AceShowbiz -

Lauren Alaina is definitely not a sore loser. The aspiring singer from Rossville, Georgia found out on Wednesday night, May 25, that she has lost the title of "American Idol" winner to Scotty McCreery. However, when talking to reporters backstage at the Nokia Theater, she appeared to be genuinely happy for her competitor.

"I knew Scotty was gonna win. I knew in my heart and I accepted it," the 16-year-old country crooner said. "I couldn't pick a more perfect person to get second place to. I know that's cheesy, but he's my best friend." Keeping a positive attitude toward her runner-up position by the end of the competition, she pointed out, "I didn't lose; I came in second place."

Scotty, the newly-crowned "Idol", himself has nothing but praises for Lauren. After the finale, he admitted to reporters, "Last night, watching her sing I thought she could really take this thing and run a long way with it. In that moment I kept saying, 'Lauren's got this. She's such a sweetheart, and we've grown so close.' "

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Lauren also revealed why she didn't get on stage a lot on the Wednesday finale. "I was a little under the weather," she said, before assuring, "But I'm okay." She went on to admit "it was a little disappointing". Still, she noted that it was okay because she got to sing with her idol Carrie Underwood.

Speaking of the season 4 champion, the teen singer gushed, "She's so sweet and so talented. I've loved her since - I picked her to win since her first audition. And she won, and I'm just so happy that I got to sing with her." Asked what she is looking forward to the most after the competition, she said, "I'm looking forward to going on tour and putting out an album and just being who I am."