The L.A. Times has interviewed the newly-minted American Idol, country singer Scotty McCreery. The newspaper/site also got down to the truth about the rumors swirling about McCreery’s relationship with fellow final two contestant Lauren Alaina.

When asked if he had any doubts about getting voted out, McCreery said, “This week, especially, [I thought I might go home],” he said. “[Runner-up] Lauren Alaina, she’s something: She sings like a bird and she’s just an amazing young lady. Every week, I’ve heard people say the ‘frontrunner’ stuff and ‘the favorite,’ but to me, it never even crossed my mind like that. Because everybody this year — from top 40 down — was just so talented. … But as far as doubting myself, I don’t think I ever really gave myself a chance, before this show, [to try to make it] as a musician, and now it’s just about the confidence. … I mean, I’ve always had confidence in me. It was just weird, the nerves for this show. It’s something else.”

Speaking of Alaina, McCreery set the record straight about his relationship with her. “Me and her, it’s more like the brother-sister thing,” he said. “She told me before the show she was gonna do that as kind of like a joke. She’s a character, but she’s lovely. Really, we’re really close friends. I met her day one of Hollywood Week, and we were schoolmates through this whole experience. She’s great. But yeah, it’s more a brother-sister friendship between me and her.”

You can read the entire interview at the L.A. Times.