Small-town Louisiana boy and country crooner Laine Hardy is the new American Idol. He beat out Alejandro Aranda and Madison Vandenburg during last night's live season finale. Alejandro came in second, and Madison in third.
Laine, from Livingston, Louisiana, was on Idol last year, when he was just 17. But he was eliminated before the Top 50.
This year, he came back to the auditions to play guitar for a friend, and the Idol judges gave him a golden ticket along with his friend.
And this year, he won.
First thing on his to-do list? He's making the talk show rounds, and has a Disney cruise waiting, but what he really wants is to go home to see his family (i.e. a home-cooked, Bayou kind of dinner!).