Joy Williams - 'I still don't have any answers'

For the talented songwriter until recently part of the hugely successful duo Civil Wars with John Paul White, the sudden and brutal break from her musical other half has been unsettling to say the least.

"It would be much easier had there been one big fragment in time where it all fell apart," she muses, somewhat regretfully.

Joy also appears to regret the cryptic statement the pair released to the press last November, which hinted at off-stage dramas and deep running tensions by announcing that the cancellation of their upcoming tour was "due to internal discord and irreconcilable differences of ambition."

The mysterious missive prompted unwanted attention and controversy, adding further complication to the next twist in the saga- the tremendous success that followed the release of their self titled album. As for now? "It's like I'm in a bit of a holding pattern," says Joy. "I still believe struggle can make you stronger."

Catch the full interview now in the new issue of Hot Press.