American Idol Profile: Who is Season 10 Finalist Lauren Alaina?

Lauren Alaina was named one of the top 11 finalists for Season 10 of "American Idol," the popular Fox Television musical contest and reality TV show, in 2011. As such, Alaina is listed for the 2011 "Idols Live" nationwide tour.

A country singer with a story

Lauren Alaina Suddeth auditioned for Season 10 in Nashville, singing's "Like We Never Loved at All." The 16-year-old country singer with the long two-toned locks won hearts with her story of her cousin's inspiring battle against brain cancer, and the judges invited her family into the audition room.

Alaina followed up with an impromptu duet of "Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" with "Idol" judge and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler, and the judges quickly labeled her the best they had seen in Nashville.

"I think we found the one today," Tyler said afterward. "We found her. Oh, yeah, we did."

Randy Jackson compared Alaina to two previous "Idol" winners, Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.

A down-homer with heart

Hailing from Rosswell, Georgia, Alaina nicknamed fellow Georgian and "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest a Georgia peach. Tweeting about her personal pratfalls and troubles with cell phones and other technology, the down-to-earth Alaina has attracted a loyal fan base.

"I'm original and unique, and I can just belt it out whenever someone needs me to," Alaina posted on her own website.

Alaina's hometown friends and fans organized fund raisers to send her cousin Holly Witherow and her aunt Kim Witherow to the Top 11 audition night of "Idol," where Alaina offered her countrified rendition of The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On."

Her country roots run deep. Born November 8, 1994, in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, Alaina began singing as a toddler and never stopped. She credits her cousin Holly as both a big sister figure and a musical inspiration.

Alaina is a sophomore at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School. Before joining "Idol," she worked in a local pizza parlor and sang at local gatherings. She has hinted that she has had a boyfriend cheering her on in her "Idol" journey.

A confident "Idol" finalist

Alaina has claimed to own an unusually diverse collection of albums, including Justin Bieber and Miranda Lambert. Alaina points to "Idol" champ and country star Carrie Underwood as a major personal musical influence and fondly recalls seeing Sugarland live in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as her first real concert.

With no formal singing training, Alaina performs with a powerful punch and a country flavor. She has admitted that she dreams of performing at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry someday,

In the early weeks of Season 10 "Idol," Alaina sang Reba McEntire's "Turn on the Radio," Shania Twain's "Any Man of Mine" and "Melissa Etheridge's "I'm the Only One."

source:Linda Ann Nickerson, Yahoo! Contributor Network