The GDY X Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party Tour Diary: Hayley Williams & Brian O’Connor In NYC

From Boston to Philadelphia to New York to Minneapolis, GDY Co-Founders Brian O’Connor and Hayley Williams have been making style moments and memories as they hop from city to city on the Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party Tour.

We caught up backstage with our favorite pair of besties and creative collaborators in New York City to see how Hayley’s latest solo music adventure has presented new opportunities for them to work together in new and exciting ways — like Hayley’s Y2K party girl look featuring brunette extensions and Steal My Sunshine.

How has your approach to the looks changed for a solo tour?

H: Yeah, I think the approach to everything has changed for me doing these shows. And strangely, I feel like it works in a way my nervous system is really liking for some reason. It has felt really creative. Brian and I had a pretty good idea of what we wanted before getting into rehearsals.

For me, a lot of that had to do with comfort because I was very nervous about this tour and the new responsibilities that I have playing instruments and stuff. I was like, I can't be as uncomfortable as I was wearing some of the more structured clothing during This Is Why, which was the last time I toured.

Everything's kind of soft and easy to layer, which means you can add warmth to it and texture. Sensory stuff for me with these looks and the environment, like all the soft textures hanging, the curtains and stuff, creating a level of comfort.

Me sending Brian all those looks kind of put him on a path that has been a different, new approach for him outside his perspective. Watching him prepare and bring in his own vision board and mood board has been cool. I feel like we're both pretty focused with these shows.

What has been your favorite part of the tour?

H: My favorite part of this tour has been the friends that we've seen and really immersing ourselves in the scenes in the cities that we're in. Atlanta was great to kick off everything and to see friends from there, like Josh from The Chariot and Norma Jean, and ended up seeing Faye and Katie from Upchuck.

Then they took us out after the second show. It's nice to go to local spots and feel like you're really there. And we did the same thing in every city. We've had friends or we've hung out with Water From Your Eyes a good bit.

My favorite city of the tour so far has been Philly. Philly feels so cozy, and I like the energy there. I've always liked playing there. To play at the Electric Factory, which is Franklin Music Hall now, was really special.

Then Tiora took us to her friend's ice cream shop to dance and have a wholesome night out and ended up seeing so many music friends. I saw mewithoutYou guys, I met Bear from Mannequin Pussy, met guys from the Bloodhound Gang, Caleb Hearon came out. It was just kind of chaotic in the best way.

My friend Steph, that I wrote “Parachute” with, and who’s an amazing producer, is basically from Philly. So that's been my favorite part, really feeling like we're there. We're not just stopping in for 12 hours to play the show and leave.

B: I think watching the shows every night.

H: I like when you're down there.

B: Because I really like sitting front and center. Obviously, I like watching the audience watch you. I really feed off of that.

H: Yeah, we actually haven't talked about that, but I see you. I feel so comforted when you and Colton are down there, or if I see any of our people down there. It's nice. Like Rachel and Al from Water From Your Eyes. It's cute. It is cute.