Hayley Williams brought the house down at the Newport Folk Festival yesterday, 24 July, as she unleashed a sonic explosion of star-studded collaborations in the 'Hayley Williams & Friends' extravaganza. The Fort Stage at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island, became her playground for an unforgettable afternoon of music and magic.
The energy was palpable from the get-go, with Williams and her guests delivering a thrilling ride through their eclectic setlist. She fired on all cylinders, showcasing her incredible vocal range and charisma as she welcomed an impressive lineup of talented friends to join her on stage. Karly Hartzman of Wednesday stole the show with a heavier-than-heavy rendition of 'Mirtazapine', while This Is Lorelei (Nate Amos) brought his unique charm to their cover of 'I'm All Fucked Up'. Joy Oladokun joined forces for an uplifting performance of her own song, 'I'd Miss The Birds', and Liam Benzvi brought the house down with a rousing duet of 'Thin Air'.
But that was just the beginning. Annie DiRusso, who's been riding shotgun on Williams' recent North American tour, brought her own special magic to their take on 'Disappearing Man'. The collaborative spirit continued to soar as Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley joined forces with Williams for a soaring rendition of 'Silver Lining', and Kelsey Lu made her presence felt in the live debut of 'Leave It Alone'.
And just when you thought it couldn't get any bigger, Lucy Dacus stepped up to join Lu on stage for an unforgettable live performance of 'Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris'. Remi Wolf then dropped a bombshell with the unveiling of her brand-new track, 'Twiggy Little Butt', and Phoenix Rousiamanis and Madi Diaz got in on the action as well.
The pièce de résistance came when Williams reunited with long-time collaborator Jack Antonoff for an intimate acoustic cover of Bleachers' 'I Wanna Get Better'. The chemistry between these two was undeniable, and the set culminated in a spine-tingling, communal cover of Bill Withers' classic 'Lean On Me', as many of the day's guest artists reunited on stage for a truly unforgettable finale.
This Newport Folk Festival appearance follows Williams' critically acclaimed 'Hayley Williams At A Bachelorette Party' tour, which wrapped up its UK and European leg just last week. During those shows, she delighted fans with surprise collaborations, including a duet of 'Parachute' with Wet Leg's Rhian Teasdale at London's Roundhouse and an appearance by The xx's Romy for Prefab Sprout's 'Wild Horses' at a previous London date. Her Manchester Academy concert was met with rave reviews, praised for its perfect balance of 'joy and rage'. Williams' third solo album, 'Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party', dropped last August to widespread acclaim.