Lauren Alaina Tries For New Heights on ‘American Idol’ With Miley Cyrus’ ‘The Climb’

During her mentoring session, Interscope's Jimmy Iovine told Lauren Alaina that she is better singer than Miley Cyrus, which certainly gave the teen a confidence booster when she took the stage to put her own unique stamp on Miss Miley's hit 'Hannah Montana' song on tonight's 'American Idol.'

It is true that Alaina has a more powerful and more distinct voice than Cyrus, but she started off a wee bit off key before soaring to new heights with this impassioned, heartfelt ballad. Alaina did her very best to make the song sound like it was written for her, but it wasn't quite at "Miley who?" levels. Not yet.

But the judges known Alaina has it in her. Jennifer Lopez told Alaina that she has tear in her voice, because she sings from a place of raw emotion; while Randy Jackson, looking ever debonair and sporting a tie, said that the Lauren they saw in Nashville has come roaring back. Steven Tyler said she makes him cry, even though he wasn't reaching for the Kleenex.

Alaina said she chose the song because it means everything to her and because it represents 'Idol' for her. The performance was certainly not her best, but it did the job and we should expect to see her again next week.