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Idol runner up Lauren Alaina loves mathematics and country, interview

By April MacIntyre May 28, 2011, 2:19 GMT

05/25/2011 - Lauren Alaina - Fox\'s "American Idol" 2011 Finale Results Show - Press Room - Nokia Theatre L.A. Live - Los Angeles, CA, USA © Andrew Evans / PR Photos

"American Idol" Runner up Lauren Alaina got Piers Morgan the other night, as the “America’s Got Talent” judge was told she was denied on his talent show.

This was after he praised her as a better vocalist than “Idol” winner Scotty McCreery.

“Want to hear something funny? I tried out for your show and didn’t make it,” Lauren told Piers during an appearance on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno” on Thursday, as the audience gasped with laughter.

“Really?” Piers replied, "this is a scandal!"

“Twice — and I got second place [on ‘Idol’] and you denied me,” she continued, laughing. “I swear. Look it up…I didn’t make it past the first round.”

Lauren spoke to journalists on a phone call the other day and shared her feelings about the "Idol" adventure.

On how difficult was it for her to sing the last week:

L. Alaina The show must go on always.  The doctor came in and he took really good care of me.  He got my voice cured as good as he could.  But, I had to go out there and do the best that I could.

On why she loves country so much? 

L. Alaina Yes, sir.  I was raised on country music.  All of my parents love country music.  It’s just in my heart.

On why she chose Lauren Alaina as the name to continue to build her career on:

L. Alaina Well, I chose not to use Suddeth because, people never pronounce it right.  I knew Ryan Seacrest would have a terrible time trying to say my last name.  So, I just went with Alaina, because it was easier and it rolls off the tongue easier.  But, I will always be Lauren Suddeth.  Always.

On her weight loss during competition:

L. Alaina I think it was actually 15 pounds in all, maybe.

On her age, and if she should have waited to compete:

L. Alaina No.  I feel like people misjudge young people because they think that they’re not ready.  But, I feel like if something’s your dream and you know what you want, you should go for it.

On what she learned about herself from taking part in Idol.

L. Alaina I feel like with the show, I had a lot of confidence before the show.  And, then watching myself on TV and being with my worst critic coming, it threw me back a couple of notches.  But, I feel like that was a good thing, like I needed to realize that there’s always something that you can work on about yourself.  The things that I didn’t like about myself, I worked on the whole time I was on the show, and really tried to improve myself.  I feel like since there were so many people watching, I could see the outcomes and stuff.  So, it was really helpful for me to grow as a person and as an artist.

On what she wants people to know most about you from the things not learned about her on American Idol:

L. Alaina I’m not really a blond.  People call me a dumb blond a lot but I’m actually really smart.  I love to go to school.  My favorite subject is math.  I like going to school more than anything probably.

On vocal problems before the Idol finale:

L. Alaina I have actually.  But, everyone has trouble with their vocs sometimes.  I’m getting a little bit of a cold or something, because my nose is a little stopped up and my throat’s hurting pretty bad today.  But, it’s going to be all right.  ....

On what Scotty whispered on stage:

L. Alaina Oh.  He told me I was going to win, and I said, “No, Scotty, you’re going to win.”

On what was going through her head whenever Ryan said, “Then, the last.” on Wednesday?

L. Alaina I had a feeling that it was going to be Scotty.  But, I feel like things happen for a reason.  And, God has a different plan for me.

On who she most impressed by:

L. Alaina  Just being able to sing with Carrie Underwood kind of set off the whole night.  She’s amazing.  ...

On her feelings for Scotty when the win was announced:

L. Alaina I will be happy for Scotty forever because we are great friends.  I know what you mean by people fake it.  But, I’ve been saying all along that no matter what happened, if it came down to me and Scotty that I’d be happy either way because we’re such great friends.  I truly mean that, because he is so talented.  He’s got the look.  He sings the same kind of music that I sing.  And, he loves Jesus.  I couldn’t have picked a better person to get second place to.

On becoming a role model, and her own role models she looks to for advice:

L. Alaina I am a huge country music fan.  There’s so many girls that I look up to, especially Carrie Underwood.  Everyone knows I’ve shouted that one out loud for a while now.  I met her and talking with her, I could tell that she genuinely cared that I was there.  She actually invited me back after we went to a party last night for all of the contestants after the show.  She invited me back to her area, and let me sit with her and talk with her. 

It was amazing to see that someone I had looked up to for so long was actually the person that I thought they were.
I want little girls and girls my age to feel that way about me.  When they meet me, to know that I’m actually the way that I’m portrayed on TV.  I’m not a fake.  I don’t want to mislead people as to who I am.  I cut up, I’ll pull jokes a lot.  But, I can be serious, too.  I cry a lot and everyone knows that.  It’s just who I am.  So, I guess I plan on not changing who I am for anything. 

I just want to stay true to who I am and have my little country roots, and just let it be available for little girls to look up to me.  Because I’ve always looked up to Carrie, and I can’t imagine that it would be the greatest thrill in the world for some little girl to look up to me the way that I look up to her.  I’m still a little girl, so I’ve got plenty of time to make that a possibility.