Hayley Williams - Ego Death at We Love Green - 06/06/2026

The night of Saturday, June 6th, isn't like any other night.

Somewhere deep in the Parisian woods, hundreds, if not thousands, of fans are impatiently waiting for what will be Hayley Williams' first festival date outside of the US. There, under We Love Green's tent, it's hard to breathe. But whether it is due to the lack of elbow room, everyone wanting to be as close to the stage as possible, or the anticipation of what's about to happen is hard to say. It would feel pointless to introduce Hayley Williams, who is undoubtedly one of the singers who has shaped our generation.

Yet, after more than twenty years in her career, she keeps reinventing herself and finding new ways to keep us in awe.

Soon enough, the blond-haired singer stumbles onto the stage, opening the festivities with the

explosive Mirtazapine.

Although the crowd stays relatively silent and confused when the singer asks about them ever being to Nashville, the show feels exactly how I'd imagine the atmosphere of the Music City to be. The space has become one giant karaoke bar where no feeling is too big and no display of emotions is embarrassing. Everybody is hyping up their peers, and despite the set taking place after dark, performers (Hayley being joined by the talented Parafour and fans seem to be feeding off each other's energy. An energy that seems to be of surprise to Miss Williams, who audibly wonders if something is going to ruin this perfect moment.

It has long been established that Hayley is a master performer. If artists were fictional figures, she would be the devil on your shoulder, whispering and persuading you to have the most fun that can be had. But just as she's able to make waves, it seems that she can part even the wildest of seas. All whispers cease when she sits at the piano, like a minister perched on a pulpit, ready to give out her sermon.

However, when the album's title track’s nostalgic piano resonates and she chants « can only go up from here », it's hard to believe her. I don't think it gets much better than seeing Hayley Williams on a Saturday night. And it feels like the feeling is mutual as the singer tells the crowd that from now on, she'll think of this night whenever she feels sad.

As the night goes on, the songs that have become anthems in only a matter of months take on a new perspective.

Where titles such as Parachute and Disappearing Man are usually sung alone in one's room, accompanied by the usual flow of tears, they are now scars from the wounds you're proud of having overcome, everything leading to this cathartic moment. The myth that French people cannot speak a word of English falls apart as the crowds scream the bridge of Glum at the top of their lungs. Our love for the singer is not so secret anymore, and we do hope that this outward display of affection will earn us a stop on the upcoming Hayley Williams Show.