Get ready to party with a Hardy once more. “American Idol” is finally celebrating its countrified Season 17 champ Laine Hardy after mostly making the reigning winner somewhat of an afterthought Instead, judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan regularly invoked the name of last year’s runner-up, singer-songwriter Alejandro Aranda, who was invited to meet the Season 18 hopefuls and provide them with tips during the early rounds.
Here’s hoping they treat 19-year-old bayou boy Laine with more courtesy on Disney Night than when Season 16 winner Maddie Poppe joined her runner-up beau Caleb Lee Hutchinson for a brief duet of “A Whole New World” from “Aladdin.” As she shared in a post-show tweet to her fans, Maddie was expecting to promote her upcoming album, “Whirlwind,” on air after they finished the song. Instead, the show cut to a commercial.
The Louisiana lad, who recently released two brand new songs that are inspired by his Cajun roots, “Ground I Grew Up On” (watch music video above) and the feel-good anthem “Let There Be Country.” His Disney offering this Sunday will be “Life is a Highway” the Rascal Flatts tune that was used in the Pixar animated film “Cars.”
Laine has been on a virtual tour as he performs his new music and chats with fans, already receiving 1.5 million views. He will continue to do online stops through the end of May and is expected to join Toby Keith on tour later in the summer. More on-the-road details are available at http://LaineHardyMusic.com
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