Lauren Alaina and Kane Brown Reunite Backstage at iHeartCountry Festival

Longtime friends and “What Ifs” duet partners, Lauren Alaina and Kane Brown, shared a sweet reunion backstage at the 2026 iHeartCountry Festival in Austin, Texas. The pair, who met in middle school in Georgia, posed for photos together during the event. Alaina even shared on a podcast last year how she encouraged Brown to pursue singing when she heard him humming in school.

Their collaboration on “What Ifs” back in 2016 has been a huge success, reaching diamond status. The song was featured on Brown’s self-titled debut studio album, which includes hits like “Hometown” and “Thunder in the Rain.”

The festival featured an incredible lineup including Luke Bryan, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, Carly Pearce, and more, with Bobby Bones returning as the host. You can catch the 2026 iHeartCountry Festival streaming live on Disney+ and Hulu, with a replay available on Hulu the following day.

Be sure to keep an eye out on iHeartCountry for more highlights, red carpet looks, and backstage moments from this unforgettable event.