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Hayley Williams Brings Jenny Lewis, Jack Antonoff & More Surprise Guests to the Stage at Newport Folk Fest
Hayley Williams headlined a guest-packed "Hayley Williams & Friends" set at the 2026 Newport Folk Festival on Friday 24 July, bringing out a string of musicians including Jack Antonoff, Lucy Dacus and Jenny Lewis. The performance is one of the highlights of this year's event at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island, reflecting the festival's tradition of surprise collaborations between well-known artists.
Across a 16-song set opening with "Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party" and closing with a group rendition of "Lean on Me", Williams performed "I Wanna Get Better" and "Good Ol' Days" alongside Jack Antonoff, played "Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris" live for the first time with Lucy Dacus, and duetted with Jenny Lewis on "Silver Lining". Other guests included Karly Hartzman, Joy Oladokun, Remi Wolf and Madi Diaz, while the same evening featured a headline set from Ms. Lauryn Hill; the festival continues through the weekend with acts such as The Lumineers, Brandi Carlile and Tom Morello.
In short
- Hayley Williams led a guest-filled set at Newport Folk Festival 2026.
- Jack Antonoff, Lucy Dacus and Jenny Lewis joined her on stage.
- Festival continues with The Lumineers, Brandi Carlile and more.
Explained simply
Newport Folk Festival is an annual music event held in Newport, Rhode Island, which draws thousands of fans each July. The festival is known for featuring established and emerging artists across multiple genres, and has a tradition of hosting special collaborative performances that bring together numerous musicians on stage.
Hayley Williams is the lead singer of the rock band Paramore and has also released solo material. She is a notable figure in contemporary alternative and rock music with a substantial following.
Guest-heavy performances at Newport Folk Festival have become particularly anticipated moments for attendees, as they often feature rare collaborations between prominent artists. These special sets appeal to both music fans and industry observers, as they showcase unexpected musical pairings that rarely occur in other concert contexts.