It’s not only the winners who go on to find success post-American Idol. David Archuleta was just 16 when he finished runner-up to David Cook on the show’s seventh season. Now 33, he has since dropped eight studio albums, sold more than 1 million records, and discovered his true self as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. On Monday (April 22), the “A Little Too Not Over You” singer returned to where it all began for him — the American Idol stage. Instead of competing, this time he was the main attraction.
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David Archuleta Performs New Single on ‘American Idol’
Archuleta demonstrated just how much he has grown as a vocalist in the last 16 years as he performed his latest single, “Hell Together.”
The Utah native has been open in recent years about his journey of self-discovery. Raised as a devout member of the Mormon Church, Archuleta struggled for years to come to terms with his sexuality.
“I’m finally learning what it’s like to actually love myself,” Archuleta told People in a November 2022 interview. “I feel liberated.”
The “Crush” singer was inspired to write “Hell Together” by a conversation he had with his mother after deciding to leave the Mormon Church. “She said she was going to step away too and then said, ‘If you’re going to hell, we’re all going to hell with you,” Archuleta wrote.
That self-awakening shone boldly through as Archuleta sang the lyrics to “Hell Together:” Oh, if they don’t like the way you’re made / Then they’re not any better If paradise is pressure / Oh, we’ll go to Hell together.
These days, Archuleta connects with the divine in less orthodox ways — at the gym, among the crowd at EDM festivals. “It’s so reminiscent of religion to me, because you’re going into a common place, all connecting to one thing and sharing that moment with everyone,” he told Paper magazine. “You feel this oneness together.”
Fans React to Archuleta’s ‘Idol’ Performance
Seeing Archuleta on the American Idol stage again stirred up all kinds of sentimentality among longtime viewers. “I literally love David Archuleta SO MUCH ugh what a sweet and kind angel,” one viewer wrote. “and seeing him perform on American idol again has me feeling so nostalgic.”
Another fan wrote, “‘Hell Together’ is such a great song and that was such a powerful, beautiful performance. So happy David is living in his truth!”
Featured image by Steven Simione/WireImage
