At the 2026 Newport Folk Festival, Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams delivered a surprise-heavy headlining set on Friday, July 24, at Fort Adams State Park in Rhode Island. Billed as “Hayley Williams & Friends,” the 16-song performance featured special guest appearances by Jack Antonoff, Lucy Dacus, Jenny Lewis, and a sprawling ensemble of indie artists.
The Bottom Line
- The Event: Hayley Williams hosted a massive “Hayley Williams & Friends” headlining slot at the 2026 Newport Folk Festival on Friday, July 24.
- The Star-Studded Stage: The 16-song set featured surprise collaborations with Jack Antonoff, Lucy Dacus, Jenny Lewis, and artists like Remi Wolf and Joy Oladokun.
- The Historic Debuts: Williams performed her 2020 Petals for Armor track “Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris” live for the very first time alongside Boygenius member Lucy Dacus.
Inside the Fort Adams State Park Collaborations
The Friday night festival slot kicked off with the title track from Williams’ 2025 solo album, “Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party,” setting an electric tone for the historic Rhode Island venue. But the real magic unfolded when Williams began welcoming her loaded roster of surprise guests to the Fort Stage.
Jack Antonoff stepped up early in the evening to perform “I Wanna Get Better,” the 2014 debut single from his band Bleachers. The pair shared a warm embrace on stage before harmonizing on vocals. Antonoff later strapped on a guitar to assist Williams on her own Ego Death track, “Good Ol’ Days.”
Lucy Dacus, one-third of the powerhouse indie supergroup Boygenius alongside Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers, joined Williams for a live rendition of “Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris.” Dacus, who originally supplied background vocals on the 2020 track from Petals for Armor, shared the stage with Williams for the song’s live debut.
Jenny Lewis joined Williams to trade verses on a lively cover of Rilo Kiley’s 2007 indie-rock staple “Silver Lining” from the album Under the Blacklight.
Williams and Lewis blended their vocals seamlessly on the third verse, singing, “And the grass it was a-ticking/ And the sun was on the rise/ I never felt so wicked/ As when I willed our love to die/ And I was your silver lining, as the story goes/ I was your silver lining, but now I’m gold.”
The Extended Ensemble Shaping the Newport Lineup
Beyond the heavy-hitting headliners and marquee indie guests, Williams utilized her platform to spotlight a massive roster of contemporary voices. The stage echoed with talent as Karly Hartzman, This Is Lorelei, Joy Oladokun, Liam Benzvi, Annie DiRusso, Kelsey Lu, Remi Wolf, Phoenix Rousiamanis, and Madi Diaz cycled through the collaborative set.
The Newport Folk Festival official Instagram account quickly captured the communal spirit of the night, dropping a sweeping slideshow of high-energy performance photos post-show. While Williams closed out a massive chunk of Friday’s cultural conversation, the historic festival grounds also played host to a powerhouse headlining set from Ms. Lauryn Hill earlier in the evening.
| Festival Day | Key Performing Artists & Headliners | Notable Collaborative Sets |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, July 24 | Hayley Williams, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Lucy Dacus | “Hayley Williams & Friends” featuring Jack Antonoff, Jenny Lewis, and Madi Diaz |
| Saturday-Sunday, July 25-26 | The Lumineers, Nathaniel Rateliff, Brandi Carlile, Brandon Flowers, Tom Morello | Main stage rotating showcases |
The weekend continues Saturday and Sunday at Fort Adams State Park, pulling massive crowds for heavy-hitters like The Lumineers, Nathaniel Rateliff, Brandi Carlile, Brandon Flowers, and Tom Morello. Yet, for Friday attendees, the definitive musical snapshot of the summer remains Williams bringing the entire indie ecosystem up to the mic for a group singalong of Bill Withers’ classic “Lean on Me.”
The Takeaway
Who was your favorite guest appearance from the Newport set, and which indie crossover would you want to see hit the festival circuit next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
