Taylor Swift's opening act in Europe - Where do people know the band Paramore from?
The excitement for Taylor Swift's (34) Germany concerts is immense: On this coming Wednesday (17. July), the US Popstar will play the first of three shows in Gelsenkirchen. Paramore, an alternative-rock band from the US state of Tennessee, Taylor Swift's longtime residence, will be the opening act on stage - just like on all Europe shows of the "Eras Tour" segment.
Paramore struck a nerve in the 2000s
Paramore has been around for 20 years: Frontwoman Hayley Williams (35) founded the band in 2004 at the age of 15, along with brothers Josh and Zac Farro and bassist Jeremy Davis. Since then, they have released six studio albums. With their first album "All We Know Is Falling" from 2005, Paramore achieved a breakthrough in their teenage years. Their sound, a mix of alternative rock, pop-punk, and emo, brought them a loyal fanbase.
In the 2000s, Williams and co. touched a nerve with their music, capturing the zeitgeist of an entire generation. In their albums "Riot!" (2007) and "Brand New Eyes" (2009), the band addressed themes that resonated with teenagers and young adults: identity search, heartbreak, friendship, and the challenges of growing up. Simultaneously, their sound perfectly fit the trend of emo and pop-punk that dominated the music scene at the time.
One of Paramore's most famous singles is "Decode" from 2008 - the song was part of the soundtrack for the vampire film "Twilight: New Moon" and stayed in the German charts for nine weeks. One of their most popular songs - "Misery Business" from 2007 - was taken out of their live repertoire a few years ago due to criticism of a part of the lyrics as misogynistic. Later, Williams changed the lyrics, and the song has been part of their setlist since 2022.
From the original lineup, only Hayley Williams and drummer Zac Farro remain, as well as guitarist Taylor York, who has been a member since 2007. Williams herself describes the band's history as "like a soap opera". The latest album from the group, "This Is Why", was released in February 2023 and reached as high as 6th place in the German album charts, 1st place in the UK, and 2nd place in the US.
Taylor Swift and Paramore: A long friendship
It should not come as a surprise to many Swifties that Taylor Swift chose Paramore as the opening act for her Europe concerts. The singer and the band share a similar fanbase. In 2015, Williams was also featured in Swift's music video for "Bad Blood". Additionally, Swift released a collaborative song with Williams last year: "Castles Crumbling", which Swift originally wrote for her album "Speak Now" but did not release at the time. In 2023, it was then released as a "From the Vault" track from her "Taylor's Version" of the album. The two singers performed the song for the first time together on stage at the second night of her London concerts.
The two singers are said to have met each other for the first time at the Grammy Awards in 2008, when they were both nominated in the "Best New Artist" category and lost to the late Amy Winehouse (1983-2011). They reportedly met again at the award show afterparty. Williams revealed this in an interview in 2023.
Fans of Hayley Williams may also be familiar with some of her solo projects: One of her most famous collaborations is her song "Airplanes" with rapper B.o.B. from 2010, which stayed in the German singles charts for 25 weeks and is still a radio classic. In 2013, she was featured in Zedd's (34) song "Stay the Night", which stayed in the German singles charts for 19 weeks.
Paramore performed at all Europe concerts of Taylor Swift as the opening act - from Paris to London, and from Milan. At the three shows in Gelsenkirchen on July 17-19, in Hamburg on July 23-24, and in Munich on July 27-28, Swift fans could look forward to approximately 45 minutes of Paramore's performance.
- Paramore, formed in 2004 by Hayley Williams at the age of 15, exists as an alternative-rock band from Tennessee, a longtime residence of Taylor Swift.
- The band's first album, "All We Know Is Falling," brought recognition in 2005, and their sound, a mix of alternative rock, pop-punk, and emo, resonated with fans throughout the 2000s.
- One of Paramore's most renowned singles, "Decode," hit the German charts for nine weeks due to its inclusion in the "Twilight: New Moon" soundtrack in 2008.
- Gelsenkirchen, Munich, and Hamburg are among the cities in Germany where Paramore will perform as Taylor Swift's opening act for her upcoming concerts, as part of the "Eras Tour" segment.
- Taylor Swift's connection with Paramore extends beyond music, as they share a similar fanbase and have collaborated, such as in the song "Castles Crumbling" from 2023, which they performed together for the first time on stage in London.
- In 205, Williams revealed her first encounter with Swift was at the Grammy Awards in 2008, where they both lost to Amy Winehouse in the "Best New Artist" category.
- Paramore's fame has spanned across Europe, with their performances in cities like Paris, Milan, and London, proving that Taylor Swift's fans can expect around 45 minutes of their energetic set at her upcoming concerts.
