After a long-awaited five years, Paramore is now ready to step back into the light with their most recent release, “This Is Why.” From their debut album, “All We Know Is Falling” (2005),to their album that made them an icon for an entire generation, “Riot!” (2007), Paramore has been a music staple for angsty, band-loving teens who continue to stick beside them today.
Paramore grew to fame quickly, with Hayley Williams’ sharp vocals standing out in a genre dominated predominantly by male singers, like in esteemed groups Panic! At The Disco, Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance. After a continuous streak of releases within rock and pop-punk, however, they proved that they were more than capable of showing their range as artists beyond those genres.
In stark contrast with the rest of their discography, their last studio album, “After Laughter” (2017), shocked listeners as it took a turn towards pop, rather than what they were consistently known for. As much of a surprise as it was for Paramore to take such a different approach with their music, their pop album was received with open arms, and embraced by its many listeners. Fans are now curious to hear Paramore’s fresh, new sound after a long, five year hiatus. The gap has surely given the band ample time to reset and explore their artistry.
Paramore shared its first single for their new album, “This Is Why” on Sept. 28. On Instagram, each member set brand new profile pictures to usher in the new era, and wiped their previous feeds clean.
Before the album announcement, the only visual form of what was to come from the newest album was each member pressing their face against a glass.
The pane of glass is evidently fogged up, prompting a few questions, one being: could Paramore be trying to escape a distorted idea conjured by outside individuals? This could be a possibility when taking into account the lyrics for the single.
On Sep. 28, Paramore released the music video for “This Is Why.” Directed by Brendon Yates, the opening shot gazes over the Malibu hills and mountains followed by various locations outdoors. As the video progresses, Williams sits atop a rock in the middle of a body of water. The following cuts abruptly shift to Williams later drawing lipstick all over her face in a frustrated manner. At certain points during the video, the members can be seen in front of a camera in the most obscure locations as if they are always being watched regardless of where they are.
Between Williams and York, there are many lyrics about not keeping their ideas restricted. Using her hypnotizing low tone, Williams contemplates whether or not to share her thoughts through her lyrics. The instruments and vocals begin to swell as Williams realizes that it may be best to keep those same ideas “to [her]self.” As the song continues to escalate, Williams sings out, “This is why I don’t leave the house / You say the coast is clear / But you won’t catch me out.” Williams then sings that, regardless of what she does, she is being monitored and needs to censor herself. The lyricism correlates with Paramore’s video in its recurring imagery of each band member in the frame being followed by a camera.
With great fame comes the risk of scrutiny from the public, whether that is in terms of their own actions or of speaking out. This could also be a nod to the photo used as the cover for the single — depicting a warped image of themselves instead of who they are and what they, as a band, represent due to the media distorting their truths. “This Is Why” could be a notable successor to their earlier works as they depict their maturity not only as artists, but as individuals who are ready to be honest with the world.
Giving a taste with their first single, Paramore continues to leave its fans in suspense for their next album. There is more to look forward to as the band started its tour on Oct. 2 in Bakersfield, California. If all goes according to plan, the band will wrap up its North American leg of their tour by Nov. 25, and continue onto countries within South America.
Fans remain eager for their live performances following their latest single and their next work. Despite the long wait until Feb. 10, 2023 for their sixth album, the band will hopefully be able to keep its audience enticed.
For more updates and information on Paramore’s tour and album release, visit the band’s official website here.
Lexis Pham is an Arts & Entertainment Intern for the fall 2022 quarter. She can be reached at lexisp@uci.edu.
