FEATURE:
Misery Business
IN THIS PHOTO: Hayley Williams is the lead of the superb Paramore
Why Hayley Williams’ Recent Comments Around Sexism Highlights Yet Another Issue in Music
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IT might not seem like a major deal….
PHOTO CREDIT: Zachary Gray
but something caught my eye. I saw an NME article, where Paramore’s lead Hayley Williams was criticised online for delaying and shelving gigs because of illness. It was not a massive wave of people providing sexist comment, but there were enough that provoked anger from Williams. You wonder how many major male artists would get the same sort of condescending and insulting comments from men online if they were injured or ill and had to cancel gigs. This article explains more:
“Last week, the band delayed their concert in San Francisco just hours before they were set to perform. They shelved three further gigs on their North American tour in Seattle, Portland and Salt Lake City “in the interest of our health and the ability to put on a show you all deserve”.
Ahead of the tour resuming in Tulsa, Oklahoma last Saturday (July 29), Williams shared a statement in which the singer revealed that she had fallen ill during a Houston gig earlier this month.
She went on to explain how her “body just gave out” after continuing with the dates regardless. “Touring is different at 34 than it was at 16, when leaving home felt like the greatest escape,” Williams said.
This week, the frontwoman took to Instagram Stories to call out someone who had criticised Paramore for pulling the shows. “Metallica manage .. Iron Maiden manage,” the person in question wrote (via Stereogum), “all of which are much older than you love.”
Williams wrote above the screenshot: “Neither James [Hetfield] NOR Bruce [Dickinson] are gonna suck your dick for this, LOVE.”
Elsewhere, another person mentioned the time Dave Grohl broke his leg during a Foo Fighters concert but returned to finish the set. The Twitter user said that Williams “bitches about how hard [touring] is at 34”, before calling her a “whiney hypocrite”.
Hayley Williams of the group Paramore performs onstage during night one of the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Festival at Footprint Center on February 09, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona CREDIT: Aaron J. Thornton/WireImage
In response, the singer posted: “I have a lung infection you soft shit! Not a broken limb. One you can sing with for 2 hours, another you cant.
“But worry not! The shows weren’t cancelled, merely postponed a week.”
She continued: “Maybe you should come out to one of them… like Dave did.”
Sharing a longer message, Williams wrote: “Internet bros have been pressed by my proximity to rock music and all its subgenres since 2005. The only thing that’s changed is the platform from which they spew their ignorance.
“Don’t think for a second your fav bands – metal or punk or otherwise – endorse your weird incel ass lifestyle.”
She added: “So many of these bands have stood side stage at our shows and treat us with respect. Why? bc they aren’t threatened by a strong woman front[ing] a great band in a completely diff genre of music”.
PHOTO CREDIT: Peyton Fulford for The New Yorker
In addition to it being condensing and disrespectful to Hayley Williams – who handled it in her typically uncompressing and impressive way! -, it shows there are different attitudes when it comes to men and women in music. It is a fair point that artists are not as resilient and indefatigable in their thirties than teens or twenties. The realities of touring are different. It can be tougher in general but, to be fair, an artist of any age can get an infection or virus! The fact that someone pointed out that Dave Grohl performed with a broken leg and Williams was whining and whinging (sexist men online’s thoughts and not mine) shows that there is this attitude and opinion that men in music are tougher – whereas women are softer or weaker somehow. Hayley Williams has had to face a lot of sexism during her time with Paramore. This latest case just shows that so many women in music constantly have to defend themselves or answer to idiots online. One reason why this story riled me is because it is hard enough for women to get recognised and taken seriously. There are so few opportunities out there, and festival bills are still imbalanced. When a major band like Paramore emerges, fronted by an incredible female musician, she is then subjected to sexism and misogyny. The thought that, if they show they are human and fallible, then they are open to much more scrutiny and dismissive comments compared to men.
PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Stanley/Pexels
Sadly, we are going to continue to see a lot of this happening in music. It all adds up to this toxic and depressing landscape where women are continually criticised and held to different standards. Hayley Williams comes out swinging and tackled sexist and misogyny. She shouldn’t have to. I know not all male music fans are culpable of sexism, but it is clear that there is still a massive problem. Whether it is some people’s view that women are less or weak; their music is not good enough for festivals or women playing guitar on stage are faking it or not as good as men, it is incredibly insulting and misogynistic. Everyone wishes Hayley Williams good health! She is going to be back strong very soon. Going forward, she and every other woman in music deserves a lot better! Even if it is a relative minority of trolls and bros online throwing out their crap and ignorant views, it is completely unwarranted and stupid. Criticising someone for cancelling gigs because of an illness that means they are physically incapable of continuing is bad enough. The worst of the critique and hate is still aimed at women. You wonder when it will stop! Artists come into contact with so many people. Touring can be brutal and energy-draining. Musicians develop some sort of tolerance, but they are still fallible and human. The amazing women in music need to be put on the same equal ground as men. Continued and seamlessly undiminished sexism is doing so much amazing and completely unreasonable. They are phenomenal and vital artists who…
DESERVE much more respect.