Hayley Nichole Williams is an American singer and songwriter. She is the lead vocalist and a founding member of the rock band Paramore and has released several solo albums.
Williams was born and raised in Meridian, Mississippi. Her parents divorced when she was 13. She then moved with her mother to Franklin, Tennessee, where she later formed Paramore alongside Josh Farro, Zac Farro, and Jeremy Davis. Paramore has released six studio albums: All We Know Is Falling (2005), Riot! (2007), Brand New Eyes (2009), Paramore (2013), After Laughter (2017), and This Is Why (2023). It has featured a continuously changing line-up (currently consisting of Williams, Zac Farro, and Taylor York) with Williams being the only member to appear on all six albums. Along with York, Williams won the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Rock Song for the song "Ain't It Fun".
Williams' non-Paramore musical work includes the song "Teenagers" for the soundtrack of the film Jennifer's Body (2009) and collaborations with The Chariot, October Fall, New Found Glory, Set Your Goals, Zedd, Moses Sumney, and Turnstile. In 2010, she was featured on the single "Airplanes" by B.o.B, which peaked at No. 2 on the U.S.