Lauren Alaina

Lauren Alaina (born Lauren Alaina Kristine Arnold) is a country singer and songwriter best known as the runner-up on Season 10 of American Idol. Born in Rossville, Georgia, Alaina began singing at a young age, performing at local festivals and winning talent competitions across the South. She attended Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School and was a cheerleader before rising to national attention on reality television.

Alaina auditioned for American Idol in 2011 at age 15 and quickly became a fan favorite. After finishing second to Scotty McCreery, she signed with Interscope and Mercury Nashville and released her debut album Wildflower the same year. The album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200.

She followed up with her sophomore album Road Less Traveled in 2017, which included the title track that became her first No. 1 on country radio. She scored another chart-topping hit with “What Ifs,” a duet with Kane Brown. In 2021, she released her third studio album Sitting Pretty on Top of the World. The following year, she became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

The singer has since made appearances on shows such as Dancing with the Stars, Celebrity Family Feud and Good Morning America.

Alaina was engaged to longtime boyfriend Alex Hopkins, but the couple split in 2019. She briefly dated comedian John Crist. In November 2022, she announced her engagement to Cameron Arnold, and the couple tied the knot in February 2024. She announced her pregnancy with their first child in January 2025.