Paramore singer Hayley Williams has hit out at those who’ve said she’s not a feminist because of the lyrics to 2007 hit Misery Business.
The track from the band’s second album Riot! is about Williams taking a man from another woman – and she’s come under fire from some who say the lyrics brand her as anti-feminist.
Williams says on her blog: “I read a couple comments about how I can’t be feminist or whether or not I’m a ‘good’ feminist.
“I’ll say this: Misery Business is not a set of lyrics that I relate to as a 26-year-old woman. I haven’t related to it in a very long time.
“Those words were written when I was 17 – admittedly, from a very narrow-minded perspective. It wasn’t really meant to be this big philosophical statement about anything. It was quite literally a page in my diary about a singular moment I experienced as a high schooler.”
She reports she’s not ashamed of her past as her experiences have helped shape her and adds: “It’s always a little nerve-wracking to bring you guys along for the ride but when I step back and think about it, it’s a huge honour that anyone cares in the first place.”
She concludes: “I’m a 26-year-old person and yes, a proud feminist – just maybe not a perfect one? Thanks for reading this.”
In January Williams thanked fans for saving the band’s future and announced they’d set sail on the second edition of their Parahoy cruise festival next year.
