Lauren Alaina is an American country singer and songwriter who rose to fame as the runner-up of the tenth season of American Idol in 2011. She has released three studio albums: Wildflower (2011), Road Less Traveled (2017), and Sitting Pretty on Top of the World (2021). She has also collaborated with several other artists, such as Kane Brown, Hardy, Devin Dawson, and Dustin Lynch, on hit songs like "What Ifs", "One Beer", "God's Country", and "Thinking 'Bout You".
Lauren Alaina was born on November 8, 1994, in Rossville, Georgia, to Kristy and J. J. Suddeth. She began singing at the age of three and competed in various talent shows and pageants. She auditioned for America's Got Talent twice, but did not make it past the preliminary round. She then auditioned for American Idol in 2010 and impressed the judges with her powerful voice and bubbly personality. She became a fan favorite and made it to the finale, where she lost to Scotty McCreery, whom she remained close friends with.
Lauren Alaina has achieved several accolades and awards for her music, including two CMT Music Awards, one Academy of Country Music Award, and two Country Music Association Award nominations. She also became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2022, inducted by her childhood hero Trisha Yearwood. She is currently the youngest member of the Opry. She has also ventured into other fields, such as acting and dancing. She appeared in the film Road Less Traveled, based on her song of the same name, and competed in the twenty-eighth season of Dancing with the Stars, where she placed fourth with her partner Gleb Savchenko.