With the Christmas season fast approaching, David Archuleta took some time out of his schedule to talk to The Daily Universe about his newly released holiday album, “Christmas from the Heart,” his rise in the pop world and his upcoming tour, which kicks off in Salt Lake City later this month.
“It’s always fun to perform back at home in Utah and be able to give back to them, the people who have given me so much in my life,” Archuleta said. “I am the way I am because of everyone in Utah.”
During this tour, which is largely in support of his holiday album, he’ll be traveling across the country through Dec. 20. The recording of his release, which features one original song, “Memories of Christmas,” provided the opportunity for Archuleta to let listeners in on his personal beliefs.
“What I want to do with this album is share my testimony of this music and I hope that you can feel what I am trying to say in this and why it’s so important for me to sing about this,” Archuleta said. “You can always go more poppy and radio friendly with the music, and that’s easy to do and more appealing in the pop world I’m in right now, but I want to make sure it’s reverent and sacred.”
Growing up in a Latter-day Saint home, Archuleta’s faith is pronounced through the 13-song album.
“Christmas music is something that everyone relates to and has a connection to,” Archuleta said. “It’s my way of saying this is something really important to me and I really want to share it with people, about Christ and His birth.”
His tour will feature some of the pop hits that helped Archuleta rise out of his American Idol-bred stardom, but fans should expect a Christmas-laden set list.
“What I did with the album I want to do with the shows too and kind of lead people with that spirit of Christmas and the spirit of the music,” Archuleta said. “It’ll be fun.”
Considering all that has been handed to him over the last few years, Archuleta has received his fame graciously. The exposure received from Idol, he describes, was largely unexpected.
“When I went to [American Idol] audition I wasn’t expecting to be on tour and making albums a year later,” Archuleta said. “I was just thinking, ‘I guess I’ll go audition to see what it’s like.’ It’s crazy now, working on a third album; I never thought that would happen.”
Although he grew up performing and even appeared on several episodes of Star Search at age 12, Archuleta wasn’t always sure about his future as a musician.
“I seriously would always joke with my friends, ‘You guys are all going to be geniuses; you’re all so smart and I’ll be behind McDonald’s trying to sing for my food,’” he said.
Until his touring begins at the end of the month, Archuleta is spending time in Los Angeles writing for his forthcoming album. He described the process as more personal and self-involved in comparison to his first self-titled release.
“I feel like people will know me a little better,” Archuleta said. “It will be so cool to have songs that came from me and from my own experiences. I think that’s so cool being able to share that in my music.”
As Archuleta has become a successful pop artist worldwide, he continues to push forward and expand his fan-base with each album.
“It’s been a great experience for me because it’s kind of pushed me to go beyond what I thought were my limits,” Archuleta said. “It’s refreshing to know because sometimes you don’t believe in yourself as much. You don’t believe in your potential as much as other people do. It’s cool for me because I feel like, I guess the Lord definitely believed in me more than I did. That’s been the biggest lesson for me in all of this is trusting in Him. Because even though it’s like, ‘Well I don’t see how I can do that,’ I guess because I’ve been given this opportunity, I guess someone up there believes in me and someone up there trusts in me. The fact that that person can trust me, as powerful as He is, I guess I can do it. That in itself is motivating.”