nylon+hayley williams

There's a good reason why Paramore are a platinum-certified act, and her name is Hayley Williams. The frontwoman is hard to ignore--and not just because of her tangerine hued hair; there's her so-honest-they-might-be-ripped-from-your-diary lyrics, which have helped countless fans through tough moments, plus her turbo-charged onstage persona. And now, with the band's fourth studio album Paramore out April 9 (plus Williams' collaboration with MAC Cosmetics in--you guessed it--bright orange), we're reminded once again why we fell for the band in the first place. NYLON's Mallory Rice caught up with the singer-songwriter over mac and cheese to talk about fame, fun, and dealing with a major falling out. While you wait for the issue to hit newsstands (March 26, mark your calendar!), get a sneak peek below:

On the band's new album, Paramore: "Writing the new record, we didn't want to go backward. We wanted to move forward, so we made a conscious effort to do it. It felt like we were kids starting a band for the first time."

On being a girl in the rock'n'roll world: "Being onstage--that sort of empowerment that you get is not male or female. It's just raw energy. I don't feel like I have to be sexy and a girl, or sexy in any way. I like to play hard, and I love to prove people wrong. It never bothers me being in a male-dominated world. In the past, when guys heckled me, I would just heckle them back."

On the band's falling out: "It went from being like, 'Hey, we don't want to be in the band anymore' to this really hairy online situation, where I was like, 'How did this happen? Why is this happening?' I know I'm a smiley person, but when I get hurt or when I get upset, I can definitely turn crazy. And I felt crazy for a while, like, 'When is this going to go away?' But it did, finally, and I'm more thankful for the good that's come out of it than I am upset about the bad that went down."

On being famous: "The fame aspect of what we do is so stupid to me. I literally feel like an idiot. All I want is to be that normal person...I love that side of myself so much more than the side that dresses up and poses for a camera, or that's on a magazine cover."

On growing up: "I want to be like my granny, not worried about trying to Botox myself. I see myself having a normal life, and I hope that's what it is."

Shirt by Diesel, skirt by Diesel Black Gold, harness necklace by Bliss Lau, rosary by Nicole Meng.

Jacket by Jeremy Scott, dress and leggings by Topshop, black-and-white necklace by Tom Binns Design, spike necklace by Fallon.

Jacket by Jeremy Scott, dress and leggings by Topshop, shoes by Dr. Martens, black-and-white necklace by Tom Binns Design, spike necklace by Fallon.

Jacket by Bess, bustier and skirt by Marciano, T-shirt by Diesel, necklace by Maniamania.

Top by Pierre Balmain, leggings by Topshop, shoes by Vans, safety pin bracelet by Tom Binns Design, bracelet by Bliss Lau, rings by House of Harlow.

Dress by McQ Alexander McQueen, vintage T-shirt, necklace by Tom Binns Design, gunmetal necklace by Maniamania.