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Lauren Alaina Interview: Country Music Sensation Talks Aerosmith, 'American Idol,' Cyber Bullying

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Lauren Alaina

Country singer Lauren Alaina captured America’s heart when she revealed her enthusiasm, humor, warmth and commanding voice and became the 2011 American Idol runner-up. From early on, Alaina was a favorite, and after her audition, Idol judge Steven Tyler said, “We found the one.” Alaina lost to Scotty McCreery. The two singers represented the first all-country finale and the youngest finalists on American Idol.

In October 2011, Alaina released her debut album titled Wildflower, which debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200 chart and sold 69,000 copies the first week. The seventeen-year-old has performed at the Grand Ole Opry and also for the president in the PBS special In Performance at the White House.

"I recorded background vocals for the (Aerosmith) album, but I don’t know if they are going to be on there because I’m super country. But, just the fact that Steven (Tyler) asked me to come into the studio and record on the upcoming Aerosmith album is the coolest thing in the world!"

Alaina performed her single, “Georgia Peaches,” March 8, 2012 on the Top 13 results show for the current season of American Idol. Later that month, she performed the song on The Today Show.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Lauren, you are one busy young lady!

Lauren Alaina: Yes ma’am, I am.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You recently crashed a prom at a school in Kentucky. What was that like?

Lauren Alaina: It was cool. I just kind of walked in. I had just cut my hair off. I’ve cut it off pretty short. At first, the kids didn’t realize what was going on, and then a few of them started catching on, and then the word spread pretty fast (laughs).

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You missed your prom because you were opening for Sugarland.

Lauren Alaina: Yes. It was actually the same night as my prom. After I got done singing, I went to their prom to kind of fill that little bit of a hole I was missing.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Do you feel like you are missing out on life as a teen since you’ve become successful in music?

Lauren Alaina: There are definitely some sacrifices I have to make, but they’re all worth it, you know?

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): How did you become aware that fifteen-year-old Grace McComas committed suicide after being cyber bullied?

Lauren Alaina

Lauren Alaina (UMG Nashville)

Lauren Alaina: Someone actually sent me a direct message on Twitter asking if I would tweet about it so that my young fans could see and hear about this little girl, and that’s why I did it.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): What would you say to younger kids about cyber bullying?

Lauren Alaina: Well, I just think it’s horrible and a waste of time. Don’t even listen to it. I have people making videos about me and making fun of me for ten minutes at a time. Of course I see that stuff, but I just brush it off because for every one person making fun of me, there are ten other people that are going to stand up for me. You just have to be comfortable enough in yourself to just ignore it.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Did you ever experience bullying when you were younger?

Lauren Alaina: Yeah. I think everybody definitely goes through that with at least one person in his or her life, and it’s horrible. But, the older you get the more you understand how to ignore it. At least, I did. I know that some people take it to heart more than other people, but it’s just something you have to ignore.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Do people in the music business treat you differently because you’re so young?

Lauren Alaina: For the most part, everybody is really accepting and stuff. But, I think there’s definitely a little bit of … considering I am seventeen years old, I think for people to take me seriously, they have to meet me first and do shows with me.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You think they have already formed a perception of you before they meet you?

Lauren Alaina: Yeah.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You have a close relationship with your mom.

Lauren Alaina: She goes everywhere with me and stands beside me through everything that I do. She’s my mom and definitely has my back. She’s my best friend.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Tell me how your Christian faith has helped you in life.

Lauren Alaina: When life gets hard, I know that I can talk to God to help me through it. My mama raised me that way. It has helped me through many situations.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): What was it like growing up in the small town of Rossville, Georgia?

Lauren Alaina: A lot different than living in California. That’s for sure (laughs).

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Everybody knew everybody in Rossville.

Lauren Alaina: Oh, yeah (laughs).

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You co-wrote “Funny Thing About Love.” What was your inspiration for that song?

Lauren Alaina: I just wanted to write a song about relationships and how they’re always hard to come by. One minute, you like somebody, and the next minute you don’t … or at least that’s how I am. So, I wrote a song about it.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Did you just recently break up with your boyfriend?

Lauren Alaina: Yeah. We broke up.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Are you seeing someone else?

Lauren Alaina: Well, I’m going on a couple of dates this week.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): The song, “Growing Her Wings,” is about a little girl who doesn’t fit in. Is there any similarity there with your own life?

Lauren Alaina: Yes ma’am. That song reminds me so much of me growing up and trying to figure out exactly what I was supposed to do. I always knew that music was that place that made me feel important, but I never expected my dreams to come true so early in life.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Can you go out in public without the fans mobbing you?

Lauren Alaina: It really depends on where I’m going and what I’m wearing (laughs). But, I have really cool fans. They bring me presents and make me scrapbooks. They’re really awesome.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): What is the experience like touring with Sugarland?

Lauren Alaina: I just started at the beginning of April, but they’re really nice people, and it’s really cool. The fans are great, and I’m just really excited. I’ll be with them until September, so I’m excited to see how much it changes over the next couple of months. Hopefully, people will start being more familiar with my songs.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Are you also singing on the new Aerosmith album that is scheduled to be released in the fall?

Lauren Alaina: I recorded background vocals for the album, but I don’t know if they are going to be on there because I’m super country. But, just the fact that Steven (Tyler) asked me to come into the studio and record on the upcoming Aerosmith album is the coolest thing in the world!

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): What do you think about Steven Tyler?

Lauren Alaina: I love him! He’s awesome. He’s a really awesome person.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Lauren, do you have a favorite right now on American Idol?

Lauren Alaina: I did, but he just got sent home.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Colton Dixon?

Lauren Alaina: Yes. My favorite now is Joshua Ledet.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Do you think Joshua will go all the way?

Lauren Alaina: I hope so. I hope he wins. I think he’s the best singer on the show by far.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Have you been interested in singing and songwriting from an early age?

Lauren Alaina: I wrote my first song when I was nine.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): When other kids were playing in the sandbox …

Lauren Alaina: They were playing in the dirt, and I was writing in the sand (laughs).

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You’ve always wanted to perform?

Lauren Alaina: I love it. It’s a good stress reliever.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): When you first started out, were you trying to pattern yourself after a particular country singer?

Lauren Alaina: I just want to be myself and be the best artist I can be.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Who do you listen to?

Lauren Alaina: My favorite artists are Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): What’s next for you?

Lauren Alaina: I’m about to start writing for another album, so I’m just working on music, bettering myself every day and getting out there for my fans.

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