It wasn’t even a song that she wanted to do.
Hayley Williams of Tennessee emo-pop band Paramore had to be given a gentle push into making a guest appearance on B.o.B.’s 2010 single “Airplanes.” “I’m more hesitant about doing things outside of Paramore, but it was the rest of the band that encouraged me to do it,” the 25-year-old tells The Post. “Sometimes, you just hear a song that already feels like a part of you. ‘Airplanes’ was that kind of song.”
Even though Paramore had already released three albums and built a loyal audience, it was a crucial decision. “Airplanes” landed at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the biggest hit of Williams’ career.
But that success turned sour later that year. The supportive element within Paramore rapidly deteriorated when founding members Josh and Zac Farro (guitar and drums, respectively) suddenly quit the band. As a parting shot, Josh issued a lengthy blog post about the brothers’ annoyance at how the band had become a vehicle for Williams. Also at issue were Williams’ “blasphemous” lyrics, which he felt were contrary to the band’s Christian roots.
But with remaining members Taylor York (guitar) and Jeremy Davis (bass), Williams soldiered on. Paramore returned in 2013 with a self-titled album and a new, more pop-oriented sound; the album debuted at No. 1 and spawned the hit single “Still Into You.” Although fans of their more commercial work (and Williams’ B.o.B. collaboration) have helped Paramore climb into arena territory — they headline Madison Square Garden on Wednesday — the bedrock of the band’s success is undoubtedly its followers, who often call themselves “Parawhores.”
“When we started, social networks were already around,” recalls Williams. “We used to answer every MySpace message.” Today, the conversations continue via Twitter and Facebook, with 3 1/2 million followers and 27 million likes, respectively.
Don’t feel bad if you’re late to the Paramore party, because Williams is happy to bring you up to speed. “I want all the newer fans to think, ‘Holy hell, why didn’t I get into this band eight years ago?’ ” she says. “I feel a sense of responsibility to give every single person in the room an escape.”