Watch Rapidly-Rising Artist Sub For Lainey Wilson On Duet With HARDY

HARDY recently made an unforgettable debut at a legendary venue in Nashville, Tennessee.

The award-winning singer-songwriter took the historic Grand Ole Opry stage last month. The Opry shared a video from his performance on Tuesday (May 27). HARDY introduced rapidly-rising country star Ella Langley to the stage to fill in for reigning Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson on “wait in the truck.”

HARDY joined forces with Wilson on the collaboration on his 2023 album, the mockingbird & THE CROW. The two artists tell a chilling story in the lyrics of the “murder ballad,” which won in the Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year categories at the 57th Country Music Association Awards in November 2023. The awards marked HARDY’s first-ever CMA victory. HARDY previously said Wilson “acted her tail off” when the duo filmed the music video, which Wilson said was “probably one of THE best music videos I’ve ever been a part of. …I truly feel like it can change lives.”

“I see a lot of myself in Ella. We really are great friends, and I’m so, so proud for her,” Wilson said of Langley in a previous press conference. “I could not be more thrilled [that Langley was the most-nominated artist at the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards earlier this month]. I could not be more excited to see it happening to a girl that, she just knows who she is and she shows up and she rolls her sleeves up and she is ready to kick down barn doors. And you’ve gotta have that spirit in this business. If you don’t have that spirit, there’s somebody behind you that’s gonna have that sprit, and they’re gonna knock down the barn door for you. So, she’s one of those. … I’m glad to see the community really taking notice in somebody who’s just got it. That’s a good feeling, especially as a female in the business. It’s good to see.”

HARDY also performed “Buck On The Wall” for the first time, “Favorite Country Song” and “Signed, Sober You” during his first-ever Grand Ole Opry set. Watch him take the stage with Langley here: