Hayley Williams of Paramore performed a cover of Deana Carter’s ‘Did I Shave My Legs For This?’ at Love Rising, a Nashville fundraiser for LGBTQIA+ organisations.
The show saw Willams team up with singer-songwriter Becca Mancari on guitar to perform ‘Inordinary’ taken from her solo album ‘Flowers for Vases / descansos‘. She then welcomed her best friend and business partner Brian O’Connor who came out dressed in full drag ready to sing ‘Did I Shave My Legs For This?’.
The event was created by members of Tennessee’s music community after responding to the series of bills Tennessee recently passed targeting the state’s LGBT population – attempting to pose restrictions on things like drag shows and transgender treatment and surgery for minors.
“What they’re doing with this anti-drag bill… is actually just a distraction from all these other horrible things that they’re trying to pass here — it feels like we’re in a relationship with our city and our state that’s all give, no get,” Williams told the crowd.
Last month, Williams spoke out to decry the legislation. “Once again our state has passed two regressive and unfathomably harmful bills,” she wrote on her Instagram story.
“We stand in solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ family and local LGBTQIA+ orgs in this fight, not only for inclusion for our friends and family in the queer community, but for radical acceptance and empowerment for each of them.”
She added: “Drag is not a crime. Gender-affirming healthcare for all, including our youth, is a necessity.”
Paramore. CREDIT: Zachary Gray
Paramore discussed their politicis in their recent NME Big Read cover story interview “When we were younger, only certain types of people in pop culture were allowed to talk shit,” Williams said. “You were doing it in a subversive, very Rage Against The Machine way, or you were very diplomatic. I still don’t feel like we fit into either of those categories, even though a lot of my ideals align more on the extremes.”
Paramore’s sixth album ‘This Is Why’ was released last month, and the band are set to embark on a UK and Ireland headline tour in April. Bloc Party and Rozi Plain will open for the group at the gigs. After that, they will head on a North American tour with Bloc Party, Foals, and The Linda Lindas as openers for various dates.
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