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Hayley Williams no longer feels defined by Paramore hit Misery Business

Hayley Williams no longer feels defined by Paramore's breakout smash hit Misery Business.

In 2018, the Paramore frontwoman announced that the group was retiring their 2007 smash hit from live shows due to the lyric "once a w**re, you're nothing more" in the second verse being seen as anti-feminist.

In an interview with The Guardian, Hayley explained that the lyrics, which she wrote aged 17, weighed "very heavy" on her for years but she feels better about them now.

"Only now that we've felt lighter about the band, it's like I don't feel defined by that song," she shared, adding that she prefers to think of the moments where they bring a fan on stage to sing the track with them during shows. "That's what I feel defines our band, not these dramas and: 'Is Hayley the perfect feminist?' That was very heavy for a long time."

Hayley, now 33, brought Misery Business out of retirement earlier this year to perform it with Billie Eilish at Coachella. She revealed to the publication that she initially tried to talk the pop star out of covering the controversial song.

However, she realised: "It shouldn't be about me. People grow and learn. I'd already called myself out and done a lot of work on the misogyny I'd metabolised as a young girl."

The first song Hayley wrote with her bandmates Taylor York and Zac Farro for their upcoming album, This Is Why, explores the reaction to Misery Business and being unable to control people's perception of you.

"(It's about) how it feels to accept there are moments in your life where you were the bad guy or you said something that you didn't even really believe - Misery Business - and that comes to define you for some people," she explained. "What can you do except continue to grow and challenge yourself? The lightness that has come with that has been really cool."

Paramore brought Misery Business back onto the setlist during their new tour this week.

Photo: Cover Media
Source: Cover Media
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