Hayley Williams' Petals for Armor I EP Is a Glimpse Into a Private World

The past three weeks have been busy ones for Hayley Williams fans. Starting with the announcement on Jan. 22 of a new album called Petals for Armor, the Paramore frontwoman a new music video each week for a singles from the record. This week, she gave us an even deeper look into her world with Petals for Armor I, a five-song EP that previews the full-length album coming May 8.

Along with three new songs — “Cinnamon,” “Creepin’ ” and “Sudden Desire” — Williams also released a music video for “Cinnamon,” which continues the story laid out in the videos for her two previous singles, all directed by Warren Fu. (See "Simmer" and "Leave It Alone" for the rest of the tale.) In "Cinnamon," we see a disoriented Williams exploring her home and ultimately embracing the strangeness she encounters.

In a post on her personal Instagram account, she describes “Cinnamon” as “the end of one story” and “an ode to my home. Where “Simmer” expresses barely contained anger, “Cinnamon” tells of acceptance, with Williams declaring: “I’m not lonely / I am free / But if I let you in / You would never want to leave.” Strange syncopations give way to a danceable funk groove that’s somewhat reminiscent of tracks from Paramore’s 2017 album After Laughter. But in the capable hands of Williams and her collaborators, the sounds become something entirely new.

Williams has frequently opened up about mental health struggles in interviews and in her songwriting. In an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, she described the process of taking a break from Paramore and dealing with emotions and traumas she’d previously been avoiding.

“It didn’t just become a breeze overnight or anything," she says. "It’s been years and it’s still not a breeze. But it’s so rich, and now that I’m taking account of these feelings and I’m feeling all of them, there’s this beautiful rainbow, versus just the deep end.”

That glimpse into Williams’ journey may explain how — in an EP that’s only five songs long — she manages to explore a full range of emotions, including anger, grief, contentment and desire. You can check out Petals for Armor I via the Spotify embed below or at Williams' website, where you can also preorder the full LP.