Just weeks after Kane Brown and Lauren Alaina’s hit “What Ifs” hit No. 1 on the Billboard country charts, the pair hit the stage together at the ACM Awards for a performance of the track on April 15. The rising country stars commanded the stage as they belted out the song, singing to one another and showing off incredible chemistry as they ended their set with their faces just inches away. Don’t get it twisted, though — Kane and Lauren are both in serious relationships. However, they do have a history that helped put the at ease with each other during the big performance!
Years before they both made it big, Lauren and Kane actually went to the same middle school together! The two were in the same chorus class in 7th grade, so they’ve been singing together since they were just teenagers. “He told me he didn’t sing,” Lauren recalled earlier this year. “I think he said he only sang in the shower.” After one year together, Lauren and Kane went on to attend separate schools, but he did see her on TV when she competed on American Idol in 2011. Then, when he went to record “What Ifs” in 2016, he asked Lauren to step in and sing vocals with him.
“The song was the perfect way for us to showcase what we can do,” Lauren gushed about the duet earlier this year. “I love Kane and it was a natural fit.” The song was nominated for Vocal Event of the Year at the ACMs, but lost to Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban for “The Fighter.” Meanwhile, Lauren took home the honor of New Female Vocalist of the Year, while Kane was up for New Male Vocalist of the Year, although Brett Young was named the winner.