MANILA, PHILIPPINES — David Archuleta is gearing up in anticipation of his return to the Philippines after six years with “Playback Presents: The Best of David Archuleta.” Having established a close bond with “Pinoy Archies” throughout his career, the concert will include his best hits as well as OPM classics from his 2012 album “Forevermore” in hopes of “making more memories,” as David shared on Instagram.
With the New Frontier Theater show set for September 14 and David undergoing a metamorphosis during his time away, adobo Magazine connected with the singer through Zoom to get his thoughts on the long-awaited comeback, his latest music, and insights into his other creative endeavors.
David is shocked at how long it’s been since he’s stepped foot in the Philippines, describing it as an “adopted city.” “There’s something so familiar about the culture. Even though I didn’t grow up in that same culture, I feel like there [are] so many things about the way I grew up that Filipinos share and I think it’s what made me feel at home every time I’ve gone.”
He mentioned Nandito Ako (I’m Here), a mini-series he starred in back in 2012, and how that deepened his unique connection with Filipinos. “I made a little more extra of an effort to get to know the culture and even learn the song in the language, and I feel like it helps me connect with everyone on a different level than I have anywhere else in the world.”
Along with the mini-series, David’s album “Forevermore” gave way for him to familiarize himself with Original Pilipino Music (OPM) and the makers behind some of the country’s greatest hits, thus immersing himself in the culture. “I feel like it created this whole new space of experiencing a connection with fans that I haven’t really [experienced] before. Now, I hold this very dear special place for the Filipino fans.”
Between his beloved double-platinum hit “Crush” and eight studio albums, David has made quite a name for himself since his American Idol days, but he’s shifting gears once more. David has dropped two singles this year, “Hell Together” and “Rather Be Lonely,” which reveal a more vulnerable side to the American artist.
“Hell Together” is a soul-stirring piano ballad that pays tribute to David’s mother’s unwavering love. When the singer left his Mormon faith a year after coming out, his mother, Lupe Bartholemew, initially didn’t reach out for a while, leaving David to presume she cut ties with him.
Contrary to what he believed, Lupe messaged him days later, letting him know that she would follow suit: “I don’t want to be somewhere where my children don’t feel welcomed, loved, and accepted…if you’re going to Hell, we are all going to Hell with you.” That text touched David so much that he felt compelled to write about it.
Despite its heavy themes, David doesn’t see “Hell Together” as a track solely about pain. “It’s so interesting cause people are like, ‘Oh, this song is so sad.’ I’m like, ‘Is it sad?’ I don’t look at it as sad, but I think I dwelt in that sad space for so long, it just felt normal to me, I guess. For me, it’s like releasing myself from that sadness; it was like stepping away from it and finding a new place to exist.”
Recording the track at the end of 2023 brought David a sense of catharsis. “[I’m] happy to see how quickly growth can happen. Sometimes, it takes years to get to [a] place where you can heal, grow, and change, but sometimes, once it starts, then it can happen so quickly.”
That moment of release eventually set the tone for 2024, serving as his first single. “Even though [‘Hell Together’] is still coming from a place of heartbreak, it felt like there was a triumph — the willingness to rise above the sorrow and the heartbreak you’re feeling. I was like, ‘This feels like a better place to launch off the year from rather than somewhere sad.’”
Inspired by music rooted in honesty like Tracy Chapman and his peer Maddie Zahm, David has arrived at a place of freedom in both his personal life and artistry which, in turn, has made him a more candid storyteller.
“I feel like I’ve always tried to be vulnerable in my lyrics. I just feel like now after coming out and also stepping away from [the] religion I grew up in, I no longer have boundaries set in the same place that they were before. I feel like I can be vulnerable in a whole new way with my music and performing, [and] talk about subject matters that I would’ve been terrified talking about before.”
David has also sought freedom in unexpected places, specifically raves and EDM festivals. “I think EDM has helped me learn how to have fun with music.” He then flailed his arms to the camera, smiling from ear to ear. “Just being able to completely energize yourself and jump around as if you’re a little kid. Not having to worry about, ‘Oh, I have to act with composure. Be mature and not be too silly.’ At EDM festivals, no one cares. You just dance your heart out. A lot of your inner child is healed when you’re at EDM festivals.”
He elaborated on what he’s gained from attending these festivals. “I’ve found a sense of community that I thought I wasn’t gonna have anymore and didn’t know where I was gonna find [it]. Now, I can be unified with people in a rave which is so interesting cause you would think it’s [the] opposite but really it’s not. It’s such a similar experience to what I found joy in going to church before. I find so many parallels now in EDM festivals and raves.”
Apart from his festival getaways and singing career, David has a memoir in the works. He disclosed that his editor is reviewing his first draft and told adobo Magazine how the opportunity arose. “I was just talking to my friend, Jennette McCurdy. We were catching up on each others’ lives. She was talking about her book and all the craziness that followed with it. I was talking to her about coming out, my experience with my church, and everything I was realizing now that I’m in my 30s, and she was like, ‘David, have you thought of writing a book?’”
The idea lingered in David’s mind and he was soon referred to Jennette’s team. “I met with them (Dey Street Books, a division of the William Morrow Group at HarperCollins Publishers) and they were like, ‘Hey, we would love to work on a book with you because we find your story very interesting. We feel like a lot of people would connect with it and be inspired by it.’”
The book is planned to be released sometime during the first half of 2025. “We’re hoping it all stays on track so far,” he shared, but preparing for the tour is his primary focus for now.
As the concert draws near, David is delighted to reunite with his Filipino fans and reciprocate the overwhelming love he’s received since his first trip 15 years ago. “The shows in the Philippines have always been so great. I feel like the Filipino fans know more of my music catalog than in other places as well. More songs charted in the Philippines from my albums than anywhere else and that’s such a huge compliment. They found these songs and had them play on the radio. Whereas, other places didn’t even know about those songs.”
“It’s just so touching that they had an enthusiasm for whatever I had to offer. Even though I’m still trying to figure myself out then and I’m still trying to, [finding] fans who enjoy the journey with you wherever you’re at is so heart-filling.”
David closed with a message dedicated to the people who bought tickets to the show. “Thank you so much for being with me each step of the way. To know that fans are still [just as] excited to come to the show and share where I’m at in my journey now is so humbling. I can’t wait to sing these songs and hopefully, just have a great time with everybody where we can laugh and cry and party it all up this Saturday.”
Tickets for “Playback Presents: The Best of David Archuleta” are available here and at TicketNet outlets nationwide.
