July 28, 2025
good morning pic.twitter.com/nJ2xQXlnJu
— shi (@afterlauqhter) July 30, 2025
listening to new hayley williams album that’s clearly about a breakup with taylor york pic.twitter.com/xuUv3CL7gW
— brenna 🪩 (@goodlarkcharm) July 28, 2025
streets are saying hayley williams and taylor york brokeup pic.twitter.com/cZz0PIc252
— lackluster (@chall3ngers) July 29, 2025
not now sweetie, hayley williams might’ve just confirmed she and taylor york broke up https://t.co/J0cRJ9vdC3
— leo! (@eleanorigbyyyyy) July 29, 2025
look man i hate parasocial relationships and keeping up with celebs but if hayley williams and taylor york really broke up i’m gonna end it all 😭 current paramore lineup was them at their best
— erik (@resetreflectt) July 29, 2025
you can never survive a hayley williams album drop without paramore disbandment allegations pic.twitter.com/rkxJQonxtN
— H | HAYLEY WILLIAMS LOVES ME (@decodethemonstr) July 28, 2025
Likewise, on ‘Love Me Different’, Williams laments: “Nothing could compare to the potential greatest love of all time / The pleasure and the agony’s all mine,” with some convinced it spells the end of Paramore.
It’s worth noting that neither York or Williams has addressed rumours of a split. It’s also unclear if the removal of ‘Ego’ from Williams’ website marks the album’s impending release on digital streaming platforms, or if it was meant to serve as an exclusive, limited-time experience for fans.
Should it get an official release, it will mark the Paramore front woman’s first since she became an independent artist when her record deal with Warner/Atlantic ended.
It’s not the first time Williams has released solo music in a way that departs from the usual album rollout timeline. Her previous solo album, ‘Flowers for Vases / descansos’, was released in February 2021 with only a day’s notice.
Since then, Williams has shared solo material in the forms of a collaboration with Turnstile in late April, and a sensual Moses Sumney joint ‘I Like It I Like It’ in May. In June, Hayley Williams was announced as a guest feature on David Byrne’s new album ‘Everybody Laughs’.
