MUSIC

After winning 'American Idol' last year, Laine Hardy releases two new songs: Listen

Matthew Leimkuehler
Nashville Tennessean

In releasing his first two songs since winning ABC's "American Idol" last year, Laine Hardy wants to give country music fans a taste of where he's from. 

Friday, the Louisiana-raised singer released “Ground I Grew Up On” and “Let There Be Country," a pair of country anthems roaring to invite listeners to his rural home. The 19-year-old singer hails from Livingston, Louisiana, a town of roughly 2,000 people found about a half-hour east of Baton Rouge. 

Produced by longtime Jason Aldean collaborator Michael Knox, he releases the songs this week via Hollywood Records and Industrial Media’s 19 Recordings. 

Laine Hardy

"I hope these songs give you an idea of where I grew up on the Bayou, running through the fields with my cousins and fishing on Lake Maurepas," Hardy said via email. "Louisiana is always going to be in my heart, and I want to just keep making Louisianans proud."

Brandon Kinney, Josh Thompson and Brett Beavers co-wrote "Ground I Grew Up On," with Jason Afable, Steve Moakler and Tim Nichols collaborating on "Let There Be Country." 

On "Let There Be Country," Hardy sings, "Let there be mud tires, bonfires and hometown girls in shotgun seats/ Let there be country/ For country boys like me."

And "Ground I Grew Up On" reminds the singer of "just being me," he said. 

"This song says it all for me," Hardy said. I grew up in Louisiana and have spent a lot of time on a boat, hanging with my family and dogs ... I think a lot of people out there do the same and I hope they like it as much as I do." 

Listen to both below. 

An entertainment industry lockdown in response to COVID-19 prevents Hardy from immediately hitting the road to support his new tunes. He's instead visiting fans on the "Ground I Grew Up On" virtual tour, including a May 6 stop at The Tennessean's Instagram feed. Find a full social media performance list below. 

  • April 10 - Raising Cane’s
  • April 13 - Wrangler Live Network
  • April 14 - CMT
  • April 15 - Live with Kelly & Ryan
  • April 19 - ABC’s American Idol
  • April 20 - Romeo Ent. Group
  • April 22 - The Boot
  • April 27 - Country Rebel
  • April 29 - Taste of Country
  • May 4 - Country Now
  • May 6 - The Tennessean
  • May 11 - Sounds Like Nashville
  • May 18 - One Country
  • May 20 - Hollywire