CMA’S NEW ARTIST NOMINEES IN THEIR OWN WORDS: HARDY

They’re culturally, socially and musically diverse. They’re obsessed with the minutiae of songwriting. They’ve been influenced by everything from George Strait to Stevie Wonder to Puddle of Mudd. In excerpts from their conversations with our own Holly Gleason, we offer a glimpse into the sensibilities of the five breakout creators vying for CMA’s New Artist of the Year prize. Here’s what HARDY had to say.