Williams debuted as a solo act with Petals for Armor on May 8th, a departure from her work as front-woman of Paramore. The album replaces the group’s more upbeat synthetic sounds with a darker acoustic palette, a more vulnerable approach to her own lyricism.

“Watch Me While I Bloom” does just that. “I’m alive in spite of me/And I’m on the move,” Williams continues, “So come and look inside of me/Watch me while I bloom.”

Paralleling the unfiltered spirit of the track, Williams and friend Lindsey Byrnes lip-sync along on a car ride, unabashedly buoyant. Footage of guest bassist Brian Robert Jones (of Vampire Weekend) is interspersed throughout, showing a glimpse into the creative process. 

Of the video, Williams has repeatedly emphasized she’s full of nostalgia: “i miss @lindseybyrnes. i miss normal life. i miss interpretative carseat dancing.”

Above all, she hopes “the video makes you smile”. Watch here: