Hayley Williams Speaks Out on Death of Ex-Husband Chad Gilbert: ‘Have Not Known If It’s Appropriate’ to Comment, but ‘I Will Forever Be Grateful’

According to extensive coverage from outlets including Variety, Rolling Stone, Billboard, E! News, Entertainment Weekly, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Yahoo, Cleveland.com, Louder, Stereogum, Chorus.fm, and Loudwire, Paramore singer Hayley Williams has publicly addressed the death of her ex-husband, Chad Gilbert. Gilbert, who was known as a guitarist for the band New Found Glory, died at the age of 45. In her statements covered widely across entertainment and music journalism, Williams admitted she had initially questioned whether it was appropriate for her to comment, stating she had not known what to say. Despite these hesitations, Williams paid tribute to her late ex-husband, remembering him as a legend in the music scene and stating that she will forever be grateful. The coverage emphasizes the broad reach of the news across specialized music publications and mainstream media alike.

Entertainment Weekly, Billboard, Variety, and Rolling Stone spotlighted her specific words regarding her hesitation and her tribute to Gilbert's impact. Meanwhile, outlets such as Louder and Stereogum highlighted his influential role within the pop-punk and hardcore scenes. The reporting captures a unified wave of public reaction from prominent figures in the music community, including a dedicated tribute from Mark Hoppus, as documented by chorus.fm. Additional reporting outlines ongoing developments regarding New Found Glory. According to coverage from Rolling Stone, Yahoo, and chorus.fm, the band has announced upcoming show plans to honor their late guitarist. Specifically, New Found Glory will hold performances at a location described as his happiest place on earth, identified in coverage as EPCOT, noting that Gilbert was a massive Disney fan.

The band has shared specific plans for how they intend to honor the late musician during these upcoming performances. As the story continues to develop, coverage does not yet specify further details beyond the initial statements and the announced band tributes. Readers and fans following the trend can watch for additional announcements from New Found Glory regarding their EPCOT shows and further statements from music industry peers who worked alongside Gilbert. The current news cycle remains focused on the initial tributes from Williams, fellow musicians, and the band's plans to commemorate his legacy.