NEW YORK — At 22 years old, rising artist Shardy is carving out a lane few artists from Asia have entered before: country music.
Born Shariar Islam Pritom in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the New York-based singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist and composer is building a reputation for blending country, rock, trap and R&B influences into a style he believes reflects a new era of global music.
Shardy says his mission goes beyond chart success. He wants to challenge the idea that genres belong to a specific race, culture or region.
“One of the biggest reasons I make music is to show that no genre is limited to one background,” Shardy said. “Country music is emotion, storytelling and honesty. Anybody can connect with that.”
Raised on classic rock and glam metal, Shardy grew up listening to bands including Guns N’ Roses, Pink Floyd, AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. As his musical taste evolved, he found inspiration in country stars such as Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs and Johnny Cash.
He also credits Eminem as one of his earliest influences. His stage name, “Shardy,” was inspired by combining his own name with the rapper’s alter ego, Slim Shady.
That mix of influences helped shape the sound Shardy is now developing. He describes it as a fusion of country storytelling, rock instrumentation, trap-inspired production and melodic R&B elements inspired by artists like The Weeknd and John Mayer.
While country music continues to expand internationally, artists from South Asia remain rare within the genre. Shardy says that challenge motivated him rather than discouraged him.
“I knew I was stepping into a space where people didn’t expect someone like me,” he said. “There was criticism about race, skin color and culture, especially online. But I kept releasing music consistently because I believe music speaks louder than stereotypes.”
According to Shardy, his music has already generated roughly 300,000 combined streams and views across platforms, helping him gain recognition as one of the first emerging country artists from Dhaka to build an international audience.
He currently releases music monthly and says consistency has become a key part of his strategy as an independent artist.
“My ambition has no limit,” he said. “I want to reach Billboard’s Top 10 someday, and I’m willing to work until I get there.”
Beyond commercial goals, Shardy believes his long-term impact could come from opening doors for future artists across Asia who want to experiment outside traditional expectations.
He compares his vision to artists who expanded genre boundaries in previous generations, pointing to Eminem’s impact on hip-hop and Morgan Wallen’s crossover influence within modern country music.
“I want people to see that country music can belong anywhere,” Shardy said. “This is bigger than me. It’s about starting a movement.”
