‘American Idol’ Champ Laine Hardy is Getting Married, Expecting a Baby

Surprise! American Idol champ Laine Hardy is starting a family.

The singer announced on Saturday (Sept. 7) that he's engaged to Jordan Gautreau, a cheerleader for the New Orleans Saints and former NBA dancer for the New Orleans Pelicans.

But that's not all: The couple are currently expecting their first child. Hardy and Gautreau shared the news in a joint Instagram post, which features a snapshot of her engagement ring as well as a celebratory video announcing her pregnancy.

"We are so excited for this chapter of our lives. Looking forward to God's plan for us," Gautreau writes in the caption. "The biggest surprise and the easiest YES! Can't wait for our new title as parents and to plan a wedding."

One slide in the carousel post shared that Baby Hardy is due to arrive in 2025. Beyond that, they didn't share many details about their baby-to-be. One video shows Hardy holding a pot of flowers, with black-and-white film that turns to color and reveals a blue wrapper around the bouquet -- perhaps part of a gender reveal.

Who is Laine Hardy?

The 23-year-old Louisiana native rose to fame as a country performer on Season 17 of American Idol, and was ultimately crowned the winner of that season of the show.

After the show, Hardy released his debut album Here's to Anyone in September 2021. In the years since, he's had some legal troubles: In April 2022, he was arrested after an ex-girlfriend accused him of planting a recording device in her college dorm room. He ultimately avoided jail time for the charges, but around the same time, he announced that he and his record label were parting ways.

According to his most recent social media updates, Hardy is looking ahead to his musical future. On Friday (Sept. 6), just before announcing his engagement and impending fatherhood, he released a new song called "That Man."

Carena Liptak is an Associate Editor and staff writer at Taste of Country. She specializes in breaking country music news, interviews and lists. In particular, she’s got a soft spot for sad songs — check out her roundup of the 50 Saddest Country Songs of All Time!