An ‘American Idol’ winner has a surprising connection to ‘The Bachelorette’ — and no, he wasn’t a suitor
From Kelly Clarkson to Carrie Underwood, 'American Idol' has famously launched some of the most successful singers in reality TV history. Since its debut in 2002, the show has crowned 23 winners who have used the platform to jumpstart their music careers. One such winner is Laine Hardy, who rose to fame after winning Season 17. At the time, he hoped to turn his 'American Idol' victory into mainstream success. But six years later, where is he now? What is he up to and what's his surprising connection to 'The Bachelorette'?
Hardy won 'American Idol' Season 17 at just 18 years old, beating Alejandro Aranda in the finale. Since his 2019 win, Hardy has continued to pursue a music career. Despite challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic shortly after his victory, he remained active in the industry, steadily releasing music. In September 2021, he released his debut album and gained additional exposure by performing 'Memorize You' on an episode of the dating reality show 'The Bachelorette,' according to TV Insider. Most recently, in January 2025, Hardy released a new single titled 'That Man,' which he had teased for months.
Talking about his personal life, Hardy is engaged to Jordan Gautreau, a former NFL cheerleader and NBA dancer. The couple announced their engagement in September 2024, the same day they revealed they were expecting a baby together. Gautreau shared, "The biggest surprise and the easiest YES! Can't wait for our new title as parents and to plan a wedding." She celebrated her bachelorette party in May 2025, confirming that a wedding is definitely in the near future.
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Reportedly, the couple met in 2022 when Gautreau reached out "through a family connection" to ask Hardy to record a video message for her grandmother, a fan of his music. Afterward, Gautreau invited Hardy to meet her grandmother in person, and they continued to keep in touch via text. Just before discovering the pregnancy, Hardy spontaneously proposed at Gautreau’s apartment while she was in her pajamas.
In February 2025, Hardy joyfully announced the birth of his first child with an Instagram post that reads, "Welcome to the world, Hollis James Hardy! We are over the moon about this little boy. An absolute gift from God. Let the adventure begin!” The announcement came in a joint post with the baby’s mother, Jordan Gautreau. They had previously shared the pregnancy news together in September 2024, with Gautreau captioning, “The secret is out…. I’m having his babyyyy. We are so excited for this chapter of our lives. Looking forward to God’s plan for us."
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Notably, Hardy also had to face legal drama when he was arrested in April 2022 after being accused of placing a listening device in his ex-girlfriend’s LSU dorm room. He surrendered to LSU Police and was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison, as per NPR. According to the arrest warrant, Hardy's ex-girlfriend and her roommate found a device resembling a phone charger hidden under a futon on Wednesday, April 6, 2022.
The ex-girlfriend suspected Hardy had planted it because he seemed to know personal details she hadn't shared with him. "The victim advised she immediately confronted him, to which he admitted to her that he left a 'bug' in her room but discarded it in his pond," a police affidavit stated. Police also found evidence of secret recordings made over 10 days in February. In early 2023, Hardy's case was resolved through a pretrial diversion program, which allowed him to avoid formal charges if he met all set conditions.
