Which Girl Group Member Just Married Hayley Williams’ Ex-Husband, Chad Gilbert – And Why Are Some Fans Concerned?
When Lisa Cimorelli of the popular indie band Cimorelli – made up of five sisters who got their start on YouTube in 2007 – announced her engagement to guitarist Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory at the end of 2019, some Cimorelli fans were more concerned than excited. After all, Gilbert’s marriage to and divorce from former Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams made headlines when she referred to it as “unhealthy” in several media interviews.
Cimorelli, 27, and Gilbert, 39, tied the knot on October 3, 2020. They seemed head over heels in love on their special day. But some fans still couldn’t help commenting on their concerns for Cimorelli after reading Williams’ painful account of her difficult relationship with Cimorelli’s new husband.
Gilbert married Cimorelli in October
Cimorelli took to Instagram in November to reveal that she and Gilbert celebrated their wedding on October 3. She shared gorgeous photos of herself in several stunning gowns during the ceremony and reception, as well as plenty of romantic snapshots of the couple’s intimate moments that day.
“Got some film photos back from our wedding,” the singer wrote in a poignant caption, gushing about her husband. “So special. I honestly never cared that much about wedding photos in the past but I’m obsessed with these and I feel so nostalgic every time I see them. I want to relive our wedding day and slow down time and just take in every single moment. 24 hours wasn’t enough!! Here’s to forever.”
While most fans’ comments were supportive, praising the bride’s glow and the couple’s obvious passion for each other, some of Lisa’s followers seemed worried for her due to the New Found Glory musician’s romantic history.
Under Cimorelli’s YouTube video about choosing her wedding dress, one concerned fan wrote, “Am I the only one who is sooo happy for Lisa & wishes her all the best, while at the same time, so sad about who she’s marrying?”
“Both of his ex-wives have spoken out about the [alleged] cheating and emotional manipulation,” another fan agreed.
Yet another replied similarly, “I really hope Lisa knows what she’s doing.”
Williams claimed her relationship with Gilbert began with an affair
Fans’ concerns for Cimorelli, whether founded or not, are likely due to Williams’ past remarks about their relationship.
Gilbert was previously married twice: first to Sherri DuPree of the band Eisley in 2007, and later to Williams from 2016 to 2017.
According to Williams, she and Gilbert began having an affair in 2007, while she was only 18 and he was still married to his first wife. The singer referenced this part of her past in her single “Dead Horse,” with lines like “I got what I deserved/I was the other woman first.”
“I needed this relationship to work so badly,” the Paramore songstress told Rolling Stone in April 2020, adding that the guilt ate her up inside and even affected her ability to perform. “I just knew that when I was headed into marriage that not only was I making a terrible decision for me, but I was also making a terrible decision for my partner.”
The aftermath of her parents’ heartbreaking divorce was another factor in her decision to marry Gilbert. In an interview with The Guardian, Williams said she didn’t want to repeat history by getting a divorce as well.
“I was in a very unhealthy relationship,” she said of her marriage to Gilbert, “and I just kept thinking: ‘I can fix it this time.’” She even considered leaving music altogether in order to start a family and make things work.
The Paramore singer also said she ‘shouldn’t have gone through with the marriage’ to Gilbert
After Gilbert and Williams’ divorce, the latter said she wrestled with poor health, lost weight due to stress, and starting binge drinking to deal with the pain. Eventually, she found her way to healing – not least because she said she’d always known the relationship would end badly.
“My divorce felt like a train crash that I knew the whole time was coming — even from the moment we started dating,” the 31-year-old told L’Odet, adding that her worsening depression eventually convinced her to leave. “I felt embarrassed because I knew that I shouldn’t have gone through with the marriage…I knew I shouldn’t have done it, but I did anyway; that’s why I felt like I had to stay.”
Still, while Williams has been more than forthcoming about her divorce from Gilbert, he hasn’t publicly commented on the end of their relationship. And while some fans might still be concerned about the future, it’s always possible that Gilbert and Cimorelli have finally found marital bliss with one another.
