Country superstars and American Idol alums Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina made their long-awaited and much-anticipated return to the Idol…

Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina; Photo by ABC, American Idol

Country superstars and American Idol alums Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina made their long-awaited and much-anticipated return to the Idol stage on Monday during the star-studded Great Idol Reunion Show.

Prior to stepping on stage together, the longtime friends reminisced about their time on the show.

“I was a fan of this show before I was even on this show,” McCreery recalled. “Life was pretty normal for both of us going to high school up until the show.”

“I loved American Idol so much that it was punishment for me to not be able to watch it,” Alaina added. “So, I’m excited to be back. I’m excited to represent our season.”

McCreery and Alaina were just teenagers when they appeared on Season 10 of the hit show. Fast-forward 11 years, both artists have both become chart-topping country hitmakers with radio success and award-wins.

“You can’t turn on the radio without hearing Lauren, you can’t turn on the TV without seeing Lauren,” McCreery quipped.

“You’ve had a bunch of No. 1s now,” Alaina said, before McCreery added, “It’s been four.”

“He’s beating me,” Alaina joked, referencing the number of hits the “Damn Strait” singer has taken to the top of the charts.

Taking the stage for a stunning rendition of “When You Say Nothing At All,” the pair showcased their growth as vocalists and entertainers. McCreery’s Southern drawl and Alaina’s powerhouse vocals proved why they are two of the most successful Idol contestants of all time.

Co-written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz, “When You Say Nothing At All” is a song first made famous by Keith Whitley in 1988 and Alison Krauss in 1995.

McCreery, who won season 10 of Idol in 2011, and Alaina, the season 10 runner-up, concluded their show-stopping duet with a friendly hug.

Following their performance of the classic country hit, Luke Bryan gushed, “that was just amazing guys, we’re all touring so much, us country people we can’t ever get to see each other sing. So, I was just like enthralled, a fan, just sitting back listening, it was really good to hear y’all.”

While competing on Idol, McCreery and Alaina performed multiple duets together, including a cover of the popular Randy Travis’ song, “I Told You So.”

Their performance on the Idol reunion show marked the first time in 11 years that McCreery and Alaina have performed together on television and will certainly go down as one of their best performances together.
Scotty McCreery; Photo by ABC, American Idol
Prior to The Great Idol Reunion, McCreery recalled hearing Alaina sing for the first time ever during an interview with Audacy’s Rob + Holly at the Tortuga Music Festival. “I’ll never forget the first time I met Lauren Alaina, it was Hollywood Week, and I’m listening to her sing thinking, ‘Oh my God, she is incredible.’ Thinking she’s going all the way, and obviously she did.”

After winning Idol in 2011, McCreery went on to release five studio albums, including his latest project, Same Truck. He earned four consecutive No.1 singles and is currently climbing the charts at country radio with his latest single, “Damn Strait.”
Lauren Alaina; Photo by ABC, American Idol
Lauren Alaina finished as the runner-up on Season 10 of Idol. Following the show, the Georgia native released two EPs, as well as three full length albums, including her latest full length project, Sitting Pretty On Top of the World (2021). She became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in early 2022.

The Great Idol Reunion featured a series of duets, where former Idol winners and contestants paired up with fellow Idol alum for one-of-a-kind collaborations.

In addition to Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina, Laci Kaye Booth, Laine Hardy, Jordin Sparks, Ruben Studdard, David Cook, Kris Allen, Maddie Poppe, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Willie Spence, David Archuleta, William Hung, Justin Guarini, and Grace Kinstler also returned to the Idol stage for performances during the show.

Former Idol judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson also made special appearances during the special.