Paramore’s Hayley Williams has gone viral for performing, but not one of her own songs. In a clip circulating across social media, the 36-year-old flexed her vocal talent alongside Remi Wolf, with a rendition of Rufus and Chaka Khan‘s “Sweet Thing.”
The duet came as Williams joined Remi Wolf at a Nashville concert earlier this month following the cancellation of Bonnaroo. With the festival canceled due to flooding and extreme weather, Wolf delivered her set at the Tennessee city’s Brooklyn Bowl venue, where she and the Williams also performed “Tell Me Something Good,” also recorded by Rufus and Chaka Khan, according to The Tennessean.
The full set included funky, soulful ’70s hits, the outlet reported, with appearances from Gigi Perez, Grace Bowers, and Mt. Joy. Remi Wolf ended the showcase with a cover of “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire.
While the entire concert lived up to the name “Remi Wolf’s Insanely Fire 1970s Pool Party Superjam,“ the moment with Williams circulated separately, with fans both applauding and critiquing her delivery.
“Hayley grew up singing in a Southern Baptist church and playing in a funk cover band that did Chaka Khan songs, so this tracks,” noted one user on X.
“Now show it to Chaka and record her reaction,” requested another user, in reference to Khan’s high standards for vocal performances. She once even called Mary J. Blige’s rendition of the classic “flat.”
Another user suggested, “This is why Black folks rock with Hayley Williams of Paramore. lol”
Hayley Williams attends the “Turnstile: Never Enough” Premiere during 2025 Tribeca Festival at SVA Theater on June 05, 2025 in New York City.
Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival
Music fans who shared hope for Williams to continue exploring music outside of alternative rock might be in luck.
“It’s been SZA for a long time because I just love her voice. I rarely get asked to do features in things that get down to my core,” Paramore’s frontwoman explained in 2023 of a desired duet. “SZA has been the one for about six years now, and I’m sending the texts weekly at this point…’Garden’ is my favorite song by [her] but you know, all of her songs… you can put on, and there are no skips for me.”
In a separate interview the following year, the R&B star confirmed the collaboration and noted, “It’s in the works.”
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