Grammy award winner, Hayley Williams, who is popularly known as the vocalist for Paramore, has announced the release of her debut solo album, Petals For Armor, set for release on May. 8. Simultaneous with this announcement, Williams also dropped her new single, “Simmer”, which is available on all streaming platforms, and will be featured on the upcoming album.

“Simmer” starts with Williams running through a forest at night, an eerie vibe is set into motion as the beats slowly start surfacing the song. The red background fills the screens as William’s shadowed face is seen singing.

The beats and vocals are dark, but upbeat, as Williams sings about simmering down. She’s naked and afraid, running in the dark, attempting to escape as she spots a house.

“Control, there’s so many ways to give in,” Williams sings. “Eye close, another way to make it to 10.

Williams frantically runs upstairs as she is then greeted by a room with light spilling out from underneath the door. She opens the door, as candles and a bowl of bloody red paint await her.

“Wrap yourself in petals, wrap yourself in petals, wrap yourself in petals,” she sings, gently yet mysteriously. “Petals for armor.”

She rubs the paint all around her body, as the song reaches its peak, the person who has been chasing Williams throughout the video is revealed, they are wearing all black with a mask covering their face.

The unknown person opens the door, only to see the bowl of paint missing. Williams hits the person the head with the bowl of paint, revealing to the viewers the person in black was Williams herself the entire time.

William’s upcoming album and song was recently teased as a video earlier this month through the official Petals For Armor Instagram, generating over 78,000 views. Williams also uploaded a series of 12 pictures to create one giant picture of herself on the Petals For Armor Instagram page.

“I’m so ready and so incredibly humbled to get to share this project,” said Williams. “Making it was a scary, empowering experience. Some of my proudest moments as a lyricist happened while writing Petals For Armor, and I was able to get my hands a little dirtier than usual when it came to instrumentation.

Currently, it is unknown whether there will be a tour to accompany the release of the upcoming album.

Photo Credit: Mehreen Rizvi