Since demonstrations broke out across the country in June protesting police brutality, many artists have used their platforms to spotlight prominent issues. Paramore’s Hayley Williams has been vocal about the protests on social media, but a recent merch item posted to the band’s store had fans pointing out insensitivities. Williams took the backlash as an opportunity to listen and learn from fans’ comments, eventually deciding to remove the merch from their store while thanking fans for continuing to educate her.
Last month, a Paramore fan shared art that reimagined the band’s cover of their 2007 album Riot! with the names of many who have lost their lives to police brutality. Williams promoted the artwork online but decided to take it one step further. On Friday, Paramore announced they would be selling versions of the poster through their store with proceeds benefitting to the organization Color Of Change and the NAACP.
Shortly after Paramore announced their campaign, fans said they appreciated the band’s intention but labeled the for-sale poster callous. One Twitter user said it was “disrespectful to the people who have passed” and another pointed out that “the names of dead Black people should not be merchandise that white people can hang up as some kind of decoration.” Many suggested Paramore should commission Black artists to design merch and instead donate those proceeds to racial justice organizations.
Williams combed through feedback and took the critiques to heart. Just an hour after the original poster was announced, Williams said they would be removing it from their store. “the last thing that we, as white people, should do in the midst of this is cause more confusion and potential harm,” she wrote.
that being said, it does no good if it causes more offense than it honors the actual cause.
this is no slight to the fan who designed it. however, the last thing that we, as white people, should do in the midst of this is cause more confusion and potential harm.— hayley from Paramore
(@yelyahwilliams) July 10, 2020
The singer then went on to apologize to those she offended and thanked her fans for pointing out her insensitivities and “continuing to educate and have hard conversations.”
thank you to the fans who wrote me about this for calling it like they see it – continuing to educate and have hard conversations. to those who saw the poster and were triggered, i really am sorry.
we are passionate about this issue and will continue to deepen our understanding!— hayley from Paramore
Paramore is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.