Alaina stretches out with "Eighteen Inches"

Sitting Pretty On Top Of The World

Lauren Alaina is flat out delightful. The bubbly Southern belle charmed her way into the genre via American Idol as a 15-year-old high schooler. Randy Jackson stopped her less than three minutes into her audition to put her through to Hollywood. Her third studio album, "Sitting Pretty "On Top of the World" begins with the best song she thinks she's written. "It Was Me" starts with a soft acoustic intro and is an apology and a confession that she should take the ...

Getting Over Him

Lauren Alaina made her national name on American Idol (placing second to Scotty McCreery). But she really seems best fitted for "The X Factor." There's something elusively compelling in how the Georgian's positive, eager attitude shines through, even in small doses. It was on full display when she appeared in a 2020 Thanksgiving halftime concert for the NFL. Alaina was only on stage a minute at most. But she elevated the duet with Kane Brown with those high-octane octaves, then ...

Getting Good

Lauren Alaina's "Getting Good" may not measure up to a traditionalist's high standards, but as a pop-country compromise, it's pretty darn good. Whether it's the fiddle running through the proving-I'm-country "In My Veins," or the banjo underpinning "Somebody Else's Problem," Alaina puts just enough country in these six songs to consistently touch twangy pleasure centers. "Getting Good" is the EP's best song. ...