In the 2000s, Harding backed CeeLo Green, and he formed the R&B/garage rock band Night Sun in Atlanta with Black Lips members in 2009.

[3][4] Though he originally wanted to play professional sports,[4] Harding grew up around his mother's music, occasionally joining her on stage as a backing singer until age 15.

[6][10] Harding co-wrote "I Don't Wanna Go Home" with Jared Swilley originally for the Black Lips' 2014 album Underneath the Rainbow.

[13] "Keep on Shining" was one of the singles the album produced; he performed the song live on the French talk show C à vous in February 2015.

[14] While at The Growlers' annual Beach Goth festival, Harding met fashion photographer Hedi Slimane.

[15] For the project (in addition to portraits) Slimane produced a video featuring Harding and the song "Next Time" from Soul Power.

[20] Music critic Ken Tucker said that Harding's earnestness in the album, tone and emphasis changes, and direct singing suggest both comfort in and knowledge of classic R&B.

[3] GQ's Shakeil Greeley described the album's title track ("Face Your Fear") as "the rare song that could soundtrack a wedding or a funeral, at once celebratory, sad, groovy, and of course, very soulful.

"[15] Greeley wrote that the mood of the album ranges from classic soul in "On and On" and "Need Your Love" to sadness in "Welcome to My World", with a cinematic psychedelic feel to other songs.

[15] Harding performed "Need Your Love" as a guest musician with Stay Human on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in January 2018.

[30]In addition to his mother, Harding has said that his influences include Mahalia Jackson, MC Lyte, Bob Dylan, Albert King, the Everly Brothers, and Ronnie Dyson.

[8][31] In 2015, Michael Hann of The Guardian cited Harding and Leon Bridges as "the new stars of classic soul" with other modern recording artists having brought the genre back into mainstream culture.

"[7] Harding appears in the third season of Sundance TV drama Hap and Leonard, playing infamous blues musician L.C.