Hardy puts a stop to an instance of domestic violence -- and pays a steep price -- in his new murder ballad, “Wait in the Truck,” a duet with Lainey Wilson.
The story song follows the two up-and-coming stars as they meet on a dark road in the middle of a thunderstorm. From Lainey’s bruised and bloodied appearance, it’s clear that she’s in trouble, and Hardy knows he’s got to do something about it.
“I didn’t load her down with questions / That girl had been through enough / I just threw it in drive, looked in those eyes / And asked her where she was,” he sings.
In addition to their new song, Hardy and Lainey dropped a music video on Friday that adds a sinister visual component to “Wait in the Truck.” In the clip, Hardy ultimately pays for his crime by going to jail. “It ain’t paradise, it’s true / But it’s a whole hell of a lot better / Than the place I sent him to,” he sings at the end of the song.
“‘Wait in the Truck,’ my next single, is one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written -- probably the best song I’ve ever written, to be honest,” Hardy says, adding that he hopes the track will open up a discussion for listeners going through domestic violence in their own lives.
“[I’m] excited for the song to give people a platform to maybe speak out about stuff that might be going on in their own homes,” he continues.
Hardy recently announced his four-date Wall to Wall Tour, which is set for December.
If you are affected by abuse and needing support, or know someone who is, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). You can also chat online at thehotline.org or online.rainn.org, respectively.