New York, NY (Top40 Charts) GRAMMY Award-winning artist
Hayley Williams has announced today's surprise release of an all-new album. Produced by
Daniel James, mixed by
Carlos De la Garza, and mastered by Heba Kadry, FLOWERS for VASES / descansos is available now via Atlantic Records.
"This isn't really a follow-up to Petals For Armor. If anything, it's a prequel, or some sort of detour between parts 1 and 2 of Petals. The meaning of the album as a whole is maybe entirely different from diving into each song in particular," says Williams. "For me, there's no better way to tackle these individual subjects other than holistically. The ways I've been given time (forcibly, really) to stew on certain pains long enough to understand that they in fact, need to be released...indefinitely. I may never have been offered such a kindness; an opportunity to tend to the seeds I'd planted, to harvest, and to weed or prune what is no longer alive, in order to make space for the living. I wrote and performed this album in its entirety. That's a career first for me. I recorded it at my home in Nashville, the home at which I've resided since
Paramore released After Laughter. 2020 was really hard but I'm alive and so my job is to keep living and help others to do the same."
Along with new music, Hayley is relaunching her previously sold-out Limited Edition APOTHEKE candle that brings the feeling of safety and calm to everyone.
Named among the top albums of last year by such high profile outlets as NPR, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, VICE, and more, PETALS FOR ARMOR made a spectacular chart debut upon its May 2020 release, arriving at #1 on Billboard's "Alternative Albums" and "Rock Albums" charts while also landing at #18 on the overall SoundScan/Billboard 200. In addition, the album made top 10 debuts around the world, including #4 on the UK's Official Album Chart and #6 on Australia's ARIA Chart. Produced by Taylor York, Williams' lead collaborator in the GRAMMY® Award-winning Paramore, PETALS FOR ARMOR was met by worldwide critical acclaim, with the New York Times declaring it "an eclectic, unexpected, ambitious solo project (that lets) the singer and songwriter exorcise demons and stretch her creative powers," noting its "songs encompass self-empowerment, romantic sparks, female solidarity and simply thriving." PETALS FOR ARMOR is "full of feminine imagery and dance music textures that evoke diverse influences from Björk and
Janet Jackson," wrote Rolling Stone. "It's the sound of an artist blooming into some of the best music of her career." "Just like
Fiona Apple or St Vincent, (Williams) refuses to put an easy score to her own complicated emotions," wrote The Independent. "PETALS FOR ARMOR doesn't offer up an easy redemptive arc towards happiness; it is a Herculean effort to pull yourself out of depression. But in letting us in on that effort, Williams has created something special."
