David Archuleta celebrates 15 years of “Crush” and is the “Happiest” he’s been after coming out LGBTQ
David Archuleta is celebrating an important milestone. His post-American Idol hit, “Crush” turns 15 this year.
The 17 year old singer finished American Idol season 7 as the runner-up to David Cook in 2008. The young singer signed a record deal backstage after the Idol finale, and in the fall, after the American Idols Live tour finished, David released his eponymous debut album. “Crush”, which has gone double platinum since its release, served as the lead single off the set.
“’Crush’ is the song that I feel is the signature for my career,” David shared in an interview with TODAY.com. “It made me realize I’d really become a solo artist, and not just a ‘cover song person.’ I didn’t really have a vision of what I was supposed to sound like on my own. ‘Crush’ gave me more of that vision.”
When David recorded “Crush” he related to it from a distance
David told TODAY that when he first heard a demo of the track, “I think my jaw dropped.” His love for the song had more to do with the music than the lyrics.
“It was very much from an appreciation of the song writing, the melody, the pop song structure of the song that made me so excited to sing it rather than, ‘This is what I go through’. Because I didn’t go through it,” he says.
At 17 years old, David had spent so many years repressing his romantic and sexual feelings, he never experienced a real crush. The singer shared that he wasn’t free to be himself.
But finally, after coming out as LGBTQ in June 2021, he is learning how to open himself up to having a romantic crush.
“I sang (‘Crush’) at the time as a 17-year-old, from a perspective of ‘this is what someone feels when they go through a crush.’ And it wasn’t an experience I had ever had, or at least I’d never allowed myself to have,” he explained to TODAY. “It was like singing any other person’s song, and their story, that I hadn’t gone through. Now that I’m in my 30s, I have had that experience.”
“It’s hard to say I identify myself as Christian or another religion”
As a faithful adherent to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or Mormonism as the faith is colloquially known, David spent years struggling with his sexuality. In order to come to a place of self acceptance he had to distance himself from not only Mormonism, but religion in general.
David Archuleta’s Mom Quit LDS, She Shares Why
“It’s hard to say I identify myself as Christian or another religion,” he said. “I don’t really consider myself religious currently. I’ve had to distance myself. I do plan to write a book about it, because having conversations with the leadership of my church, and seeing the conflict within their own way of doing things, I felt was quite alarming.”
“I think it’s OK to take time to step away from your beliefs religiously to explore yourself for who you are, regardless of any belief that you may hold onto. No belief will really change what goes on in your head … your chemistry, your brain, who you’re attracted to.”
When David performed “Crush” at his first pride event, he lyric swapped “girl” for “boy”
Currently David is in a much better place in his life.
“I think a lot of people, especially from my religion, said, ‘Look at the darkness in his eyes. He’s so depressed and sad because he has accepted a part of him that he’s not supposed to accept.’ Actually, I am the happiest I’ve been. I’m no longer feeling like ending my life is better an option than existing,” he says.
David Archuleta Has a Message for the “Disappointed” Haters
When David performed at his first Pride event in San Diego earlier this month, David changed the lyrics of the song, referring to “boy” instead of “girl.” The crowd loved it.
His next single, “Afraid to Love” which will be out on August 18, is about “what it feels like to love someone, whoever that may be, even if you’re queer. It’s just a wholesome, innocent, lovely, beautiful, colorful, vibrant experience.” Watch him perform the song at San Diego Pride HERE.
