Entertainment

‘Idol’ finalist Lauren Alaina sings after losing voice during rehearsals

LOS ANGELES — “American Idol” finalist Lauren Alaina held on for Wednesday’s season finale with her performance Tuesday, despite fears she could be forced out after losing her voice.

Alaina, set to face off against Scotty McCreery on Wednesday, was unable to get through more than two songs during rehearsals Tuesday afternoon, TMZ reported.

A doctor on the set told the 16-year-old not to sing or speak. Sources close to the show told the entertainment news website there was a “real possibility” that she would not be able to perform Tuesday night.

However she turned up, with a doctor saying she “blew out” her vocal cords with her efforts to get the “maximum sound out,” but with medicine she would “do great.”

“Her vocal chords were really rough and sprained, kind of like a runner with a badly sprained ankle,” the doctor said, according to People. “We gave her a lot of medicine.”

Third-place finisher Haley Reinhart had been brought in as a precaution, in case she was needed to take Alaina’s place.

After Alaina finished Tuesday night, TMZ noted: “She wasn’t 100% … but the judges loved her. According to Steven Tyler, Lauren will win tomorrow … ‘hands down.'”