Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina came up through the ranks of American Idol together in 2011, when they were both just teens, and through that unique journey, they formed a strong bond not easily broken, even as time goes by.

McCreery tells Nash Country Daily that even though they have their own careers now, they stay connected. "After ‘Road Less Traveled’ went No. 1, I texted Lauren and let her know how proud I was of her," he shares.

He adds that the unusual experience of Idol — especially so young — brought them together in a way that’s hard to explain, saying, "We went through something together with Idol that no one will ever truly understand. It was a blast and fun, but they definitely put us through the wringer, so to go through that with her, she’ll always be kind of a sister to me.”

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“We don’t talk as much as we used to, but she’s such an awesome person. And, in my opinion, she’s got one of the best dang voices in Nashville. She’s a powerhouse,” McCreery adds.

Watching her succeed beyond the show has been encouraging to him as well, knowing how hard they worked to get to where they are now. “I’m so proud of her to get that No. 1. It kind of validates everything we did on Idol, and it’s so cool to see that success for her.”

"Road Less Traveled" is the title track from Alaina’s first full-length record since she underwent vocal cord surgery in 2014, and it officially became her first No. 1 single in April 2017. McCreery has a new single called “Five More Minutes,” and Alaina just appeared on a duet with buddy Kane Brown called “What Ifs.” Her latest single from Road Less Traveled is titled “Doin’ Fine” and is currently climbing the charts.

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