Following the release of Paramore’s most-recent album, After Laughter, the band hopped on the The Late Late Show with James Corden’s stage to perform their second single from the album: “Told You So.”
Keeping with the theme from the song’s music video, the band was dressed in all red with clothes that invoke a pseudo-French comparison. Their relatively-calm stage performance was in stark contrast to the Paramore of old, whose live shows revolved around front-woman Haley Williams’ energetic stage antics. Often dressed in grungy t-shirts, and sporting brightly-colored orange hair, Williams would run from one end of the stage to the other, frantically head-banging and jumping up and down. As the band’s music has calmed down, it makes sense that their stage presence would follow suit.
But their calmer disposition does not translate to a less impassioned rendition of their hit song. Returning drummer Zac Farro—who left the band after Paramore’s third album only to return for their fifth—is a wonder to watch as his machine-like drumming punctuates the song’s Afro-pop vibe. Taylor York sticks to his strengths of looking quirky and focusing on his unexpectedly-technical guitar lines, and the camera doesn’t look his way particularly often as a result. But of course, the highlight of the clip—and the band in general—is Williams. Her voice is so powerful it’s hard to watch her sing without just being stunned by her talent.
Overall, it’s a fun clip and anticipates an exciting upcoming tour for the band as they hit the road in June.
Check out the live clip above and the original music video below.