HARDY Says Becoming A Girl Dad Has Been ‘The Most Amazing Thing In The World’ [Exclusive]
“…there’s just something about having a baby girl that does change you…”
HARDY with Caleigh and Rosie; Photo via Instagram
HARDY is opening up about how becoming a girl dad has completely changed him.
Hours before he took the stage at CMA Fest for a performance at Nissan Stadium, HARDY joined us backstage where he gave us an update on his headlining COUNTRY! COUNTRY! TOUR! and the launch of his new McArthur lifestyle brand. During the conversation, he also reflected on how becoming a father has impacted his life in a major way.
HARDY explained that, like many first-time dads, he once imagined having a son, but everything shifted when his daughter Rosie arrived.
“It’s funny, before we knew the gender, obviously most men I think go, especially their firstborn, they anticipate a son, but I can honestly say like having a little baby girl has been the most amazing thing in the world,” he shared. “They’re just so precious and it’s taught me to be gentle and patient. I’m still working on that. My wife is over [there], she’s crying actually, but there’s just something about having a baby girl that does change you and it just changes the way that you behave around them.”
While he says he may feel the same way if they ever have a son in the future, he admits he feels especially protective over his baby girl.
“I just feel like I am like her protector and that I don’t ever want her to, this is so sad, but just I want her world to be perfect all the time because she deserves that, because of the joy that she’s brought me and my wife,” he sweetly added.
HARDY and his wife Caleigh often share glimpses of baby Rosie on social media, and according to him, the joy fans see online is exactly what life is like at home.
“I’m not kidding though, that smiley, that’s not just Instagram stuff. She is like that all the time. 95% of the time. She has like a witching hour around like 50 PM, 5:30. But other than that, she wakes up smiling. I mean, she is a perfect, perfect. And she’s like a kid now. She’s 15 months, so she’s like running around and you can kind Of talk to her already, which is so crazy.”
The country star and his wife welcomed their daughter, Rosie Ryan Hardy, on March 7, 2025. She weighed 9 lbs., 2 oz. at birth. Fans can keep with the adorable family on Instagram by following Caleigh and HARDY.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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