10 Things You Didn’t Know About Lauren Alaina

Lauren Alaina has granted an estimated three billion interviews since finishing second to Scotty McCreery on 'American Idol' in May 2011. It's hard to believe there is anything we haven't learned about her, but somehow we dug up 10 facts that surprised our resident Alaina lover. She's shared how each of the songs on her debut album, 'Wildflower,' have inspired her, but if it wasn't for a cousin with a potentially fatal condition America would never have heard of the teenage wonder. Family is very important to the singer, especially the women in her life. Fans watched as her mother held back tears during her first performance of 'Like My Mother Does' on 'Idol,' and Alaina holds back tears every time she watches a certain movie. It's her favorite because she always watched it with her late grandmother. These are just two teasers from our 10 Things You Didn't Know About Lauren Alaina list. Be sure to check out our list of 10 Things You Didn't Know About Scotty McCreery as well.


10.She blew out a vocal chord before the 'American Idol' finale.
Many fans never knew how close Alaina came to not being able to perform during the 'American Idol' finals. Second runner-up Haley Reinhart was standing by because Alaina had shredded a vocal chord. “I went on vocal rest, drank lots of tea, had medical assistance and most of all, prayed about it,” she explained. Us Magazine reports that nerves were the reason for the injury, but judging by how cool she looked once onstage, we hardly believe it.


9.She began her singing career at Cici's Pizza.
Alaina's old boss at Cici's Pizza remembers her singing around the restaurant. She'd whistle or hum a tune as she filled the salad buffet, and customers began to notice. “Now I have thoughts like, 'I may have asked the next 'American Idol' to sweep crumbs up off the floor,” manager Mike Wild told TimesFreePress.com. Pizza is one of Alaina's favorite foods (see No. 3), so the job worked out well for her and her old boss, who said, “There's not a day goes by that someone doesn't ask about her. She's a special girl.”


8.A cousin with brain cancer inspired her to sing.
Alaina's cousin Holly was diagnosed with brain cancer three years before the teen auditioned for 'American Idol,' and she proved to be an inspiration in more ways than one. During the Nashville audition rounds, judge Randy Jackson complimented Holly Witherow on her ear for talent. In fact, everyone was raving about the then 15-year-old Alaina. Rumor has it she was the one producer Nigel Lythgoe was speaking of when he tweeted, “We have just seen a really gifted 15 year old that may well win #AmericanIdol this Season. Brilliant talent in Nashville today.”


7.She has a turtle named Squirt.
There hasn't been as much coverage on Squirt since 'Idol' ended, but barring a tragic accident at home it's believed he (come on, Squirt has to be a boy's name) is doing fine. Alaina's palScotty McCreery had two Bichon Frises growing up. Perhaps Squirt will some day get to romp with Junior and Becky.


6.She's a fan of the Crimson Tide.
This is somewhat surprising since the Georgia resident has two in-state college football teams in the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech University to overlook before rooting for the Alabama Crimson Tide. The singer has had plenty to cheer about in recent years, but the 2010 loss Cam Newton and the Auburn Tigers had surely stung.


5.The famous ankle sprain wasn't her first serious leg injury.
The Ledger-Enquirer in Columbus, Ga. asked Alaina about the sparkly boot that she had to wear this summer after falling in high heels and learned that the one-time cheerleader once broke her leg cheering. The ankle injury was worse, however, if only because she had a nation full of fans waiting to see her during the American Idols Live Tour. “It drives me crazy,” she said at the time.


4.For breakfast it's an omelet (with everything on it and in it).
That was her favorite breakfast, but it's only to be considered these days when she's willing to cheat on her diet that has brought her down to a slim size.
Now it's a daily egg white omelet for Alaina, void of meat or cheese or anything that makes breakfast more enjoyable.

3.Her favorite pizza topping is … all of them.
In fact, Alaina only eats the toppings. These days it makes sense as the singer has admittedly cut most carbohydrates on her way to dropping 25 pounds since the May 'American Idol' finale. This has always been her strategy, however. Perhaps she feeds the leftover crusts to Squirt.



2.Her favorite movie is 'Titanic,' but she can't watch it anymore.
in the fifth grade, Alaina would come home from school every day and watch 'Titanic' with her grandmother. In an interview with The Boot, she shared that the tradition was bonding time with grandma, but it made it difficult to let go upon her death a few years later. Recently, she shared how she handled the passing of her mother's mother. She also recounted the traumatic night her grandfather called to tell her parents that her grandmother had stopped breathing.

1.When 'American Idol' began, Lauren Alaina had a boyfriend.
During the 'American Idol' Top 13 party in March, Alaina told Us Magazine that there was someone special in her life. “There's somebody and he lives across the U.S. right now,” she said, refusing to name the suitor. If the relationship survived the competition, we wonder how he felt about the blond singer laying a big, fat kiss on Scotty McCreery on finale night.
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