Paramore's Hayley Williams And Taylor Swifts Friendship Goes Back Further Than Fans Think
Highlights
- Taylor Swift and Paramore's Hayley Williams have a long-lasting friendship that was initiated by Swift's mother, who gave Williams Swift's phone number early in their careers.
- Williams was initially shy about texting Swift, but reached out to her after the Kanye West VMA incident to show support.
- Williams considers Swift's album "Speak Now" to be her favorite and reflects on their friendship, expressing excitement about their collaboration on one of the re-recorded tracks.
They say opposites attract, but who knew that would apply to Taylor Swift and Paramore's Hayley Williams. The two starlets seem to be so contrastingly different that it's hard to imagine that they would have much in common beyond their iconic stage presence. But the truth is that Swift and Williams are not-so-secret best friends, and despite the pop punk powerhouse not hanging around Swift as frequently as the rest of her "Squad", they have quite a history that fans may not be aware of.
It could be easy to overlook a friendship as civil and long-lasting as Swift and Williams'. Fans are mostly aware of Swift's more conflicted relationships especially if she's written a song about them— or if you're Taylor Lautner, who is the one ex of Swift's that she didn't diss. But Swift's friendship with the Paramore frontwoman goes way back before any of that aforementioned drama began— when the two stars were just fledgling performers just beginning to make a splash in the music industry.
Taylor Swift's Mother Gave Hayley Williams Taylor's Phone Number
Believe it or not, the person who is responsible for the iconic friendship between Taylor Swift and Hayley Williams is Swift's mother, Andrea. In almost-typical mom fashion, Swift's mother had given Williams the "Lavender Haze" singer's telephone number very early on in their careers. William's recalled the inception of their relationship during one of Paramore's recent opening slots at Swift's Eras Tour shows in Glendale, Arizona.
"I remember feeling like, 'We're so little, we're so young.' I was like 18 at the time, and I felt kinda lonely to be that young and to be doing things, you know, like the Grammys and all that," Williams, 34, told the crowd at State Farm Stadium on March 17.
Williams then recalled that, upon unknowingly meeting Swift's mom, she had given her a then-rising country star Taylor Swift's phone number because she thought they might be able to relate to one another, being so young and new to the music industry.
"She said to me, 'My daughter. She just played and she's just getting started and she doesn't really know anybody in the business. I just really want her to be around people her age that are doing the same thing,'" recalled the "Misery Business" singer-songwriter.
Hayley Williams Texted Taylor Swift After The Kanye West VMA Incident
While fans may be accustomed to Hayley Williams' dynamic presence onstage, the Paramore frontwoman was once a bit shy— especially when it came to reaching out to Taylor Swift. After Williams had gotten Swift's phone number from her mother, the "This Is Why" singer recalled being the "shyest freak" when it came to texting the "Midnights" singer. That is, until Swift had her run-in with Kanye West at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. William's reflected on the moment in a video shared by Variety.
"I did not text her until a certain VMA scandal. That was the first time that I felt like, 'I have to reach out because this person is really cool and did not deserve that,'" Williams said.
During the awards show, Swift had been in the middle of accepting her award for best female video for "You Belong with Me" when Kanye West stormed the stage and grabbed the mic. "Yo Taylor," West began, "I'm really happy for you, I'ma let you finish, but Beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time!"
At the time, it was reported that Swift was seen crying backstage after the incident, though she had to quickly pull it together to perform the song that won her the Moonperson to begin with.
"Around that time is when I got to know a little bit Ms. Taylor Swift," continued Williams, noting that she and bandmates Taylor York and Zac Farro have since been able to "watch her trajectory."
She added, "I'm sure you know this because you're here tonight and you obviously 'get it,' but there are moments when I've talked to people that I'm like, 'I am not sure that you get how f---ing incredible this person — this artist is in history.'"
'Speak Now' Is Hayley Williams' Favorite Taylor Swift Album
If you weren't sold on the friendship between Hayley Williams and Taylor Swift, look not further than Williams' heartfelt Instagram post dedicated to the "Anti-Hero" singer. The "This Is Why" singer took fans down memory lane in the post commemorating Swift's re-release of her album Speak Now. Though the pair have come a long way from the youthful days when Swift confessed to her that she wanted to be like Carole King, Williams' nostalgic message proves that she remembers the memories with her pal all too well.
"Taylor was the first industry friend I ever made and hung out with outside of work things. When Speak Now dropped, I bought my friend's record (as you do!) and listened to the whole thing in my first car, sitting still in the driveway. It's my favorite Taylor Swift album for so many reasons," the Paramore frontman, 34, wrote.
"I wish I could go back to this moment at my 21st birthday and tell her one day she'll legitimately own Speak Now and we’ll get to sing together on one of the songs," she added, plugging the July 7 release date for the album.
Swift, 33, announced the release of her re-recorded album during her Nashville show at Nissan Stadium on May 5. Then, on June 5, she revealed the titles for the six vault tracks — including a collaboration with Williams titled "Castles Crumbling."
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