Paramore’s Hayley Williams and New Found Glory’s Chad Gilbert announce split

Sad times

Chad Gilbert and Hayley Williams
Published 3rd Jul 2017

Paramore singer Hayley Williams and New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert have announced their split.

The couple, who started a relationship in 2008 and were married on 20th February 2016 in Nashville, posted a joint message on their Instagram accounts on Saturday (1st July) announcing the news.

Despite the breakup, the pair maintain their remaining “close friends” and will “continue to encourage and support each other personally and professionally.”

The full statement reads:

“So much more goes into putting a statement together than anyone will ever see. There’s real life behind these black and white words. Sleepless nights and procrastination and sadness and fear…. Unfortunately, it all ends up looking the same. Like some publicity crap.

“The two of us have been together for the better part of 10 years. We’ve grown up together and we’ve been beside each other through a lot of goodness and a lot of challenges,” they continued. “There is a challenge to trying to understand your own heart in the context of a relationship… and there is goodness in considering another heart, even in spite of your own. Marriage is not for the faint of heart. Love is an absolute risk. And it’s up to each of us to stay hopeful even when the outcome isn’t what we’d originally hoped for.

“We want to publicly state – plainly, and only this time – that we are splitting up. We also feel it, important to state that we are going to be okay and in fact, we remain close friends who are good in each other’s eyes. That’s something we are deeply thankful for. Even though situations like these can feel defeating. We will continue to encourage and support each other personally and professionally.”

“Hopefully, you’ll understand that the personal aspects of what we are going through are not for anyone else to carry. Only us. To all people any further into this moment in our lives would be to dishonour our history together and our ability to move forward with integrity. Thank you to fans of both our bands for all the kindness you’ve shown to both of us for so many years. Thanks to our families and friends for loving us in all our seasons.

“Hayley and Chad.”