You are beautiful in every single way: David Archuleta at LOVELoud

Posted on 05/15/2022 by TOfan

Hi guys, it’s been a minute, lol. But I wanted to share these links for anyone who missed seeing David at the LoveLoud festival last night. As the lovely and amazing Tina said in her comment, he was “incandescent.”

Source

Here’s video taken by the lovely Melissa from right in the crowd! Those cheers! ❤ (Thank you, Melissa!!!!!)

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I’m still feeling overwhelmed from watching the livestream (soooo grateful for that, btw), I can’t imagine how powerful it must’ve been to be there live.

So many feelings came pouring through for me. Everything David said. How emotional he got. That he was speaking — and singing! — publicly for the first time in months! How precious that beautiful voice of his is, how healing it is, and yet he needs to heal. What a risk he was taking testing out his voice in such a huge venue at such a large event because he needed to give a message of love and support to LGBTQIA+ youth. It was just too much, just too much… in a good way, lol.

When David got choked up when he first came on stage … realizing that when he recorded the intro clip a couple of years ago, not only did he still have dark hair but that he was still in the dark about his true self… it took me right back to the night of his mission “Announcement”… in 2011, also in SLC.

I’ve never been able to go back and watch that video and now I think I know why. We know now (from what David’s shared in videos and interviews) that back then, he was in a broken place. (I mean, he even wrote a song not long after called “Broken” 😥 ) He was desperate then to “change” himself, to leave everything behind and try to “fix” himself. It literally pains me to watch that announcement and maybe, even though I didn’t know what was going on with him then, on some level those dark feelings came through? idk, I may be way far off… hindsight is always 20/20, right? lol

But it felt like his tears last night came from a place where he’s been putting those broken pieces back together… finally starting to feel whole… in his words, not being afraid of who he is any longer but seeing the beauty we have always seen and felt in him.

It’s the complete opposite of the announcement vid for me, I could watch this one over & over and cry right with him, clutching my heart the whole time like I was last night, lol and loving the waves of love coming his way from that wonderful cheering crowd.

His words are always so meaningful and authentic and cut right to the heart of things but maybe because we missed hearing them for two long months, they hit home like never before:

“It’s a beautiful thing to be queer.”

“All of me is worth loving and all of you is worth loving.”

We love you, David! ❤

p.s.

I’ve made a donation and if you’d also like to do so (or to learn more), click: LoveLoud Foundation

Posted in Concert recap | Tagged , , , | 24 Comments

We love you, David

Posted on 01/19/2022 by TOfan

I’m sure most of you visiting here have watched David Archuleta’s 50+-minute Instagram video by now. But if you haven’t, I strongly encourage you to. [TRIGGER WARNING, however: It’s raw, it’s emotional, and he discusses suicidal ideation and trauma.]

He bares his soul as a way to work through some of the struggles he’s dealing with right now. I especially recommend watching it if you were raised in a faith tradition (like my own, for example, Roman Catholicism) that prohibits same-sex marriage and has a history of making people have to choose between their faith and their sexuality.

I also encourage you to read through the comments on the post. There are so many beautiful ones. Like this one:

“Go forth and dance”… I love that and hope David does just that.

David also shared this one in his stories:

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And he responded to this beautiful open letter to him with this tweet:

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As difficult as the video is to watch, the raw truth he shares is so important.

I know that each one of us wants nothing more than David to be happy, so it’s gut-wrenching to watch him struggle like this.

It’s also difficult not to feel anger and resentment at the forces that have caused him to literally hate himself FOR DECADES! 😥 How anyone could watch David pour his heart out like this and still oppose same-sex marriage is beyond me.

Like many of you, I sobbed through much of the video and hope and pray David is learning to love himself and find the peace and joy he so deserves.

I also hope he postpones his tour until he can give himself the care and healing he needs to restore his mental health and wellness. But if he does go ahead with it, hopefully he’ll feel the love from the crowds, reconnect with his sense of purpose and see, up close, the positive difference he’s making in the world.

{{{{{group hug}}}}}

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged , , | 23 Comments

Can David Archuleta always be on my TeeVeee?

Posted on 01/02/2022 by TOfan

Seriously though.

Seeing David perform on the New Year’s Eve PBS United in Song special was nothing short of magical.

First, he slayed Movin’… when you watch, check out how the orchestra and conductor are bopping along and smiling.

Oozing charisma like a volcano blasts lava, David moved and grooved across the stage and added vocal flourishes that made me fall in love with the song all over again.

And those backup singers?? Amazing!

But then True Colors… oh sweet peaches, that blew me away. If you think “oh, I’ve heard David sing that a million times,” THINK AGAIN!!!

You have NEVER heard it like this. The arrangement was so deliciously full of surprises, I was hypnotized, so mesmerized. 🙂 For real, though. Totally blew me away.

I can’t get over how David can still surprise me with his talent. We’ve listened to his songs and watched his performances over the years, so you begin to think we’ve seen all he has to offer. HA! As if.

Then he does something like this interpretation of True Colors. So soft and tender in the beginning, making every phrase count. Telling that story in a brand new way. Making the meaning hit home like never before. I got choked up, it was so beautiful.

And little touches like saving the lyric “like a rainbow” until the very end (usually it’s repeated throughout the song). Genius. And the smile that spreads across his face when he sings that last line. Glorious. 🙂

And at the end, how the crowd erupts in cheers and wild applause… LOVE. IT.

I was able to watch it on my PBS app, but try THIS LINK (Movin’ is at about 32 minutes in, and True Colors at about 1:14).

SO WHAT DID YOU GUYS THINK??!!!

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged , , , | 26 Comments

1st Annual @DavidArchie Pillow Ranking

Posted on 12/28/2021 by TOfan

Does anything capture the mood of this pandemic more than hiding under the covers surrounded by pillows?? Just me? mkay.

On David Archuleta’s birthday today, what could be a better time to rank our King’s preference for fluffy, cottony cushions?

So here we go, using my own personal ranking system formulated after months of perfecting algorithms, consulting focus groups, and flipping coins.

Losing Sleep pillows

Okay, these pillows are clearly the gold standard where the David pillow-verse is concerned. Could he look any comfier? Even though he’s singing about being melatonin- and sleep-deprived, these cloud-like cushions look like they dropped from heaven. Ranking 10/10.

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Tik Tok @muffymarraco Trivia Challenge

In contrast to the Losing Sleep set-up, here David looks like someone tucked him in like a human burrito. I’m guessing foam- not down-filled, with an excess of starch in the pillowcase… give the boy some Downy, for Pete’s sake! Ranking 2/10.

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Tik Tok Miley’s 16th Birthday chat

If you read the comments on this one, some peeps suspected David was high, hahaha… pillows high on thread count, I say!!! That smile says it all. Obvs these pillows were super soft and comfy, inducing a dreamy euphoria akin to, um, birthday cake. 🙂 Ranking 7/10.

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Tik Tok @djgallixc jamming

How comfortable were these pillows? So luxurious that David did two, count ’em, TWO TTs where he’s jamming to this DJ’s tunes. Pillow dancing is a rare talent but David clearly excels… ‘natch. Ranking 8/10.

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Up All Night reflections

These pillows look flat and lifeless but hey, they were clearly from the prop department so they were likely filled with sawdust and diminished expectations. But they did work well for the scenes of the rooftop gathering reflected on them, so hey, that’s show biz! Ranking: 5/5.

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Nandito Ako pillow scenes

Who knew Nandito Ako had so many pillow scenes?? Score! lol The first one was hilarious as David appears be lying on wood planks with his head on a cardboard box wrapped in fabric. Ranking: 2/10.

The second one gives us some homey flashes of coloured linens (with David nursing a sore head… was that from the altercation with the oar-wielding dude on the beach?). Ranking 5/10.

And the last one is a hospital pillow… say no more. Ranking 2/10.

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In conclusion:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAVID!!!

MAY ALL YOUR DAYS BE FILLED WITH JOY AND WONDER AND ALL YOUR PILLOWS FILLED WITH THE SOFT DOWN OF A BABY UNICORN!!!!!

Posted in Special event, Utter nonsense | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

It’s not Christmas until @DavidArchie sings

Posted on 12/23/2021 by TOfan

Confession: I’m sad this Christmas. A lot of personal and family challenges going on, and it’s the first David Archuleta Christmas tour I’ve had to miss. 😦

But what keeps me doing? You guessed it! David’s incredible music and very essence.

Here’s a tribute to Christmas tours gone by, highlighting my faves from each tour. Please share yours in the comments!

And I wish each and every one of you reading this a blessed, peaceful holiday season and the very best wishes for the New Year!! ❤ ❤ ❤

2009 Christmas From the Heart Tour

Who could forget this epic moment during HYAMLC in Westbury (last show of the tour) when Ray surprised David by joining in for a duet. David: “You know a lot about olden days, right?” bahahaha solid *BURNNN*!!!!

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Bonus feature:

2009 Larry King Live

I know we’ve all heard Pat-a-Pan a bunch, but never quite like this. The change ups David does at the end ON LIVE TV!!! blew me away then and still do now. Amazing.

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2010 MoTab

This was the year David sent all of us into a ticket-request mail-in panic! But boy, was it all worth it. An epic series of shows in SLC followed by a PBS special (DVD etc.) the following year. The whole experience was once-in-a-lifetime but the Cat & the Mouse carol still has my heart. He made you feel like you were right there in the manger with them.

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2011 My Kinda Christmas Tour

Hands down, my fave from that tour was This Christmas. Here it is in Verona, which was a crazy, awesome show with a crazy, awesome crowd as you can hear! The band was on FIYAH, as was David!! Enjoy!!

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[inter MISSION … get it?? mwahaha, sorry, couldn’t resist]

2014 Celebration of Christ

This was David’s first public performance after returning from his mission in Chile and this song just blew me away, especially the big finish! Hauntingly beautiful, and Pentatonix’s Kevin Olusola was incredible on the cello!

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2015 Christmas shows

There wasn’t a 2015 Christmas tour per se, but a few special Christmas shows, including this one in Layton. Fun fact: A total last minute thing, I flew from the end of my vacation in Florida to meet up with Refnaf in Layton for these 3 shows… I had no winter coat with me, bahahaha. WORTH IT!!!!

Loved this All I Want for Christmas/Last Christmas/Jingle Bell Rock medley… so much fun!!!

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2016 Christmas Tour with Nathan Pacheco

I bet you thought I was going to post The Prayer! lol *plot twist* This is my sketchy long-distance video from the Indy show that year. The whole show was amazing but this duet of Little Drummer Boy blew me away!! Love the arrangement and the harmonies, incredible!

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Bonus feature:

When David blew us away with an off-the-cuff Ave Maria during VIP, I cried buckets of tears and have still not fully recovered. Just wow.

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2017 Calgary

Woooot!!! David’s first ever concert in Canada!!! It was a Christmas miracle!! It was near impossible to take any videos, they were super strict, but I did manage to get audio of my fave number… you guessed it, This Christmas! The change-ups he does throughout and at the end are inCREDible!!

Bonus feature:

This hat ceremony was so awesome!!

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2018 Winter in the Air tour

So many favourites from this tour but if I had to pick one, I’d say Winter in the Air. Just magical… even though it makes me cry like a baby. Every. Single. Time.

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Bonus feature:

Love the whole Navidad album, have been listening to it a lot lately. And we got this gem in 2018.

2019 Christmas Tour

Did this tour have a name? eek, I can’t remember, lol. Anyways… this entire show was my favourite because it’s the last time I’ve gotten to see David perform live. *SOBS*

From dancing like a fool to Christmas Every Day and MCHH… to weeping to Winter in the Air and MLP, this show had EVERYTHING. If I had to pick just one, I’ll pick this mashup:

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Bonus feature:

This video for The Christmas… and not just because Ref & I are in it making… wait for it… SNOW ANGELS!!!!

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2020 What a Wonderful Way to End a Crazy Year

Love this song so much!! Who knew it would still be so relevant today? {{{{group hug}}}}

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2021 David Archuleta Christmas Tour

Sad to have to sit this one out, from from the clips I’ve seen, these are my faves. O Holy Night is always a fave but this clip had me crying from the get-go… as did MLP.

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And this special performance of Silent Night with the Turtle Creek Chorale is deeply moving.

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MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!!!! LOVE TO ALL!!!

P.S.

ICYMI:

David’s live performance this a.m. on Good Morning America!!!

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Beauty and the Beast

Posted on 11/02/2021 by TOfan

as;dlkfjaklfdjalkdfjlakjflafjlafalsdkfjakfjak THE BEAST VIDEOOOOO!!!!

It’s some kinda wonderful, yes it is!!!

I wasn’t expecting something so cinematic, so… dark! I mean, I know that’s what the song is about… those dark places we all experience in relationships when your trust issues catch up with you… (just me? mkay :)) … but I guess I expected the video to have CGI or animation where a beast pops out of sweet David or something, lol. More like Monsters Inc. than Friday the 13th. 🙂

This video definitely made me appreciate the song even more, which is what videos are supposed to do, right?

Anywayyyyys… how much do you love it??!! Here’s my own personal deconstruction on what was going through my twisted mind at various points. Please share yours!!!

Okay, the car is empty. Instant intrigue. I feel like I’m watching an episode of Vera or Law & Order… starring David!
This girl is gorgeous and I love her dress. Oh, and David is clearly not speeding, so she’s smiling.
Very cool place for David to be sitting… I thought maybe a luggage carousel because that’s how he rolls (heh heh).
David wandering alone down an empty street … searching for snacks?
David looking all moody and stylish in a very cool outfit… the aviator jacket rocks and I appreciate that the director included lots of shots of those awesome boots. 🙂
Hello, symbolism alert!! The backdrop of the gate… jailed by your inner demons… bars holding you from your true happiness… okay, I’ll stop now.
My favourite part!!! Going up the down escalator!!! What a powerful metaphor! And NOT easy to do (I have tried, lol)… props to David’s upper body strength and overall awesomeness.
Something just hit him like a full moon.
Seriously though, this part really got me! The Beast struggling to be released! Strong Thriller vibes!
That look! “What did I say??!!” *SOBS* Man, his acting is SO convincing! Josh Bradley 2.0!!!
I didn’t notice her lack of coat (but Refnaf mentioned it to me… since David’s wearing a warm, cozy jacket and she’s not) so I’m going to say maybe she was so ticked at him she stomped off and left it in the back seat?
Sidenote: If you’re going to storm off in a huff, that is one spooky street to do it on… sooo glad he went after her!
Moral of the story: A Beast can still be a gentleman.
More shots of the full outfit and snazz footwear. I approve.
Costume change! Love this red jacket! I do hope the car was in park, however.
Moody, pensive David strolling the mean streets.
“Why aren’t any ice cream parlors open?? IT’S MY CHEAT DAY!!!“
You can feel the angst oozing from him like sap from a haunted tree… jam from a jelly donut?
Back to lying on the car, David ponders the meaning of existence… or is taking a nap.
Not gonna lie, David on the bridge made me nervous… especially since he looked so upset. (Maybe because the Therapy Sessions window is cramping my screen shots style! lol)
Breathe, I say to myself, just breathe!
Back on the car hood. Defeated? Resigned? Or resting up so he can face the future back in the driver’s seat?
(That dang TS window sure brings out MY beast inside! 🙂 )

How about you guys??!!! Thoughts?? Feelings?? All of the above?!

Posted in Video review | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

Oh. Em. Geeeeeee… David’s getting a Dreamcoat!!!

Posted on 10/28/2021 by TOfan

Gaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Soooooo excited for this news. David will ROCK this!! (‘natch)

I remember going to see Joseph when Donny Osmond was touring with the show and they came to Toronto.

I’ll never forget just before the curtain went up, they announced an understudy would be doing the role that night … not Donny.

I was disappointed but felt so badly for the understudy when the crowd erupted in a collective groan. #Awkward … Poor Guy had to then come out and do the whole show knowing how disappointed everyone was. 😬

Anywayyyys, the understudy was great, the show was great and David will be so amazing!!!

What do you guys think??!!

Posted in Fan experience | 6 Comments

.@DavidArchie’s other new book (not really)

Posted on 09/28/2021 by TOfan

Okay, so we all know David Archuleta is releasing a children’s book called My Little Prayer soon (woooot!!!) … [note: if you’ve fallen, got trapped under something heavy and haven’t ordered it yet, do so HERE.]

But did you know that David Archuleta has also released this fascinating tome:

Full disclosure:

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I choose to believe this is our very own David Archuleta.

That he’s been taking time during the pandemic to get his BA, MS and MBA… because he’s super smart like that.

And that he wants to share even more of the fitness lessons he gave us in this video:

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Here are some sneak peek illustrations from the book (not really 🙂 ):

ABS-olutely mahvelous. (And yes, that is what he should’ve called the book.)

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I’m not 100% sure what a “Dad’s bod” is… I mean, if it refers to my dad, the diet entails bran, rice pudding and lots of grilled cheese sandwiches.

But I trust David and if anyone knows how to look good even while doing excruciating squat grimaces, it is certainly him!

Cannot wait to get my copy, which goes perfectly with this song!

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p.s.

PSA: You need this performance of Patient in your life, trust me!!

Posted in Book review, Utter nonsense | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

We like the way he’s Movin’… cubed!

Posted on 09/02/2021 by TOfan

Fans asked and Mr. David Archuleta answered! With three ways to get Movin’!!

What’s your fave? OG YouTube, After Hours Insta or Movin’ FB?

I’m leaning toward the YouTube original (‘cuz I listen to both versions and love them both) but there’s something so West Side Story about the FB version choreography that I love! lolol

After Hours Insta

Movin’ FB

Click here to watch. (Stooopid FB doesn’t let you embed their videos. 😦 )

OG YouTube

So what do you guys think?? Can you pick a fave? Have you ordered a matching chain yet?

p.s.

A little too not over this choreo at the end of the FB version *flames emoji*

Posted in Video review | Tagged , , | 27 Comments

David sharing and singing and sharing and singing some more is my favourite

Posted on 08/26/2021 by TOfan

So if you can’t keep up with Mr. David Archuleta these days… between interviews, lives and podcasts, oh my! … you are not the only one.

I’m putting these lives and interviews here in one post because (a) they’re awesome and amazing, (b) selfishly, for myself, so I can rewatch at my leisure, and (c) just ‘cuz.

First up is David’s recent insta live where he covered some of Yebba’s songs and made me yearn even more for a collab * starts prayer circle *…

Here’s some of the Yebba part to bless your ears:

And this exchange melted my cold, cold heart:

Next up is the TikTok live (which I also missed when it was live so thank youuuu to

Enrique Iglesias fan club for posting on YouTube!!):

Then we have this amazing interview with Yahoo Entertainment. So many deep, wonderful thoughts, I need to rewatch!!

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p.s.

Among all the profoundly wise insights, this might also be my favourite part:

Not sure which live this was in, but when someone asked about his skin care routine and he does an extreme closeup in different lighting to show his “flaws” and he basically just reinforced how perfect his skin is. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Posted in Fan experience | 7 Comments