Growing up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, played a pivotal role in shaping HARDY’s musical style. In this close-knit community, he was surrounded by the rich musical traditions of the South, which heavily influenced his songwriting and sound. “I feel like I would have discovered rock and roll anywhere, but the way that I write songs and what I talk about, like with all my country euphemisms or whatever you wanna call all that stuff, definitely being from my hometown influenced the heck out of that,” HARDY explained. His blend of rock energy and country storytelling has become a differentiator, infused in his songs are an authenticity that resonates with fans across genres. 

HARDY’s journey took a decisive turn during a visit to Nashville, where he felt an overwhelming sense of belonging in the music-centric city. “My sister already lived in Nashville, and when I was a freshman in junior college, I came to Nashville to visit my sister one weekend and I just kind of looked around and realized that music was everywhere and that everybody had a passion for music in this town. I had written a couple of songs, and that was the moment that I was like, ‘Okay, I think I wanna come up here and give it a shot.’” This epiphany spurred him to take a leap of faith and move to Nashville, marking the beginning of his professional career.

HARDY’s ability to straddle the line between country and rock music is a testament to his versatility. “I’ve always had a rock side,” he explained. His debut song, “Four By Four,” could easily fit into a rock album today. Despite this inherent rock influence, his career initially focused on country music. The release of his EP The Mockingbird and The Crow, which debuted in the top five on the Billboard 200, marked his first major foray into rock. “It was kind of my coming out party for rock and roll and my first attempt because the first half of the record is pure country and the second half is rock and roll,” HARDY said. “It’s a really good representation of who I am as an artist and basically through music explains that I can and will do both.”

Balancing these two musical identities presents its challenges. “I don’t know. I mean, I’ve just said that from the beginning that I’m just gonna do the best I can to truly balance being a rock and roll artist and a country artist at the same time,” he admitted. “It’s tough having two personalities or even two jobs, it’s like I need to put my country artist hat on or put my rock artist hat on and sometimes that looks different.” 

Having written 15 number one singles for other artists, HARDY’s songwriting process is both methodical and spontaneous and he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to his craft. “When I’m writing for myself, I like to announce it to the room that day,” he revealed. Writing for others, especially in Nashville, is a collaborative and almost industrialized process. “The process when we’re writing country is really hard to explain. One of my buddies said one time, it’s like you start with nothing and then it’s basically babies trying to say their first word for like two or three hours. It’s just a lot of mumbling and then figuring it out, figuring it out and then putting it down and then you’re mumbling more and figuring it out and putting it down and it’s just this process and then you look up and the song is done,” he described. “Everybody in Nashville, they’re pros. So you show up and you drink your coffee and everybody sits around and talks for a minute and then you just go in and it’s just like having any other job. You don’t like light candles and sit around and sing kumbaya and talk about your feelings. It’s really not like that. It’s very industrialized and you’re just like, all right, let’s go and then you go and somebody throws out an idea and then boom, you’re off to the races. It’s really cool. I wish you could see the process because I think it’s just more different than what people think it is.” 

Fans can expect a broad sonic experience from HARDY’s upcoming projects. “The biggest thing is that it’s very sonically broad,” he said. “With The Mockingbird and the Crow, the rock part of that was very dark. It had a very active rock sound and it was just a little bit more of a dark undertone to the whole thing, and this is a little bit more of everything. There’s a lot of pop punk stuff in there and there is still some kind of darker stuff. It’s just a little bit more all over the place. But I think it’s all still just me trying to figure it out and figure out my sound.”

Looking ahead, HARDY’s goal is to continue experimenting with different genres. “I think the biggest thing is to just be forever evolving, never get complacent or stuck in a certain sound,” he shared. “I think if at the end of the day I could have just done a full circle of all genres, that’d be really cool because I like the fact that music doesn’t really have rules and these days a hip hop artist like MGK can make a rock record and people can make a country push. Post Malone can make a country record and I’d love to keep making the laps. So that’s my goal.”

For those starting out in the industry, HARDY’s advice is straightforward: “Move to whatever town your industry is in, whether that’s Toronto or Nashville or whatever and never, ever, ever go home and never have a plan B.” Reflecting on his own experiences, he emphasized the importance of communication. “It took me a long time to learn to communicate with people, not in real life, but in the industry. If something is bothering you or if you have to have a difficult conversation with somebody just do it because the anticipation of doing it is always worse than the actual thing itself, I had to learn that the hard way and deal with a lot of stress that was not ever real.”

HARDY’s journey from a small town in Mississippi to the stages of Nashville and beyond is a testament to his dedication and talent. As he continues to blend and transcend musical genres, his authenticity and willingness to evolve remain at the heart of his artistry. With a future full of possibilities, HARDY is poised to leave a lasting impact on the music world. His ability to navigate the worlds of country and rock, combined with his genuine approach to songwriting and collaboration, proves that his music will continue to resonate with a wide audience. As he puts it, “Music doesn’t really have rules, and I love that.” With this mindset, HARDY is set to explore new musical landscapes and inspire others to do the same.

Photographer: Robby Klein