"I hope the CCM industry crumbles": Paramore's Hayley Williams breaks silence amid Michael Tait allegations

Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams has spoken out following recent accusations against Michael Tait, a Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) artist formerly of Newsboys, accusing the genre of enabling harmful behavior.

Williams shared on her Instagram Story a screenshot of The Guardian’s investigation into Tait’s alleged misconduct and added:

“I grew up around this… I am not afraid of any of these people — most of them have written me off anyway by now. How many stories like this from this VERY small corner of the music industry will we hear before we realize that [capitalizing] on people’s faith and vulnerability is the ‘sin?’”

She continued more pointedly:

“This is a man who’s entire faith identity is built upon a faulty structure of self‑hatred, to please a system that would rather cover up abhorrent behavior for 20+ years… I hope the ccm industry crumbles."

She went on:

“And f— all of you who knew and didn’t do a damn thing… I bet I’ve got your number. and btw if you’re not angry too then maybe its time to question why.”

The backlash follows a recent two‑and‑a‑half‑year investigation by The Roys Report, in which three men alleged that Tait groomed and s*xually assaulted them between 2004 and 2014.

The report also claimed Tait secretly drugged a minor and abused substances while promoting sobriety through his music. Tait has since admitted to “sin,” acknowledging drug use and unwanted touching.

Tait began his career with DC Talk in the 1990s and joined Newsboys in 2009 until stepping away in January. His bandmates later posted on Instagram, expressing that they were “horrified, heartbroken and angry” and felt deceived for years.

Tait, in his admission, said he’d struggled with a dual life—performing onstage and battling private challenges. He has since sought treatment and claims to be in a state of “utter brokenness and total dependence on a loving and merciful God.”

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Hayley Williams gives her stamp of approval to Billie Eilish’s Paramore cover

Hayley Williams' tirades come just days after she sent her heartfelt reaction to Billie Eilish’s cover of Paramore’s “The Only Exception” in Paris.

During her Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour stop at the Accor Arena on June 10, Eilish performed the 2010 ballad live, a moment captured and shared online by her mother, Maggie Baird. She wrote on Instagram Stories:

“Missing @billieeilish so much! In Paris!”

She added:

“This beautiful cover of one of my favorite songs by @yelyahwilliams!! @paramore.”

Hayley Williams later reposted the clip and responded with her own message:

“@billieeilish i love you sweet baby b - yall did this so beautifully.”

The two artists have supported each other over the years. In 2022, Hayley Williams surprised fans at Coachella by joining Eilish on stage for “Misery Business” and “Happier Than Ever.”

A year later, Eilish performed Paramore’s “All I Wanted” with Williams during a show in Los Angeles.

Back in a 2022 Sirius XM interview, Williams reflected on watching Eilish rise in the music industry.

“We've spoken throughout the years since she kind of came onto the scene.”

She added:

“The first thing I experienced or I witnessed of her was ‘When the Party’s Over,’ that video.”

After watching an interview with Eilish, Hayley Williams said:

“I felt like there was something inside of me that was watching me — slash us — as teenagers doing interviews and navigating this world.”