Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams has just released the first taste of her solo project, PETALS FOR ARMOR. The two tracks we've heard so far, Simmer and Leave It Alone, is brooding and dark, focusing on Hayley's vocals, as well as a bassline that'll get stuck in your brain from the first listen. 

It's not just Hayley that's stepped away from her band to go out solo, with many of the biggest artists in the world originally starting as part of a band or group, before releasing music on their own.

Here are some of our favourite artists that went from being part of a band/group and went their own way, with great success.

Beyoncé

Before Beyoncé was one of the biggest artists in the world as a solo act, she was one of the biggest artists in the world as part of Destiny's Child. Destiny's Child formed in 1990, before experiencing success towards the end of the decade. 

They went on hiatus in 2002, so members Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams and Beyoncé could embark on solo careers. They've reunited a couple of times, including at the 2013 Super Bowl halftime show and 2018 Coachella, and were nominated for 14 Grammy Awards during their time together - and Beyoncé's success as part of the group helped propel her into superstardom as a solo act.

Justin Timberlake

*NSYNC are one of the most successful boy bands of all time, thanks no doubt in part to Justin Timberlake. Justin, JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone and Lance Bass were around for less than a decade, but they worked with some of the biggest artists in the world after forming in 1995,  before going their separate ways in 2002.

Timberlake later explained the band's separation to Hollywood Reporter, saying, "It started as a fun snowball fight that was becoming an avalanche. And, also, I was growing out of it. I felt like I cared more about the music than some of the other people in the group. And I felt like I had other music I wanted to make and that I needed to follow my heart." His success since would suggest he made the right choice - but *NSYNC will always have a special place in our hearts.

Eminem

Eminem might have found his fame as a solo artist, but it was part of Detroit hip-hop group D12 that arguably his most famous persona, Slim Shady, originated. The group's history is not a continuous one, with the group frequently going on hiatus, but it is an important part of Eminem's development as an artist.

He officially announced on Stepping Stone, a track from his 2018 album Kamikaze, that the group had broken up - and while they never achieved the same level of fame that Eminem did on his own, their success, even when Eminem didn't feature on several of their projects, mean that they're an important part of hip-hop history.

Fergie

Fergie joined The Black Eyed Peas in 2002, and while they were already experiencing some success, it was on theird album Elephunk, released in 2003, that the group really took off. It all started with their first major hit, 2003 single Where Is The Love? which went on to top the charts in 13 countries.

Fergie beat out a couple of notable names who also auditioned to join the group, with Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls also auditioning - we all know who joined the band though. 

In 2017, Fergie's spokesperson said she was taking a break from the band to focus on her solo album, saying she was "concentrating on her new album and can’t wait for fans to hear it". 

Bandmate will.i.am echoed the sentiment, saying, “Fergie is family and will always be a Pea. She is focused on her solo album which we fully support.” Fergie helped put the Black Eyed Peas on the map, revamping their sound and bringing their music to a whole new audience.

Gwen Stefani

Gwen Stefani has been around for a while now, and before she went solo, she was the lead singer of No Doubt, joining the band in 1987. No Doubt are a ska punk/alternative rock band that went from strength to strength in the '90s and 2000s, and introduced people to Gwen's powerful vocals, as well as her status as one of the best live performers globally.

Gwen was still a part of the band when she started recording her dance-pop side project in 2003, which eventually formed her debut album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. The album went multi-platinum in several countries.

She continued to balance her solo career and her No Doubt career, and while Gwen never truly left No Doubt, as of 2016 the band were on hiatus. Their last album was released in 2012, titled Push And Shove, and while there has reportedly been new music written, nothing has been released since. 

Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams is almost undoubtedly one of the world's most in-demand songwriters/producers, but he hasn't always been on his own. In 1994, he formed the production duo The Neptunes with Chad Hugo, who was also a part of N*E*R*D, which Pharrell fronted.

Pharrell has won 13 Grammy Awards in his time as a musician, including two as part of The Neptunes. The duo have produced for the likes of Jay-Z, Kelis, Usher, Justin Timberlake and more, as well as producing #1 hits for Britney Spears and Nelly.

N*E*R*D formed in 1999, before unofficially disbanding in 2010. As is the case with someone like Pharrell, you can't keep them down forever. While the band's previous two albums hadn't been a success, their fourth album, No One Ever Really Dies (which is also what N*E*R*D stands for), was released in 2017, with a stack of huge features. It's fair to say Pharrell has the Midas touch, as he's also found huge success solo, with Happy arguably the biggest hit of his career.