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The Solo Debut Hayley Williams swaggers on stage with a guitar and begins gleefully raging about her antidepressant of choice. Mirtazapine, a pop-punk ode to the drug that “makes me eat” and “makes me sleep”, swiftly rouses the audience into a boisterous singalong. Her chemistry with the crowd is so potent that it’s easy to forget this is Williams’s first London gig since supporting Taylor Swift on The Eras Tour with her band Paramore in 2024, and her first ever European tour as a solo artist. Blending Genres For years, Williams had vowed to never pursue solo music. In fact, when she landed a deal with Atlantic Records at 14, it was on her insistence that she’d make music as part of a band. Now finally released from the contract she signed as a teenager, the 37-year-old’s third solo record, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party, was a grief-stricken reflection on lost loves and lost innocence. On stage, she appears to heal those wounds with soulful artistry. Musical Highlights A daring cover of Nina Simone’s Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood leaves the room in silence; a brief snippet of Didn’t Cha Know by Erykah Badu prefaces her viral hit Good Ol’ Days. Make no mistake, Williams is still excellent at headbanging – glorious, explosive and totally unfettered. The show’s highlights come when those punk and R&B; instincts intertwined: powerhouse vocal runs towards the end of the angsty Kill Me, for example, or the unhinged, megaphone-assisted screams of I’m in a Band! that interrupt the subtle grooves of Ice in My OJ. A Theme of Resistance Throughout it all ran a theme of resistance, from the explicit anti-fascist lyrics of True Believer, which critiques white nationalism in the southern US, to Williams’s refusal to let her demons defeat her. “It’s been really fun to play these songs and give them a life that isn’t … just depressing,” she says at one point, before letting out an outrageous cackle. Hayley Williams gets the last laugh – and roaring cheers from the crowd.

The Rise of a Genre-Defying Artist Ecca Vandal, the Australian punk-rap sensation, has been making waves in the music industry with her unique sound and authentic approach to artistry. After a four-year hiatus from the public eye, she returns with her second album, "Looking For People to Unfollow," a project that showcases her evolution as an artist while staying true to her genre-blending roots. The album represents her search for genuine connection in an increasingly digital world, featuring a powerful voice equally at home on hip-hop hooks and punk howls. The Making of "Looking For People to Unfollow" The album's creation was a journey of artistic rediscovery. Vandal and her partner Richie Buxton began working on the project in their Melbourne apartment before moving to Buxton's parents' garage to avoid noise complaints and, more importantly, to disconnect from the internet. This intentional isolation allowed Vandal to explore her most raw lyrical self, channeling emotions and experiences as a woman of color against the backdrop of global events like the murder of George Floyd. The album's core theme is a "search for true connection" and "trying to fight against the faux-sincerity of the online world." Career Milestones and Industry Recognition Vandal's ascent has been marked by significant milestones. After releasing standout singles like "Cruising to Self Soothe" and "Bleed But Never Die," she received a DM from Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst inviting her to tour in early 2025. This opportunity led her to leave Australia for the first time, taking a significant risk on her career. The tour resulted in vocal support from artists including Shirley Manson, SZA, Travis Barker, and Paramore's Hayley Williams, culminating in her Coachella debut in April 2026. Her journey has also included memorable encounters with industry legends like Flea, with whom she shared tea in Los Angeles, and Tony Hawk, who gifted her a signed skateboard inspired by her music. Cultural Identity and Musical Authenticity Born in South Africa to Sri Lankan parents who fled civil war, Vandal's multicultural background deeply influences her artistry. Growing up as "the only Brown kid" in Melbourne, she found belonging through music, studying jazz at the Victorian College of the Arts. Her Sri Lankan identity is subtly woven into her work, including her wearing a saree in the "Bleed But Never Die" video. Despite her parents' initial concerns about her financial survival as a musician, Vandal has carved out a unique space in the industry, refusing to be confined to a single genre despite industry pressure to "pick a lane." The Future of Genre-Bending Music As Vandal continues to gain international recognition, her approach to music offers a refreshing counterpoint to the industry's increasing focus on short, viral content. By celebrating "long form" in an era of 15-second snippets, she's challenging listeners to engage more deeply with artistic expression. With her powerful voice, genre-defying style, and commitment to authentic storytelling, Ecca Vandal represents a new generation of artists who are redefining success on their own terms. As she navigates the complexities of fame while staying true to her artistic vision, her journey suggests that the future of music may lie in embracing diversity and authenticity over commercial categorization.