While appearing on The Zane Lowe Show airing on Wednesday, Aug. 13, Hayley Williams spoke about Swift's upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl. Swift, 35, announced her 12th album earlier this week in a preview for her New Heights podcast debut.
"Your friend [Taylor Swift] is back. It's unbelievable. I mean... you were on that tour with her," host Zane Lowe said to Williams, 36, during her interview. "You saw how hard she worked every single night delivering that experience of a lifetime to fans and then so to be like, 'Hey, here's number 12.' What? Are you crazy? This is incredible."
The Paramore rocker seemed just as shocked. "I don't know. I don't know when she made this," she responded. "I really don't. I have no idea." Swift, 35, wrapped up her Eras Tour in December 2024 and was taking time off with boyfriend Travis Kelce during the NFL off-season.
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Ahead of her debut appearance on boyfriend Travis, 35, and his brother Jason Kelce's podcast New Heights, Swift asks Jason, 37, "Can I show you something?"
Jason replies, "Okay. What do we got? We got a briefcase? Mint green, with T.S. on it," as she opens the briefcase to reveal the blurred-out album cover, announcing her "brand new album, The Life of a Showgirl."
Williams, meanwhile, released a surprise collection of 17 singles on Friday, Aug. 1 after sharing and then deleting the tracks from her website days beforehand.
On the songs, produced by Daniel James, Williams wrote, recorded and played multiple instruments. Petals for Armor (2020) and Flowers for Vases (2021) are among Williams' solo works outside of Paramore.
She previously praised Swift's The Tortured Poets Department when it was released in April 2024.
"Had me from the storytelling alone, my friend. Every one of us knows this kind of grief! It's so impressive to me how specific and colorful Taylor's words get without ever losing the universal thread," she wrote on her Instagram Stories. "I'm so ready to be tour-mates."
Swift brought out Williams to sing their vault track "Castles Crumbling" from Speak Now (Taylor's Version) during a June 2024 show in London as part of the Eras Tour. The artists met in 2008 when they were both up for the Best New Artist Grammy Award.
Williams told PEOPLE about their friendship in December 2023, recalling the 14-time Grammy winner's supportive nature.
"Not long after we became friends, she knew I felt awkward going to my ex's wedding, so she tagged along with me, made it fun, and then we ditched the reception to go to the Cheesecake Factory," Williams said at the time.
"She recently called when I was going through a rough time, just to listen and crack jokes and give me solid advice that of course sounded like perfectly formed lyrics," added Williams. "She's funny as s--- and so fun."