Confession: I was expecting this record to be good but nowhere in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would be this good! For real!
He does things with this melodies and rhythms and lyrics and building the songs and HIS VOICE! that I didn’t even know were possible.
When will I ever learn not to underestimate The Archuleta?! 🙂
He subversively takes the inner struggles of his mind and the dark places we all go and spins them into infectious, rollicking bops! Who would think that would be such a magical, uplifting, life-affirming combination, BUT IT IS!!!!
(Sorry, not sorry, for all the all caps… IT’S THAT KIND OF DAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!)
I don’t want to dissect every song because I feel that takes some of the magic away, but, of the brand new songs we hadn’t heard yet, I will say that my first gut reaction, puts Patience as my fave for now (I am a sucker for that soulful pop, R&Bish vibe), closely followed by The Good in the Bad (THAT CHORUS!!!!!), and a tie between Future Self/Brave/Switch/You Worry. 🙂
Fave lyric so far: “Fear is like a magnet, keeps pulling you down” (Good in the Bad)… like, whoah, lightbulb moment!!
HOW ABOUT YOU GUYS??!!!! THOUGHTS??!!!
p.s.
AND HOW AWESOME WAS THAT ACOUSTIC LIVE???!!! HIS VOIIIIICE!!! Okay, I’m done, lol… I’m dying to know what you guys think!!!
If you haven’t seen it, go run now and watch. Seriously.
It’s like hearing all the stories you’ve ever wanted to hear about all those amazing songs, all from the man himself.
After all these years, I still can’t get over how generous and open David is with himself… with us… he just lets it all out… and when he cries, we cry… am I right?!
And to see David share the deep feelings and profound life experiences that went into these songs is remarkable to me. What other artist lays themselves bare like that? No one, that’s who.
Where others are about artifice more than art, David takes the pain, the joy, the struggles of his life and turns those into art.
And when he brought Taryn (sp?) on to “shine a light”???!! My cheeks still hurt from smiling, that was amazing!!!
What did you guys think??!!!! Please share!!
And how is everyone???!!! {{{{{{huge group hug}}}}
Sooooooooo, how much do you love it???!!! (Yes, the picture, but mostly the song! lol)
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What do you guys think?? What’s your favourite part??
Mine is the pause and the “hmm” after “I see you with your new man and it’s cool” hahaha! lol … oh and also his VOICE throughout the whole thing, new shades and tones and textures we haven’t heard before… HE IS ACTUALLY MAGIC!!!!!
I love the whole vibe of it, how it makes me want to dance and sing along, how it’s so relatable … “Sometimes I wake up in… the wrong side of my head”??? “Some nights the TV’s on … just so I don’t feel alone” … “Which Office episode should I choose?”… get out of my brain, Archuleta!!!!!
I also love how he acknowledges these anxieties in the song but it’s so happy and upbeat that you feel not only is he “OK, all right” with himself, but you can be too… we all can be OK, all right with who we are.
CANNOT WAIT for everyone to sing along with this in concert!!!
Could there possibly be a better song for these crazy crazy times??!!
In case you haven’t heard, Billboard premiered the song today, along with a great interview with David!
Archuleta is also ready to let go of his inhibitions by simply having fun with the music he creates — something he’s been longing to do since the beginning.
“When I first started [singing], all I knew was that I liked to sing, it made me feel good, and it made me feel understood,” Archuleta says. “I’ve realized I still feel more fulfilled when I connect to why I started singing in the first place. I can have peace, I can have fun, but I can be honest — and have the combination of all that, rather than just go after the catchiest, poppiest, trendiest thing. I just feel more relaxed, and back into who I am.”
I think we all knew this was coming. Most of my timeline lately has been show/tour/event/work/[fill in gathering here] cancellations and postponements.
But David’s announcement was by far the sweetest and most heartfelt I’ve seen.
“I hope you and your loved ones are all safe”… “You are all like family to me”… “Your health and safety are amongst the top priorities for me” … “You guys are amazing”… I mean, COME ON! How awesome is our guy and his team??!!
I can’t even imagine what kind of work and stress goes on behind the scenes to (a) set up the original tour and then (b) reschedule everything. #oy
But, as we all know, David’s shows are SO worth waiting for.
And has there ever been a better time for a brand new song called “OK, All Right”??!! I need this song like air right now. Purified virus-free air as only David Archuleta can provide.
And if there’s any doubt that David has his finger on the pulse of what we require, it looks like there’ll also be a song called “Just Breathe” or “Breathe”… just hearing the bit he shared in his insta stories a while back made me literally take a deep breath and relax. Proving he is actual magic.
What do you guys think of the teeny tiny instrumental snippet David shared on insta?? Does anyone else hear a Chilean percussion-type vibe?? Just me. Mkay. Seriously though, what did you guys think??
I hold on and I should let go
I wait to think when I really know
I should’ve been TikTok-ed a million years ago
I wake up and I’m gonna slay
Another chance to hashtag a new day
Y’all can find me now, here is why
I’M VERIFIED!
By the app boss at TikTok who rules all
So that now I can finally go viral
With my voice and my smile at the end Watch the likes for my vid as they spiral away
I’M VERIFIED!
I’M VERIFIED!
It’s so short, this little clip
Is there time for me to do a backflip?
Protect my faaaaaace if I slip
Trying this dance for a challenge I’m doing
My slippery socks bringin’ me down
Trying this dance for a challenge I’m doing
My slippery socks bringin’ me down
I’M VERIFIED!
By the app boss at TikTok who rules all
So that now I can finally go viral
With my voice and my smile at the end
Watch the likes for my vid as they spiral away
I’M VERIFIED!
I’M VERIFIED!
Trying this dance for a challenge I’m doing
My slippery socks bringing me down
Trying this dance for a challenge I’m doing
My slippery socks bringing me down Trying this dance for a challenge I’m doing My slippery socks bringing me down Trying this dance for a challenge I’m doing
My slippery socks bringing me dooooooowwwwwwnnnn
[Sidenote: Try this riff for the #ParalyzedChallenge… good luck with that, everyone! J]
I’M VERIFIED!
I’M VERIFIED!
By the app boss at TikTok who rules all
So that now I can finally go viral
With my voice and my smile at the end
Watch the likes for my vid as they spiral away
I’d like to order the item pictured above, please.
The jacket? Sorry, that’s not in our inventory.
No, not just the jacket, everything in the photo.
You’d like to order that particular photo?
No, no, no, no… what’s IN the photo.
I’m not sure I’m understanding you correctly. Mr. David Archuleta is in the photo.
Yes! Thank you! Exactly!!! Can I get express delivery?
We appreciate your call but I don’t think you understand how the shop works. We don’t deliver actual human beings.
Oh.
Can I help you with anything else? We have hoodies as soft as a baby rabbit’s ears. A cool phone grip to keep your screen steady when you get an alert that Mr. Archuleta has launched an insta live. Tote bags to carry all the tissues you’ll need next time he sings Aiming for Hope. And lots of other great stuff.
Do you do rentals?
No.
Buy on instalments?
No.
What if I can find a Groupon?
You won’t. Look, I suggest you browse through the actual shop items, I’m sure you’ll find an inanimate object you’ll like.
I’ll need to think about it, I really had my heart set. Can you maybe put my name on a waiting list?
Here we are at the dawning of a new decade *gulp* … and David’s insta live last night reminded me of how awesome the 2010s have been David-wise.
There are too many high points to even summarize, but I have been thinking of some of the surprises and gifts we’ve received, that we couldn’t even have imagined 10 years ago.
Here’s my Top 10 list:
#1) The music, man
When The Other Side of Down came out in 2010, I (of course 🙂 ) listened to it on repeat … esp. my faves, TOSOD, Elevator, Stomping the Roses and Good Place. Not, in my wildest dreams, could I have imagined the incredible music David would go on to release later in the decade.
Postcards? Shine A Light? Winter in the Air? Christmas Every Day? PARALYZED???!!!!
I mean, come on!
I knew he’d just keep getting better and better but these incredible songs blew my mind… in the best way.
#2) Man on a mission
Hey, I confess I was not a happy camper when David announced his mission. I believe I was in the fetal position under my desk for like a month.
But I got over it. Eventually.
And now it’s beautiful to see what an incredible change it made in David’s life. How he blossomed from the experience. How it’s given him renewed purpose and helped him truly find himself.
#3) Social butterfly
Remember David’s classic “Hush cats” tweet? Those were the glory days of David on Twitter. The glory days of Twitter PERIOD.
But now, it’s incredible to see how David’s embraced Instagram, its stories, IGTV, since he’s been back … it’s like they were made for him!
And not just for news and updates, but for sharing what’s on his mind, covers he’s into, random fun stuff. And it’s helped us see what a deeply thoughtful person David is… a real thinker and ponderer (if that’s a word 🙂 )… I’ve lost count of the nuggets of wisdom he’s shared that I’ve written down on post-it notes, tucked all around my place.
#4) Story time with David
I remember at the first Tuacahn show, David apologizing for talking too much and the audience shouting, “DON’T STOP!” When one guy in the crowd tried to encourage him to keep going with a story, David joked, “That’s the wrong thing to tell me, buddy!” 🙂
Thank goodness, he’s picked up on how much we love hearing what he has to say just as much as we love to hear him sing.
There’s no other artist that I could listen to in concert like that… even if I’ve heard the story before, David is so genuine and real that it’s like I’m hearing it for the first time.
#5) That voice!
David’s voice has always been perfection but there’s something about the way he sings now that’s better than ever. Right?? Not just me??
I don’t know if it’s his greater life experience, or warmups, or climate of Nashville, but I really do think he sounds better than ever.
Maybe he connects even more to the songs he’s been writing this decade, I don’t know. But what I do know is that whether I’m there live, or have my headphones on, it’s like warm lava rivers of joy flowing through me.
#6) Sharing is caring
Chords of Strength was published in 2010. I loved reading every page. And watching the videos from his book tour.
But clearly that book merely scratched the surface of David’s early life.
It’s incredibly inspiring how he’s opened up and shared even more about himself in songs like Upset With Me), instagram posts like this one, on his most recent tours, and interviews like this one:
[Sidenote: When I went to youTube to find the link for this interview, I saw this comment on it from just two weeks ago:
“He carries an innocence and a guilelessness that the world so rarely sees any more. It’s refreshing to know that there are still people in the world like this. So many are posturing, trying to be sophisticates, or to showcase their sarcasm – and here he is being real and transparent and vulnerable. Just “wow!” I have tons of respect and admiration for him.” yes, yes and YES!!!!!]
David’s sharing about how much therapy has helped him is such a great message to help remove the stigma around mental health… for young people and for all of us, really.
Maybe the next decade will bring another book… or podcast… or something new around the corner??
#7) Buh, bye comfort zone!
Although we all fell for the adorkable American Idol David, hesitations, awkward pauses, and all, it’s so cool to see David now so comfortable in his own skin.
Literally! lol
Seriously though, who would’ve pictured David posting this even two years ago??
If you’ve got it, flaunt it, I say… he works hard to stay healthy and fit so sure, why not share the fruits of that labour? You know my motto: “Give the people what they want” 🙂
But over these past 10 years, he’s been pushing himself out of his comfort zone in so many ways… Nandito Ako??? TONS of public speaking??? Coming to Canada??? (kidding!!!! sort of 😉 )
#8) Nashville, y’all
Who could’ve dreamed 10 years ago that David would end up in Nashville?? You did? okay, sure.
Seriously though… now it seems like the perfect place for him! Such a laid back vibe. So much music. Great people and culture.
But 10 years ago, everyone seemed to presume he’d either be in L.A. or back in Utah.
It’s great to see the songwriters he’s been able to work with, how happy he looks there, and those Franklin shows have been super special, each and every one. There’s just something magic in the air there, I swear.
I miss Betty, the Tollbooth Lady, but I’m sure she’s enjoying her privacy again, lol.
#9) Embracing the past
To be honest, I am surprised at how David has embraced all of the “deep cuts” of his career to date… from Idol to Crush … even Hannah Montana!
I used to think maybe he’d want to distance himself from those early years but I am so glad he hasn’t. In fact, he totally has fun with it and celebrates those times, which a lot of fans still hold dear.
I still see tweets saying, “wow, he’s a real person, I thought he was just a character on iCarly” hahahaha.
#10) HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Ya, so I don’t actually have a number 10, lol, so I will take this opportunity to wish you all a very very HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I love the reflective questions David posed in his stories today… “how the past decade shaped you”… and “what do you have envisioned for the next decade”… (and he archived them HERE, yay!!).
This is how he wrapped it up:
As always, he leaves us intrigued, hypnotized and oh so mesmerized!! GO DAVID!!! BRING ON 2020!!!!
HE PUT SNOWANGELZ DOING SNOW ANGELS IN HIS VIDEOOOO!
#4
How he, um, feels “one with nature”. 😊
#5
How he surrounds himself with great people!
#6
His amazing fam:
#7
His amazing fans:
#8
The way he helps people by sharing his own struggles:
#9
He is such a good sport:
#10
The way he doesn’t seem to realize that he looks like this. 😳
#11
The way he brings people from different places — different everything — together! ❤️
#12
How he brings us Christmas every day!
#13
His precious fanboy heart!
#14
HE’S FINALLY TOURING IN CANADAAAAA!!!
#15 The way he could OWN Tiktok by doing things like this but he just does them when he feels like it … because David.(And yes, I still go back and watch this … again, because David.)
#17
How he LIVES his faith… and is so inclusive of others… it’s beautiful to see and encourages me to live by example.
One time I visited a couple years ago I met my friend Lucille while on a hunt for some of the towns my ancestors were from. While I didn’t get to see her this trip, it brings fond memories. pic.twitter.com/r420Sc1VvO
#19
The way he takes a thoughtful, creative gift from a fan and turns it into a fun, interactive game with fans on both insta and FB. (The IG Live part is still saved on David’s Instagram!)
#20
How he changes up songs and yet they are still wonderful. Who DOES that??? David, that’s who!
David’s doing an acoustic version of Paralyzed on this tour that’s so ridiculously delicious. This is from last night in Austin pic.twitter.com/savCnfPJn4
#23
That David started using IGTV to give us whole songs and covers… when he did Paralyzed, I legit felt like that guy in the speaker ad who’s practically blown off his chair by the power, like wow. Here are my faves so far:
#24
How articulate and insightful… and funny!… David is in interviews… as in this one from Minnesota, where he shares some really interesting thoughts on the American Idol process and being an independent artist:
#25
His awesome band!
#26
This song:
#27
This song:
#28
And this song… always!:
#29
Okay, this may be my favourite moment from the whole tour … at the early Austin, Texas, show, David noticed that there was a baby in the audience and he asked how old the baby was and the mom said “two months… she was born the day after Paralyzed came out”
… David’s reaction was priceless, you could literally see the wheels turning in his brain
… meanwhile, every single fan there understood immediately that you mark time in terms of David events… “changing jobs? oh, right after the Idol finale… wedding day? oh, right before Spring Tour was announced” bwahahahahaha
PRICELESS!!!!
@DavidArchie ‘s reaction after learning from a mom in the audience that her baby was born “just after Paralyzed came out”. Priceless! And speechless! pic.twitter.com/G60PwjXXSe
Wishing each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a peaceful, joyous, new music-filled New Year!!!! 🙂
Between his incredible shows, interviews, music videos, fun posts, and spring tour announcements, David truly has made this season feel like Christmas Every Day, hasn’t he?
I’ll share more later, once I collect myself, but for now I’m going to just leave these videos here from the lovely and amazing Cheryl and Shelley (from the last two shows) of some of my favourite songs on this tour.
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{{{{{{{{{GROUP HUG!!!!}}}}}}}}
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p.s.
HAVE NOT ADEQUATELY SPAZZED ENOUGH ABOUT SNOWANGELZZ (ME & REFNAF) DOING SNOW ANGELS IN A DAVID ARCHULETA VIDEOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! IT’S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!!!! (it takes me a while to process things hahahaha)… WE’RE AT ABOUT 1:37!!!!
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p.s.
