Hayley Williams was the musical guest on the latest episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, performing “True Believer.” The song is from her new album, Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party, but in the late-night TV performance, Williams is joined by a small orchestra. With soaring vocals, Williams sang about the gentrification of Nashville and the South’s troubled legacy. Her message was further emphasized by including an outro of Nina Simone’s “Strange Fruit,” which she also references on the track’s prechorus.
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The performance on Fallon comes after Williams’ collaboration with multi-instrumentalist Jay Som on her new album, Belong. The track “Past Lives,” featuring Williams, is the first-ever collaboration for Som and follows the artist opening up for Paramore in 2018. “It’s a dream come true to have Hayley sing on my first feature on an album before the recording of ‘Float.’ I still can’t believe it happened,” Som says. “She’s one of the kindest artists out there, and she graciously accepts and uplifts the people around her. We’re all so lucky to witness her talent and live on the same timeline as her.”
Check out Hayley Williams’ performance of “True Believer” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon below.