‘Catch of the Day’ – Lauren Alaina – “Road Less Traveled” [AUDIO]

Today's featured artist is the answer to the trivia question "who was the runner-up the year Scotty McCreary won American Idol?". But this young artist is much more than just a second place finisher on the 10th season of the singing contest, she is also a songwriter who's 2011 debut album sold over 69,000 copies the first week of release.

Lauren Alaina Kristine Suddeth, or simply Lauren Alaina, was born and raised in Rossville, GA. She began performing at venues near her home before she was a teenager, and in 2009 won a local WinniStar youth talent contest. In 2011, at the age of sixteen she auditioned in Nashville for American Idol. After her audition, Judge Steven Tyler declared she was that they "found the one".

Throughout the competition it was clear there were two favorites and the rest of the performers we fighting to place behind them. Alaina and Scotty McCreery were the clear-cut favorites and when it came down to the final two, it was Alaina and McCreery who battled it out for the crown. With both singers being just 16 years old, the program was sure to have its youngest winners in its history. The Georgia native paid homage to another former Idol contestant, season 4 winner Carrie Underwood, by performing "Cowboy Casanova" for the finale. While Lauren's performance was incredible, McCreery's rendition of George Strait's "Check Yes Or No" shined brighter and Scotty was named the season 10 winner.

Lauren Alaina would not miss a beat, hitting the ground running after her runner-up finish. After American Idol, Lauren would sign with Interscope Records, releasing her debut single "Like My Mother Does" soon after. After reuniting with McCreery as presenters at the 2011 CMA Awards, Alaina would make her Grand Ole Opry debut in June of 2011, and would open for Martina McBride at McBride's CMA Music Ferstival performance at LP Field in Nashville. Her debut album Wildflower would be released in October, which debuted at #5 on the Billboard Hot 200 Albums chart.

After making several TV appearances and performing at many benefit concerts, Alaina assumed the opening slot on Jason Aldean's My Kinda Party and Sugarland's In The Hands of the Fans tours. Her second single, "Georgia Peaches' was released in March of 2012, which was followed by the third single from Wildflower, "Eighteen Inches", which was released in July. None of the singles managed to crack the top 30 on the country charts.

After releasing two singles in 2013 which didn't appear on an album, in 2015, Alaina released a self-titled EP, and the second single from that EP is in our spotlight today. Lauren Alaina and "Road Less Traveled" is today's Catch of the Day, new music you haven't heard, but you'll want to hear it again.