On Saturday, May 7, Lauren Alaina showed her support for her fellow country superstar and childhood friend Kane Brown when she joined him on stage for a surprise performance during his hometown show in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This was a memorable moment…
On Saturday, May 7, Lauren Alaina showed her support for her fellow country superstar and childhood friend Kane Brown when she joined him on stage for a surprise performance during his hometown show in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
This was a memorable moment for these longtime friends considering they have been watching each other evolve and grow in their music careers since the seventh grade. They first met at Lakeview Middle School in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia through a choir class when they were at the ages of 13 and 12.
At the time, Brown was the new kid in school who sat down next to Alaina in class and as a result of her infectious, bubbly personality, was forced out of his shell. This performance is proof that the artists have come pretty far since their days of singing in a children’s choir together.
During an interview with TC & Dina B at Audacy’s Leading Ladies’ event earlier this month, Alaina got emotional when she recalled this recent on-stage appearance.
“It made me want to cry, honestly. I just, when I think of him – I know he’s all muscular, and an adult, and a dad, and a grown man – but, in my mind, it’s kind of like your parents always see you as a little kid,” she explained. “You know, people you grow up with, that’s how you see them. I just have so many memories with him from early childhood.”
Alaina awaited her performance backstage as the “Like I Love Country Music” singer began their 7x Platinum hit, “What Ifs” on his own. Once she entered the stage to join him in her sparkly black dress and thigh high boots, a roar of excitement emerged from the crowd. Alaina brought her A-game as she belted out lyrics to their chart-topping song and felt comfort in knowing both her and Brown’s family members were cheering them on from the crowd.
“It was really cool to not only to be a part of it, but to watch him,” she gushed, beaming with pride for her friend. “It was so sweet. I love his wife Katelyn, she’s the best. I’m so proud of him and it was cool to be there to like walk out in front of… My nephews were there too.”
“What Ifs” isn’t a recent release for the duet partners, in fact, it hit streaming services in 2017, giving fans ample time to fall in love with the lyrics and sing them right along with Brown and Alaina. This up-tempo track was co-penned by Matt McGinn and Jordan Schmidt and was included as the second single off Brown’s Self-Titled debut album, which was released via RCA Nashville. The lyrics place a focus on the “What Ifs” that could come in a relationship.
This crowd-filled performance served to be a big night for Brown because it kicked off the second leg of his Blessed & Free Tour and marked his first-ever stadium concert and first hometown show in six years. Having the “Getting Over Him” singer there created an extra level of excitement for both her and the fans.
“We genuinely want each other to do well,” Alaina previously explained in a press conference. “The song was the perfect way for us to showcase what we can do. I love Kane, and it was a natural fit.”
Alaina recently closed out her Top of the World Tour in Vegas and San Luis Obispo while Brown announced his Drunk or Dreaming Tour that will take him from Australia to Sweden. The tour will begin in September and run through January 2023. Special guests Chris Lane, Restless Road, Blanco Brown and Jessie James Decker will be joining him on this journey.
