Review: Hayley Williams – Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party

After the surprise drop of 17 new singles that mysteriously appeared in late-July on the official website of Hayley Williams, the singles got an official streaming release on August 1st. Williams’ move set the record industry a bit aghast, as these songs live without a true “home” (as of this writing) of a standard album, no official tracklisting, and a litany of interpretations from longtime fans of the Paramore front-woman. Simply dubbed as Ego, these new songs are brimming with unlimited potential and purpose. 2020’s Petals for Armor highlighted what Williams could do on her own with her vibrant and infectious personality, and paired it with the long-documented trauma of her past divorce, while the 2021 sophomore follow-up of Flowers for Vases / Descansos backed up my feelings that Hayley Williams was more than capable of letting her star shine brightest without the umbrella of Paramore. Ego, while not officially dubbed as the third album from Williams, still plays out with a clear vision and bating heart behind these 17 tracks that accentuate her ability to convey a wide range of emotions in her vibrant music. Not one for conforming to the norms of the music industry, Ego re-imagines the possibilities of what music is and can be about as Hayley Williams re-cements herself in the singer-songwriter genre with a brilliant artistic statement.