Hayley Williams pays tribute to Sinéad O'Connor with a cover of Mandinka in Dublin

Hayley Williams wrapped up the European leg of her solo tour with a stunning tribute to the late Irish icon Sinéad O'Connor. On June 30th, Williams performed for the second consecutive night at the National Stadium in Dublin, where she played Mandinka, one of O'Connor's classics from the early years of her career, just before the end of her main set.

The moment came after chants of "Free, free Palestine" rang out from the crowd. Williams addressed the audience and introduced the cover by saying: "This goes out to all the Irish artists who use their voice. You're so inspiring." She then delivered a powerful rendition of the song, guitar in hand.

It is not the first time Williams has put an Irish musician in the spotlight while playing Dublin. When Paramore performed in the Irish capital in 2023, she performed a solo version of Dreams by The Cranberries. The tribute to O'Connor fits into a broader pattern of Williams consciously acknowledging the musical heritage of the country she is performing in.

The Dublin shows were part of Williams' solo tour called Hayley Williams At A Bachelorette Party, which took her across Europe. She is also working on her new solo project Power Snatch and was recently featured as a guest artist on a track with Beabadoobee. Later this summer she heads back to the United States for a new tour called The Hayley Williams Show, kicking off on September 3rd in Florida. Further dates are planned in New York and Los Angeles, and she will perform at the All Things Go festival in Maryland. Magdalena Bay and Rico Nasty will open.

For Dutch and European fans who have not yet had the chance to see Williams live, the American tour does not offer a solution for now, but given the success of this European leg, a return to the continent does not seem out of the question.