‘American Idol’ Winner Laine Hardy Releases New Music

Nearly a year after winning American Idol, Laine Hardy still has a hard time believing all that’s happened since. Several weeks after the show ended last May, the talented singer and guitarist headed to Nashville. He began working with songwriters and producer, Michael Knox (whose credits include Eric Church, Jason Aldean, Thomas Rhett), and is now releasing his first new music.

“I’m really excited about these two new songs,” Hardy says. He’s also announcing a virtual tour that starts today and will have him performing live on various social media channels in the coming weeks.

The new songs, “Ground I Grew Up On” and “Let There Be Country” are both closely tied to Hardy’s background, and reflect his values and experiences growing up in a small town in rural Louisiana.

“When first I heard ‘Ground I Grew Up On,’ it was so relatable to me and I just really loved it,” he explains. “It reminds me of things from the past. Growing up as a kid, we were always outside, running across limestone driveways barefoot, climbing trees, fishing, and playing hide-and-seek in the dark. It’s really sentimental for me.”

The second song also touches on some of those outside, country themes, but has a different, faster paced feel. It’s a high-energy country anthem with lyrics that portray what life is like for Hardy when he’s home in Livingston, Louisiana.

“Let There Be Country” is an awesome, rocking song, and I like it a lot,” he says. “The first line says ‘As long as there’s an old truck, boat hitched up, backing out a ramp at the lake.’ That’s really close to my life.”

Hardy’s ability to “rock” shined through loud and clear on several of his American Idol appearances with songs like “Johnny B. Goode” and Queen’s “Fat-Bottomed Girls,” just to name two. 

Through the years he’s had many different musical influences, but remembers the singer who first got his attention when he was just seven years old.

“My mom and I were going down the road and somebody came on the radio. I asked her who it was and she told me it was Elvis. I asked for a guitar and she got me one for Christmas and I started learning how to play.”

He focused on guitar for the next five years, learning to play a wide range of music. He found himself listening to a lot of classic rock and music from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. He soon started playing in a group with his brother and cousins, and then one day decided he wanted to start singing. His brother, the singer in their small band, gave him some interesting advice.

“I asked him how he learned how to sing a song and he said he took his truck out to the middle of the woods and sang and practiced to the bears and deer and everything,” Hardy says with a laugh. “I wasn’t old enough to have a truck, I just had a little four wheeler. So, I put my guitar on the back of my four wheeler and I’d go down that dirt road to the middle of nowhere and just pull out my guitar and learn songs.”

All of that practice out in the middle of nature apparently paid off. He developed quite a singing voice.

Hardy would go on to appear on American Idol twice. He auditioned for Season 16, but didn’t make it very far. When he returned the next year to accompany a friend on guitar for her audition, he was encouraged to try out again. His voice still catches a little bit when asked about walking away as champion of Season 17.

“Watching it as a kid I was like that’s cool, that person sounds good, but I didn’t really think about it. And now I’ve won, you know? It’s crazy.”

He’s now joined the ranks of American Idol winners like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Scotty McCreery. At 19 years old, Hardy, too, hopes to build a long and lasting music career and is grateful for all he learned from the show.

“Being on American Idol, I learned so many things. When you first go on the show you’re scared. I didn’t want to accept that I was scared, but I was because it’s all so foreign to you. But you start learning as you go through the process and you develop these friendships with all of the contestants. It’s not a competition like you think. We all really want each other to win, we’re all just having fun, and not taking it so seriously.”

He and his fellow contestants share a special bond and he hopes they remain close and stay in contact with each other.

As for the judges, Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Katy Perry, he appreciates the guidance they shared throughout the season.

“They always had great advice for us and one thing that really stuck with me is them saying ‘Never give up,’ ‘Keep doing what you’re doing,’ and ‘Don’t ever change who you are.’”

Those lessons, especially about staying true to yourself, are important to Hardy. When he began working on songwriting and developing new music in Nashville, he was pleased to find people who wanted to help him do just that.

“Michael Knox is a great producer and he knew exactly what my unorganized ideas were,” he says, as he laughs. “When I threw my ideas at him of what I wanted my music to sound like, he knew exactly what I was talking about and he hit it spot on.”

At the moment, Hardy is sheltering-in-place like everyone else, but looks forward to the future and eventually getting back out on the road and and doing live shows. For now, he’s happy about the opportunity to share new music and perform his songs during his upcoming virtual tour.

“The virtual tour is something new to me, I’ve never done it before. We’re making stops on different social media accounts. It’s like making different stops at cities in each state.”

Hardy says making music is all he’s ever wanted to do and he’s grateful for the opportunity American Idol has given him to pursue it.

 “I’m just going to keep doing music because that’s what I love to do. And I’m going to stay who I am.”