Musician and songwriter Cameron Hardy first gained traction in 2017 with his rendition of Selena Gomez’s “Bad Liar.” The cover track propelled his platform as audiences were introduced to his voice and passion for music; this experience equipped him with a devout following of supporters.

Hardy had a chat with Rival to discuss his breakthrough into the music industry, his debut as an independent artist, and the release of his first single “I Thought You Were Lonely.”

Cameron grew up in Austin, TX, where he was surrounded by a supportive family who always encouraged him to pursue his dreams. He doesn’t recall a specific point in time where he discovered his love for music; it was just always instilled in him. He began musical theatre at a young age — this avenue opened many doors for the artist and paved the way for his start within the music industry.

The big pop powerhouses have always inspired his artistry the most, especially vocally; he cites Ariana Grande, Charlie Puth, and Kehlani as a few of his inspirations and he aspires to the opportunity to collaborate with some of his favorite artists someday.

Reflecting on his Selena Gomez cover, an experience that feels like a lifetime ago, he remembers thinking at the time that it was so epic just to have some music out there — but he states, “nothing I released previously even compares to the excitement of this new chapter.”

This referenced new chapter is the beginning of his career as an independent artist. May 7th marks the highly-anticipated release of his debut single, “I Thought You Were Lonely.” The track was co-written with ROLLO (Noah Cyrus “Lonely”), Ryan Ogren (Maroon 5 “Nobody’s Love), and Delacey (Halsey “Without Me”). Listeners can easily relate to the song in their own ways, but Hardy shared his truth on the meaning behind the track for him personally: “It’s about feeling burned by someone after you thought you had a genuine connection with them.”

Hardy worked closely with Amber Park (Katy Perry, Camila Cabello) to create his first big budget music video. He shared details wIth Rival of what the experience was like:

“Music videos and all things visual have always been fascinating to me, so it was great being able to work with Amber and her team on this. I’ve been such a big fan of her work for a long time - so being able to collaborate on this was insane.”

Over the last few years, he’s worked really hard to establish himself further as a musician and songwriter. His journey required him to take his time and figure out who he was and what he wanted to say as an artist. He experimented with different sounds, co-writers, and producers — all of these components shaped his new music. This resulted in a newfound confidence in himself as an artist now. Through all of his experience, Cameron has come to learn that he loves creating. That’s his true passion:

“I’ve been singing my whole life, but being able to write songs, produce them, and then go into an entire new space with the visuals is a new high for me.”

There is an alluring beauty to being an artist — an artist never stops learning, and that quality itself makes the adventure so fulfilling; Hardy expressed that the vulnerability of being an artist was definitely the most challenging aspect for him, but it’s also simultaneously the most rewarding, being able to see how that can truly impact someone’s life is amazing.

Cameron has been doing his best to stay connected with his fanbase through social media, but he’s been struggling - as we all are - with determining the balance between time spent invested on these online platforms along with the responsibilities of daily life. Apart from social media, he’s been focusing on improving and taking more time to work on himself. Outside of work, he enjoys spending good, quality time with friends.

Hardy shared what he’s currently listening to (“The Weeknd’s ‘Save Your Tears’ remix with Ariana. It’s so good.”) and the top 3 songs from his playlist: “Emotional Bruises” by Madison Beer, “Talk You Down” by Charlotte Lawrence, “Bitter” by FLETCHER & Kito. He’s also obsessed with true crime shows - “But it also scares me to death.” *laughs*

He provided a fun list consisting of some of his favorite music memories:

Which song made you fall in love with music? “Fearless” by Taylor Swift. I was maybe 10.

Favorite tune from the year you were born?

I would be lying if I said I could name a song from 2000. *laughs*

What’s your most played song?

“Good Days” by SZA

What are some lyrics you identify with the most?

“Tryna make sense of loose change.”

Which song gets you through hard times?

“I miss you, I’m sorry” by Gracie Abrams

Best track from your favorite album?

“Cartier” by Bazzi off of COSMIC

If you had to pick a song to summarize your life, what would it be?

“No Way!” by Bazzi

Cameron described his biggest dream and what makes him feel nostalgic in life: “My biggest dream is to be the person I always needed to others - I love inspiring others. There are certain songs that make me nostalgic. Sometimes it just hits home..”

So what’s next for Cameron? This is definitely just the start for him. In the near future, he will be releasing a couple more singles and he’s really looking forward to going on the road as soon as possible, touring, and establishing a face to face connection with the fans.

It’s already been an eventful journey for the young artist, even at the age of 20, and he is very passionate about giving back to his community. He aspires to work towards his goals of being able to sign artists one day, and helping others grow in their artistry.

Cameron encourages other aspiring artists to not be afraid while navigating their creative excursion, but he also emphasized the crucial need to put yourself out there — “The answer is always going to be no until you ask.” There is an inspirational piece of advice that Cameron shared with us, a quote which sums up the message best with a spirit of perseverance: “In order to get something you never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.”

https://cameronhardy.lnk.to/ITYWL

Meet the Author

Bri Rodriguez is a writer and photographer from Tallahassee, Florida. Always passionate about the arts - she’s been an avid reader and writer ever since she was a young girl - finding solace in books, exploring literary worlds, and the ability to express herself and tell stories through the written word. Her education in Commercial Photography Technology opened new doors for her artistry; she is currently in pursuit of her bachelors in English to further her studies in literature and creative writing and hone her craft. She aspires to forge her own path as a content creator and delve deeper into the entertainment industry. Bri contributes her writing to multiple publications and actively seeks out new opportunities, which led to her joining the Rival team.
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Cameron Hardy is a 'Bad Liar'; Meet the independent artists breaking onto the scene

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