Paramore’s Hayley Williams Speaks Out on Ex-Husband Chad Gilbert’s Death

Sending her condolences to Gilbert’s family and friends—including his bandmates Jordan Pundik, Cyrus Bolooki and Ian Grushka—the 37-year-old added, “I will forever be grateful that from him I gained a deeper understanding and a reverence for the community and the culture of hardcore.”

Williams was first linked to Gilbert in 2007, when he was still legally married to Eisley frontwoman Sherri DuPree. The pair tied the knot in 2016, but called it quits the following year.

Their relationship served as inspiration behind several of Williams’ hit songs, including her 2020 solo track “Dead Horse.”

“In ‘Dead Horse’ I admit to having an affair—that’s how I got into my longest relationship,” she shared in a 2020 interview with Rolling Stone. “I felt shame for all of my 20s about it, but being able to admit it made it less scary. It didn’t own me anymore. It gives people a chance to actually know me and decide if they like me or not.”