“I felt like I had this godly experience that God said, you know, I created you queer and there’s nothing wrong with that.” ANAMIKA KHANNA suit, JULIA VAUGHN necklace, ROSHAN JEWELS rings, and UNITED NUDE shoes. Photographed by Joseph Adivari
From American Idol runner-up to global artist redefining himself, David Archuleta returns to the Philippines with a new sound, a bold heart, and a celebration of Earthly Delights.
“My 20s were like a cocoon,” David Archuleta says, his voice carrying both reflection and relief. “Being a teenager, I was a caterpillar, just taking everything in and trying to survive. And then in my 20s, I thought I knew what I needed to be. But now my 30s feel like what other people’s 20s feel like.” It’s a fitting metaphor for an artist who spent much of his early life carefully folded into a shell of expectation, only to emerge, years later, with wings outstretched. After a decade of navigating fame, faith, and identity, Archuleta has cracked open the chrysalis. What emerges is a version of himself more alive and honest than ever before. His latest EP, Earthly Delights, is both a declaration of freedom and an invitation to joy; a vibrant soundtrack for someone who has learned not just to live but to savor life’s pleasures.
It’s a new chapter, but Manila will always feel like home to him. This November, Archuleta returns to the Philippines for the Playback Music Festival, performing alongside pop icons like Vanessa Carlton and Blue. It’s been more than a decade since his first visit, and yet the connection feels as immediate as the rush of a familiar melody. “Oh, I can’t wait,” he says with palpable excitement. “I think it’ll be a really fun thing to do at a festival in the Philippines. I’ve only done shows before, so this will be something new, and with other artists like Vanessa Carlton there, it’s going to be really fun.”
There’s a poetic symmetry to it all. The first time Archuleta landed in Manila, back in 2009, he walked onto a stage and performed Carlton’s ‘A Thousand Miles,’ a song that would echo through the years to this moment. “The first time I went to the Philippines, I sang ‘A Thousand Miles,'” he recalls, the memory lighting up his face. “So it’s like a full circle moment.”
The Philippines has always held a special place in Archuleta’s story. “The first time was in 2009, for the David vs. David show after our American Idol season,” he explains, recalling the whirlwind that followed his breakout moment on American television. “The winner was David Cook, and I was the runner-up, so they called it the David vs. David show.” It was his first glimpse into the passionate devotion of Filipino fans, and he was stunned. “They did a lot of really sweet tributes. It was so fun, and pretty wild. I wasn’t expecting that big of a reception and welcome from the fans.”
But beyond the applause and the flashbulbs, it was the warmth of the people that left its deepest imprint. “I feel like Filipinos have always thought I was Filipino,” he says with a laugh. “Not just because of how I look, but the way I act. When I went to the Philippines, I thought, these people act a lot like I do. They’re sweet, polite, a little shy, but love to have fun. They love to sing. They’re very emotional.” In those qualities, he saw a reflection of himself, something he rarely experienced in the U.S. “I’ve always felt a little out of place because my personality isn’t what people usually think of as American traits. So going to the Philippines, I was like, oh wow, there are actually people who live life the way I do.”
The relationship deepened when Archuleta returned to star in the teleserye Nandito Ako in 2012, a decision that, at the time, felt like a leap into the unknown. Acting was uncharted territory, yet what he found on set was a sense of belonging. “I had so much fun,” he says, smiling at the memory. “We did karaoke all the time. We were laughing, eating, filming, and working together. I became close with Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Ana Peleo, who was one of our acting coaches; it was really sweet.” That project, he admits, was bittersweet: it was the last major thing he did before pausing his music career for two years to serve as a missionary. Perhaps that’s why the bonds forged then felt even more profound. “We wanted to do something for the Filipino fans, so I recorded an OPM album and even a Tagalog song for the series. It was a really beautiful experience,” he says. “Usually when I visited, I only went to malls, venues, and TV stations. But while filming, we went to beaches and neighborhoods…I got to see more of everyday Filipino life, and it was very special.”
“I got to see more of everyday Filipino life, and it was very special.”
Today, that sense of connection, and gratitude, echoes through his new music. Archuleta’s latest project, Earthly Delights, marks his first release in five years and signals a bold departure from the world he once knew. “It really came from change,” he explains. “I grew up very religious, and it was such a big part of my identity, even my artistry. So to now step into this place I was always told to avoid, it’s like an embrace of the things I was taught to fear: my body, my sensuality, my sexuality. Accepting those things gave me confidence. Earthly Delights is about embracing earthly pleasures and living fully.” The title nods to Hieronymus Bosch’s fantastical triptych The Garden of Earthly Delights, a work that has fascinated him. “Yes, it was inspired by the painting,” he says.
This new chapter began with ‘Crème Brûlée,’ a track he calls the doorway to his “flirty era.” “I called it my flirty era because it was playful,” he says with a grin. “That opened the door to what I now call my lover boy era. It’s still flirty, a little more sexy, but in a lover kind of way.” That sensuality threads through the EP, from the soft intimacy of ‘Can I Call You’ to the Spanish-tinged sweetness of ‘Dulce Amor.’ “For a while my favorite was ‘Can I Call You’ because it had a sultry feel without trying too hard. Sexy but also sweet. Now, it’s ‘Dulce Amor.’ I love that it has Spanish in it, and the video ties into the whole earthly delights theme, this kind of fallen angel concept that I want to bring to the tour.”
The music feels like sunlight after years in the shadows. But getting here required peeling away layers of shame, a process as raw as it was liberating. “Honestly, what kept me grounded was learning to not give a f*** about what other people think,” he admits. “For a while, I thought I didn’t even deserve to be here. I thought I didn’t deserve to live because I was different. There was so much shame in my life, and I thought self-loathing was what I was supposed to do. But it was such a crummy life.” Then came the shift. “I learned I don’t have to live that way. People are going to have opinions and disapprove, and that’s okay. I feel more in tune with why I’m here than ever before. It’s liberating. It’s so exciting because now I think, what do I get to do next? It feels like I’m living life for the first time again. I feel like a kid; it’s exciting, everything looks new. I just want to share it, connect, create, experiment.”
That sense of discovery pulses through every facet of his world now. Nights out dancing at clubs. Weekends at EDM festivals. Yoga classes that ground his spirit. Hours spent perfecting choreography for music videos that reflect the full spectrum of his identity. Even dating feels different, lighter, freer. “In my 20s, I thought I needed to date because I needed to get married,” he says. “I never gave myself the chance to just explore and have fun. Now, it’s different. I’m meeting people, making friends, trying things I never would have before. It makes life so much more enjoyable.”
His hope is that Earthly Delights gives others that same freedom. “I hope it gives them space to explore and feel excited about life. To get rid of shame. And if you still feel shame, find healing. It’s okay to feel broken, exposed, vulnerable. To make mistakes, because we’re still here. God made you imperfectly, and he made you to make mistakes,” he says. “You’re not a mistake either. That’s what I hope people find in this music.”
With a memoir ahead, a tour on the way, and more music already in progress, Archuleta is no longer looking back. “Buckle up, because this is an exciting new chapter that I can’t wait to take my fans on.” And as he prepares to take the stage at the Playback Music Festival, his message rings clear: embrace joy, embrace yourself. Once upon a time, he landed in Manila as a teenager still finding his wings. Now, in his 30s, he has emerged from the cocoon, radiant and unafraid. “Like Mariah Carey says,” he laughs softly, “spread your wings and fly, butterfly.”
By LAWRENCE ALBA. Photography: JOSEPH ADIVARI. Styling: ANDREW PHILIP NGUYEN and JULIET VO. Fashion Intern: AKIRA
