Lauren Alaina

Lauren Alaina sang with bravado and maturity well beyond her years, which launched her music career and made her one of the most talented finalists on the 10th season of the reality singing competition "American Idol" (Fox, 2002-16). She was born Lauren Alaina Suddeth on Nov. 8, 1994 in Rossville, GA. The future music star attended Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School in Fort Oglethorpe, GA, where she was a member of the cheerleading squad. A devoted Christian, Alaina always loved to sing, but she did not pursue her passion until her cousin, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor, inspired Alaina to pursue her dreams. She began performing at community events, competing in local singing contests, and tried her hand at songwriting. In 2011, Alaina tried out for the 10th season of "American Idol" in Nashville, TN, where she impressed judges Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler with her heartwarming rendition of Faith Hill's "Like We Never Loved at All" (2005), and then advanced to the semi-finals round in Hollywood.