Only on OMG! – Lauren Alaina pays the price of success

"American Idol" Season 10 runner-up Lauren Alaina's answers to the questionnaire this writer sent her reflects her personality the way a window shows many interesting scenes.

The 16-year-old Georgia native embellished her answer sheet with doodles of flowers — to take the place of the dot on top of the 'i' in Lauren Alaina and another one on the upper right hand side of the paper.

A shaded heart that slants to the left and what looks like grass — also shaded — frame the bottom left and right sides of her answer sheet.

The doodles -- if we are to believe what analysts say -- are windows to the soul.

The fact that Lauren Alaina drew a flower, as these analysts would conclude, shows her gentleness, love for nature, even childlike innocence.

The heart, of course, reflects a romantic nature.

True enough, Lauren Alaina thinks it would be great if "there's a guy too," aside from a life in Nashville, college and a successful career waiting for her five years down the road.

Grace under pressure

This dream won't be hard to reach for someone used to bucking the odds. Lauren Alaina, who will join "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery and fellow finalists for their first-ever show in Manila on Sept. 20 and 21 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, seems cut out for hurdling challenges.

The lovely singer showed what grace under pressure was when she fought a vocal-cord injury that threatened to destroy her voice a week before the "AI" finale.

Lauren Alain could have panicked. And worst, she could have backed off from the race.

Instead, she soldiered on.

She relates, "I went on vocal rest, drank lots of tea, had medical assistance, and most of all, prayed about it."

Lauren Alaina may have placed second to Scotty, but she doesn't mind. After all, the girl has no axe to grind against Scotty.

"I guess it's only natural," Lauren Alaina talks about her supposed competition with the "AI" grand winner.

But she doesn't mind. In fact, she's happy as can be for Scotty.

"We are each other's biggest supporters," she discloses.

This closeness has been interpreted as romance, something Scotty and Lauren Alain have denied over and over.

Romantic rumors aside, Lauren Alain's post-"AI" life is turning out to be one big ball.

Life after "AI"

"I get to meet a lot of people and do a lot of things I would have never been able to do before," she tells Yahoo! OMG! Philippines.

One of new friends she made from "AI" is finalist Thia Megia, a Fil-Am singer. Thia made Lauren Alaina more excited to see the Philippines through her stories about the country. Filipino fans in Twitter also give Lauren Alaina an idea of what she will see when she comes over for the concert tour, which has Manila as its lone Asian stop.

The tour -- and other shows that keep her away from home -- is a crash course on many things that matter for the young singer.

"It has taught me responsibility," the high school sophomore reveals. "It has also taught me to appreciate my family and the small things in life."

As many "AI" followers know — and Lauren Alaina is sure there are many in the Philippines -- her mom played a key role in her adventure of a lifetime.

Lauren Alaina melted many hearts when she went up to her mom in the audience and sang "Like My Mother Does" at the "AI" finale. Incidentally, the song is being eyed as the talented teen's first single.

Missing one's family is just one price Lauren Alaina must pay for her popularity. The other is not being able to step out of the house in her most natural look.

"I can't go to the grocery store without makeup anymore!" Lauren Alaina observes.

But that's the least of her worries. For now, she's enjoying the perks of doing what she loves to do, and literally and figuratively letting her music take her to places many of her friends can only dream of.

Handling success

"I'm going to put out music that's true to who I am and be loyal to my fans," Lauren Alaina vows.

And just to make sure she doesn't let success get the better of her, Lauren Alaina plans to keep in touch with family and friends who "will never let my head get big."

That's something others should remember to do themselves.