Another side of David Archuleta
It’s been a year since David Archuleta last visited the Philippines. I have been interviewing many celebrities, local and international, for the past four years, and I must say that my interview with David Archuleta last year was my favorite.
This year, as I interview him for the second time, I realize it just keeps getting better with our baby faced Idol. I was thrilled to be seeing him again, hoping that the glitz and glamour of Hollywood has not dulled the natural sunshine that he is.
There is a sigh of relief when I enter the room, as I see the same exact David I remember: With the biggest grin ever and smiling adorable eyes. He is the epitome of “childlike” person, a rare gem of positive and grateful character.
When asked about what he missed about the Philippines, he excitedly pointed out the sincere, enthusiastic Filipino fans. “I am really looking forward to perform for the fans, that’s exciting because the fans here, they are not like anywhere else… They have a lot of energy, it’s a different kind of interaction with them!”
“The Other Side of Down” isn’t quite the title you expect from David Archuleta, until you understand what he meant by it exactly.
“I wanted people to look twice and think… the other side of down is up! I wanted people to think and look at things from a different perspective. It symbolizes the album moving forward and looking ahead, but differently, in a positive way too. It’s about moving towards the other side of down... Sometimes life can get frustrating but there is still so much good. So I try to be positive with this album, and that’s how look at life. It can be very confusing at times but there are so many opportunities and have realized how life kind of works in a very unpredictable way. You keep on going anyway and amazing things happen. Life is full of surprises. Never underestimate the future and I want people to feel all these things through the album.”
The positivity he talks about exudes from his entire being. There is not one moment that will give you doubt about his sincerity and passion for singing and life in general. Just being around him is such a joy, because happiness is contagious.
He is an endearing personality in the entertainment industry because he is atypical in Hollywood. As a singer, he is one of the very few talents nowadays who draws our interest and admiration with purely his talent guiding his career.
He does not have the Justin Bieber hair, catchy outfits or gossip-worthy relationships. He is turning 20 next month, admittedly yet to date anyone and is just getting around organizing his thoughts better.
“Before I never quite knew what to think… everything is confusing, it goes over my head. I have been able to understand what it is that I want to do, what direction I’m going to take. What is the basic kind of impact I want to make while I am here, while I’m doing music. Through music, I feel like I was really able to introduce people to real David. What goes on in David’s mind or why does David look at things the way he does. I wanted people to understand that.”
As he preps himself to enter the 20s, of course I had to touch on the subject of his love life, as I owe it to many young, curious girls out there.
“I have enjoyed being a teenager. I have never been in a relationship, but I’m more ready than I was before at least. But there are things I’m still figuring out and learning. I feel like when you meet the right person I think you will be able to tell. There is a song actually in the album, which is like my love song – my kind of perfect. She is anything but typical, a sweet surprise, no matter what she is looking at the bright side.”
David Archuleta is the only person I have ever met who constantly expresses his feelings or describes a situation by breaking into a song. When random thoughts enter his mind he sings the word or a short phrase to describe it.
It is amazing to see a person just translate himself constantly with his love – music. That’s where I know he’s a true artist. He does not make an effort to carry a tune. He is music. And his second album is unique, as it will be his last album as a teenager. It reflects his confusions, struggles, lessons learned and hopes.