Lauren Alaina

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Lauren Alaina

Lauren Alaina (born Lauren Alaina Kristine Suddeth; November 8, 1994) is an American country music singer and songwriter from Rossville, Georgia. Alaina was the runner-up on the tenth season of American Idol. Her debut studio album, "Wildflower" was released on October 11, 2011. Her second album, "Road Less Traveled" was released January 27, 2017.

Alaina later achieved her first number one on the Country Airplay chart with the album's title track. Her second number one came later that year when she simultaneously topped five Billboard charts with her friend and former classmate Kane Brown on their duet "What Ifs". She was on Dancing with the Stars and placed 4th alongside her partner Gleb Savchenko.

Press Reports

Nash Country Daily | by Jim Casey | @TheJimCasey | February 17, 2017

With a Starring Role in the New Movie “Road Less Traveled,” Lauren Alaina Has Officially Unleashed on 2017

Lauren Alaina has unleashed on 2017.

On Jan. 27, Lauren released her sophomore album, "Road Less Traveled", which debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, while the album’s title track is currently No. 11 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. To coincide with the album’s release, Lauren joined Martina McBride’s Love Unleashed Tour for a string of dates through mid-March.

On top of that, the Georgia native recently completed filming her first feature film, also titled Road Less Traveled, which is currently in post-production and tentatively slated for a 2017 release, according to IMDB.

While Lauren couldn’t reveal all of the movie’s details just yet, she did sit down with Nash Country Daily to dish on the experience of filming the movie, the role she played and her Broadway aspirations.

NCD: What can you tell us about your new feature film, Road Less Traveled?

“I’m not really sure how much I can share, but I’ll just tell you about my character and kind of the baseline. I am Charlotte, and Charlotte is a 25-yearold, like mid-20s, songwriter that lives in Los Angeles. She’s getting married. It is this whole story about her journey to getting married, and she can’t find a dress. It’s just a bunch of getting married drama. I really had so much fun. It’s a lighthearted movie. It’s a romantic comedy. It’s the kind of movie that when you’re home in your pajamas, and you want to be comfy, it’s that kind of movie that you watch that makes you feel good. I love being home in my pajamas and feeling good, so I’m excited to share it with my fans. It’s a whole new side of me that no one’s ever seen. I really enjoyed that process. It was hectic, because we shot the whole movie in like three and a half weeks, because I’m touring, and I’m doing everything else. We worked like 15-hour days, every day, for three weeks straight.”

NCD: You’re only 22 years old. What was it like playing an older woman?

“I know [laughing]. Well, I live the life of a 30-year-old I feel like. I don’t ever really get to act 22 unless I’m with my friends that are 22, which is nice. I make sure I have time to do that. The character is very similar to me. She’s only 25. It’s not like I had to act any more mature or any more . . . I just had to be this role, this character. I could play a 16-year-old . . . It’s not who you are. She’s very similar to me though. She drinks more [laughing].”

NCD: Is this a role that you went after, or did they come after you for it?

“It really happened naturally, honestly. I have wanted to pursue acting for a really long time, but I feel like you always have to do it at the right time, because if you do it too early . . . You don’t want it to overpower. Singing is my passion. Entertaining is my passion. Any way I can do that is what I live for. I love to sing, and I just didn’t want to do it too soon that it would take away from it or even that it would hold me back. I just have been waiting for the right moment. It just kind of came to me. It wasn’t something I was seeking out, really. Obviously, my agents and all the people I work with know that I’m interested in it, so when the opportunity presented itself, it came through actually my record label. There was a movie production company that approached the label."

“They were talking about this idea they had to do a movie based around an artist and their music, but the artist would play a role. I think that they talked about it and thought that I would be a good fit, which was such a compliment to me that they thought that I could do that. Then, I was super nervous. It almost forced me into it, which is a good thing, because I was kind of scared to pursue it. Then, it happened naturally. Now, I’m like all fired up about it and want to do it all the time. We’re trying to find ways that I can sneak it in, even though we are so busy right now that I can’t even wash my laundry. I’m like, ‘Oh, let’s act, too. Let’s throw another thing onto the list of things that we do.’”

NCD: Singing and acting. How are your dance moves? You might be a legitimate triple threat.

“I can dance, but I’ve never had any type of training that makes me a dancer, but I feel like if I had an extensive time of lessons, extensive probably, I would be a decent dancer.”

NCD: Broadway here you come. You’re the next Jennifer Nettles.

“I really think that that’s something I could do. I think that that would be a cool thing for me to do at some point, like a Broadway show.”

Background information From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Early life

Alaina was born on November 8, 1994, to Kristy and J.J. Suddeth of Rossville, Georgia. Her father works as a process technician in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Alaina started to sing at the age of three. Her first public performances followed with a kids choir and an annual vacation spot that offered karaoke. She sang in church, restaurants, family holiday gatherings and anywhere within a 30-mile radius of where she lived.

At age eight, Alaina entered the talent competition of the Southern Stars Pageant and won. The next year she was selected to perform on the Kids talent stage at Chattanooga's Riverbend Festival. She performed on that stage annually until age twelve, when she won the competition that allowed her to perform on the festival's big stage. She traveled to Orlando, Florida when she was ten to compete in the American Model and Talent Competition. She won the event, beating out 1,500 kids. Alaina sang with the Georgia Country Gospel Music Association's children's group. At age twelve, Alaina made her first of many trips to Nashville. She performed at local bars on Broadway, such as Tootsie's Orchid_Lounge. In 2009, Alaina was the first winner of the WinniSTAR youth talent contest at Lake Winnepesaukah amusement park. In addition to performing, Alaina wrote several songs including "Leaving" and "Set Me Free."

Alaina was inspired to sing by her cousin, Holly Witherow, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Prior to Idol, Alaina worked at CiCi's Pizza. She attended Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, where she was a cheerleader.

American Idol

Overview

Alaina auditioned for the tenth season of American Idol in Nashville, Tennessee. From early on, Alaina was a judge favorite. After her audition, Idol judge Steven Tyler stated, "We found the one." May 14, 2011 was proclaimed "Lauren Alaina Day" in her hometown of Rossville, Georgia. During the season finale, Alaina sang "Before He Cheats" with her idol, Carrie Underwood. On May 25, 2011, Alaina was declared the runner-up.

Music career

Following Idol, Alaina was signed to Interscope Records, Mercury Nashville and 19 Recordings. Alaina released her single "Like My Mother Does". The song entered the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart at forty-nine and the Hot 100 chart at twenty and sold 121,000 copies in its first week. "Like My Mother Does" peaked at thirty-six on the Hot Country Songs chart.

Following the conclusion of Season 10, Alaina appeared and performed on several talk shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Live with Regis and Kelly and The Today Show. On June 8, 2011, Alaina and McCreery presented at the CMT Music Awards. In addition, Alaina made her Grand Ole Opry debut on June 10. She performed with Martina McBride at LP Field during the CMA Music Festival. The following summer, Alaina toured with the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2011, which began in West Valley City, Utah on July 6, 2011 and ended in Manila, Philippines on September 21, 2011.

2011-2012: «Wildflower»

On October 11, 2011, Alaina released her debut album Wildflower, which debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200 chart and sold 69,000 copies the first week. The single "Georgia Peaches" was released to country radio on October 24. It reached twenty-eight on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

To promote her album, Alaina made numerous television and radio appearances. She performed her single "Georgia Peaches" on Good Morning America, Live with Regis and Kelly and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. On October 22, 2011, Alaina performed at Opry Goes Pink, a benefit concert at the Grand Ole Opry for Women for the Cure. On November 10, 2011, Alaina performed "My Grown Up Christmas List" on CMA Country Christmas. In addition, Alaina performed for Barack Obama and Michelle Obama in the PBS special In Performance at the White House on November 21. She sang the National Anthem at the Thanksgiving Day game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. On New Year's Eve, Alaina performed her single "Georgia Peaches" on American Country New Year's Eve Live.

Alaina served as an opening act for Jason Aldean's My Kinda Party Tour from January 20, 2012 to May 19, 2012. In addition to the My Kinda Party Tour, Alaina opened for Sugarland's In the Hands of the Fans Tour for a number of selected dates, beginning on April 5, 2012 and concluding on September 1, 2012. On March 8, 2012, Alaina performed "Georgia Peaches" on the eleventh season of American Idol. On March 26, 2012, Alaina performed her single "Georgia Peaches" on The Today Show. On June 16, 2012, Alaina headlined the final show of Riverbend, a music festival in her hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

In July 2012, "Eighteen Inches" became Alaina's third single off her album, "Wildflower". The single was sent to country radio on July 16. "Eighteen Inches" hit thirty-seven on the Billboard Hot Country Songs list. In support of the song, Alaina embarked on an 18-city tour. Proceeds from each show benefited various local charities, including the Special Olympics. The Inch-By-Inch tour kicked off on September 21, 2012, and wrapped up November 12, 2012.

At the 2012 American Country Awards, Alaina was selected as the New Artist of the Year.

2013-2017: «Lauren Alaina» EP and «Road Less Traveled»

In January 2013, Alaina started recording her second album. On May 7, 2013, Alaina released the single "Barefoot and Buckwild", which charted at thirty-four on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. She performed the song on the twelfth season of American Idol on May 9, 2013. In May 2013, Alaina also released a track titled "Antarctica: One World, One Family". The track serves as the theme song for the SeaWorld attraction Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin. On December 10, 2013, Alaina released her cover of "My Grown Up Christmas List". On September 18, 2015, Alaina released the single "Next Boyfriend". "Next Boyfriend" was added to radio stations on September 28. It reached thirty-nine on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. A EP followed on October 2, 2015. A track on the EP, "History" was used for ESPN College Football coverage.

Throughout 2016, Alaina opened for several shows on Alan Jackson's Still Keepin' It Country Tour. On November 18, 2016, Alaina released her cover of "O Holy Night".

Alaina released the single "Road Less Traveled", which she co-wrote with Meghan Trainor and Jesse Frasure, on July 11, 2016. Alaina performed the track on The Today Show on September 8, 2016 and on Harry on February 7, 2017. In April 2017, "Road Less Traveled" reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. On January 27, 2017, Alaina released her second album "Road Less Traveled". Tracks for Alaina's album include "Same Day Different Bottle", "Doin' Fine", "My Kinda People", "Pretty", "Crashin' the Boys Club" and "Queen of Hearts", as well as four tracks from her self-titled EP. Alaina describes "Road Less Traveled" as "very different" from her debut album. In addition, self acceptance and love is a big theme on the album. "We are all different and that's what makes us all beautiful. The album will reflect that further. It will have some fun songs and sad songs - a little bit of what my life has been like over the past few years", Alaina says. Alaina performed "Doin' Fine" on Good Morning America on January 31, 2017.

In February and March 2017, Alaina toured with Martina McBride on her Love Unleashed Tour.

Throughout June and July 2017, Alaina appeared on Luke Bryan's Huntin', Fishin' and Lovin' Every Day Tour for a number of selected dates. In May 2017, Alaina contributed guest vocals to the song "Are You Happy Now" from Rascal Flatts' tenth studio album, "Back to Us".

Alaina's third single from Road Less Traveled, "Doin' Fine", was released May 22, 2017. The song peaked at twentyseven on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, making it her second-highest charting single. Alaina became the only female to top both country charts in 2017 after "Road Less Traveled" topped the Country Airplay chart and "What Ifs" topped the Hot Country chart. This also made her one of the only three women to top either country chart in 2017.

Alaina performed "Doin' Fine" and "What Ifs" at the 2018 ACM Awards where she won the award for New Female Vocalist of the Year. At the 2018 CMT Music Awards, Alaina and Brown won the award for "Best Collaborative Video" for "What Ifs" and were among the top five vote getters for "Video of the Year" for the same song.

2018-2019: Upcoming album

Alaina has been reportedly writing and recording for her upcoming studio album. The lead single from her upcoming project "Ladies in the '90s" was released to country radio on October 15, 2018 and was the second most-added song of the week. The single reached #40 on the Billboard Country Airplay.

Alaina was nominated for New Artist of the Year at the 2018 Country Music Association Awards; this was her second time being nominated for the award, after Jon Pardi won it in 2017.

Throughout 2018 and 2019, Alaina toured with artists such as Alan Jackson, Cole Swindell, Jason Aldean, and Blake Shelton. She headlined numerous major music festivals such as Stagecoach Festival.

Alaina released the single, "Getting Good" in September 2019. "The Other Side" was released as a promotional single in October 2019 and was danced to in a Dancing with the Stars episode in memory of her step father.

Other ventures

In September and October 2016, Alaina filmed her very first movie The Road Less Traveled, which took place in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The film was released on June 6, 2017. It then premiered on CMT on November 10, 2017.

In August 2019, Alaina was announced as one of the celebrities to compete on season 28 of Dancing with the Stars. [71] She made it to the finals and finished in fourth place.[72]

Personal life

Alaina's parents divorced in 2013. Her father was an alcoholic but has been sober since October 2013. Both her parents remarried.

Throughout her teen years, Alaina struggled with bulimia. "I had an eating disorder for like four years, and I was just lost," she says of her battle with bulimia. "I found myself in these last few years, through music and family and good people around me."

Alaina is a Christian and often states that she lives for Jesus Christ.

In 2012, Alaina began dating Alexander Hopkins (photo). In July 2018, the couple announced that they had become engaged. In January 2019, they announced that they had split after six years.

Alaina was in a relationship with comedian John Crist from May to September 2019.[81]