Petals for Armor II

{{Infobox album | name = Petals for Armor II | type = EP | artist = [[Hayley Williams]] | cover = Hayley Williams - Petals for Armor II.jpg | alt = | released = April 21, 2020 | recorded = 2019–20 | studio = {{flatlist| * East Iris Studios * Music Friends }} | genre = | length = 20:16 | label = [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]] | producer = {{flatlist| * [[Taylor York]] * Hayley Williams * Daniel James }} | prev_title = [[Petals for Armor I]] | prev_year = 2020 | next_title = [[Petals for Armor]] | next_year = 2020 | misc = {{Singles | name = Petals for Armor II | type = EP | single1 = Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris | single1date = March 19, 2020 | single2 = Over Yet | single2date = April 2, 2020 | single3 = My Friend | single3date = April 9, 2020 | single4 = Why We Ever | single4date = April 16, 2020 | single5 = Dead Horse | single5date = April 21, 2020<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allaccess.com/alternative/future-releases|title = Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations, Independent Artist Song Releases |}}</ref> }} }}

'''''Petals for Armor II''''' is the second [[extended play]] (EP) by American singer-songwriter and [[Paramore]] frontwoman [[Hayley Williams]]. It was released on [[Atlantic Records]] on April 21, 2020,<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Aniftos |first=Rania |title=Hayley Williams Unveils 'Petals for Armor II' Collection, Plus New Single 'Dead Horse' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/hayley-williams-petals-for-armor-ii-dead-horse-9362839/ |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=April 21, 2020 |access-date=April 24, 2020}}</ref> as the second in a series of releases in the ''[[Petals for Armor]]'' era.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTuq6_bqUEk|title=Hayley Williams - Hayley Williams and Zane Lowe "Petals for Armor I" Apple Music Interview|date=3 February 2020 |via=www.youtube.com|access-date=2020-03-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229081529/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTuq6_bqUEk|archive-date=2020-02-29|url-status=live}}</ref> Williams explained the inspiration behind its title is due to her belief that "the best way for me to protect myself is to be vulnerable."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/hayley-williams-explains-meaning-of-petals-for-armor-2600097|title=Hayley Williams explains meaning of Petals For Armor: "The way for me to protect myself best is to be vulnerable"|work=[[NME]]|date=January 22, 2020|access-date=March 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305123907/https://www.nme.com/news/music/hayley-williams-explains-meaning-of-petals-for-armor-2600097|archive-date=March 5, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

''Petals for Armor II'' was produced by Williams' Paramore bandmate [[Taylor York]] and was written throughout 2019 during Paramore's hiatus after touring in support of their fifth studio album, ''[[After Laughter]]'' (2017). The lead single, "Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris", was released on March 19, 2020.

==Background== Following extensive touring in support of [[Paramore]]'s fifth studio album ''[[After Laughter]]'' (2017), [[Hayley Williams]] expressed her feelings about the group's future moving forward explaining that they were not breaking up, however needed time away from writing and touring.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.altpress.com/news/hayley-williams-paramore-future/|title=Hayley Williams addresses Paramore's future in emotional interview|work=Alternative Press|date=March 20, 2019|access-date=March 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215202911/https://www.altpress.com/news/hayley-williams-paramore-future/|archive-date=February 15, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.altpress.com/news/hayley-williams-petals-for-armor-simmer/|title=Paramore had to "get quiet for a minute" for Hayley Williams' exploration|first=Koltan|last=Greenwood|website=[[Alternative Press (magazine)|Alternative Press]]|date=January 23, 2020|access-date=March 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203215556/https://www.altpress.com/news/hayley-williams-petals-for-armor-simmer/|archive-date=February 3, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> In an interview with [[BBC Radio]], in January 2020, Williams explained her process behind developing ''[[Petals for Armor]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/hayley-williams-simmer-video-solo-paramore-8548702/|title=Hayley Williams' First Solo Single Is Here: Watch the Paramore Frontwoman's Horror Flick 'Simmer' Video|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=2020-03-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305224822/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8548702/hayley-williams-simmer-video-solo-paramore|archive-date=2020-03-05|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{blockquote|"I'm so ready and so incredibly humbled to get to share this project... Making it was a scary, empowering experience. Some of my proudest moments as a lyricist happened while writing 'PETALS FOR ARMOR.' And I was able to get my hands a little dirtier than usual when it came to instrumentation. I'm in a band with my favorite musicians so I never really feel the need to step into a role as a player when it comes to Paramore records. This project, however, benefited from a little bit of musical naïveté and rawness and so I experimented quite a bit more. I made this with some of the closest people to me. Their respective talents really shine bright throughout the record. I like to think we all make each other better and the result is something that sounds and FEELS exactly as I'd hoped it would. Now that it's time to put it all out there, I can finally exhale. I'm excited to let people in to experience a different side of myself that I've only very recently become familiar with."}}

==Singles== "Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris" was released to [[Music download|digital download]] and [[streaming media|streaming]] platforms as the lead single on March 19, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/roses-lotus-violet-iris-single/1503157571|title=Roses / Lotus / Violet / Iris - Single by Hayley Williams|accessdate=Apr 13, 2020|via=music.apple.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200404104510/https://music.apple.com/us/album/roses-lotus-violet-iris-single/1503157571|archive-date=April 4, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Track listing== {{Track listing | title1 = Dead Horse | writer1 = {{hlist|[[Hayley Williams]]|[[Canon Blue|Daniel James]]}} | length1 = 3:19 | title2 = My Friend | writer2 = {{hlist|Williams|Joey Howard}} | length2 = 3:39 | title3 = Over Yet | writer3 = {{hlist|Williams|Howard|Steph Marziano}} | length3 = 3:34 | title4 = Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris | writer4 = {{hlist|Williams|[[Taylor York]]|James}} | length4 = 5:21 | title5 = Why We Ever | writer5 = {{hlist|Williams|Micah Tawlks}} | length5 = 4:23 | total_length = 20:16 }}

==Credits and personnel==

{{col-begin}} {{col-2}} '''Musicians'''<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRA6xocqmow |title=Hayley Williams - Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris [Official Audio] |website=YouTube |date=19 March 2020 |access-date=2020-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411110404/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRA6xocqmow |archive-date=2020-04-11 |url-status=live }}</ref> * [[Hayley Williams]] – primary artist, lead vocals, keyboards, guitar * [[Taylor York]] – production, additional instrumentation * Joey Howard – bass guitar, keyboards * Aaron Steele – drums, percussion, congas * Benjamin Kaufman – violin, chin cello {{col-2}} '''Additional personnel''' * Daniel James – string arrangements, additional production * [[Julien Baker]] – background vocals * [[Phoebe Bridgers]] – background vocals * [[Lucy Dacus]] – background vocals * [[Carlos de la Garza (music producer)|Carlos de la Garza]] – mixing engineer * [[Dave Cooley]] – mastering engineer * Kevin "K-Bo" Boettger – assistant engineer * Michael Craver – assistant engineer, assistant mixing engineer * David Fitzgibbons – assistant engineer, assistant mixing engineer * Michelle Freetly – assistant engineer * Jake Butler – assistant engineer

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:2020 EPs]] [[Category:Atlantic Records EPs]] [[Category:Hayley Williams albums]] [[Category:Albums produced by Taylor York]]