Neon Limelight

Awfully good one here!

Source

Interview Bits: Christmas And Other Random Tidbits From David Archuleta’s Heart

December 14, 2009 by TJ   
 

David Archuleta is in a giving mood this season. The uber-talented 18-year-old singer treated his fans to “Christmas From The Heart,” a beautiful album of his renditions of yuletide classics, and even an original song sure to become a holiday staple. He didn’t stop there, though. He’s now out on the road promoting the new album with a nation-wide tour.

His generous spirit rubbed off on us at Neon Limelight. We decided to put our interview with Archie in the hands of the people who know him the most — the fans! But we didn’t want to just talk about the album or the tour. We wanted to give you guys a chance to get the answers to some of the most random questions you could think to ask. You came through with the questions, we came through with the answers!

Ever found yourself wondering what his favorite Christmas cookie is, who’s easiest to shop for in his family, what he’d study in college, or what product he’d love to endorse?

The answers to these questions and more can be found in Neon Limelight’s totally random interview with David Archuleta!

Neon Limelight: Have you tried your “Christmas From The Heart” iPhone app, and if so, what was your score?

David Archuleta: I did try it! My version didn’t score me. For some reason it was a different version, so it didn’t score me afterward. [Laughs] But I have tried it. It’s interesting to hear yourself and get scored on yourself even though I didn’t get the score at the end.

NL: Having your mother duet with you on tour…how did that come about?

DA: She only did the first two shows. I was trying hard to get her to come to other shows, but she said, “Oh, I’m tired!” [Laughs] And she’s taking care of all of the other kids, so I was like “OK!” But it was so much fun having her there. I used to sing with my mom when I was little. I always loved singing with my mom, but I haven’t done it for years now. It was a good opportunity because the song’s a duet on the album, so I was like who better than to have my mom. [Laughs]

NL: That’s so awesome! The fans loved the videos from the shows.

A: Awww!

NL: Was she nervous?

DA: Yeah, she was. She was practicing a lot when I asked her to do it. But once she gets on stage — it’s weird. She’s kinda like me. Once she’s on stage, she just kinda gets into it. I think I get that from her. We both practice like crazy before, but once we’re on stage we just kinda get comfortable up there.

NL: Who’s the easiest person in your family to Christmas shop for, and who’s the hardest?

DA: I guess my little sisters are the easiest  — well, all of my sisters are, because they just tell me what they want. [Laughs] My brother and parents are hard just because they’re just like “Oh, whatever!” They’re kinda like me where they just don’t really — it’s like, they’re happy with whatever. They’re happy if they don’t even get anything. Like, I’ve never been someone who dies to have something. So if like you get me a rock I’d appreciate it. [Laughs] For me, more than anything, it’s the thought of getting a present and the intention behind it more than the present itself.

NL: What’s your favorite type of Christmas cookie?

DA: Christmas cookie? Really, I’ve been trying to stay away from cookies. [Laughs] People give so many sweets and stuff on tour, but I’m just like, “Oh, I can’t eat these! Thanks for the thought!” [Laughs] I get such a sugar high from sweets. I love them, though. I really do love chocolate chip cookies and stuff like that, but I really try to stay away from them. I’ve been trying to eat healthier and I’ve been doing P90X. I’m bad with keeping up with it, though.

NL: Have you ever had a food fight with your brother and sisters?

DA: A food fight?

NL: Yep! Told you! These questions are completely random!

DA: Woooow! [Laughs] I’ve never had a food fight with my siblings. That sounds kinda fun! I’ve had a shaving cream fight. That’s fun! [Laughs]

NL: You tweet a lot about food, but what’s your favorite thing to cook?

DA: I’m not really a cook myself, but I’m definitely someone who enjoys eating the food. [Laughs] I love Thai food. Thai food is so good. I really like Mediterranean food, too. Mediterranean food and India food. So good!

NL: If you were in college right now, what would your major be?

DA: Man! I don’t know! Some of the things I’ve taken an interest in and what my friends talk to me about…I think philosophy classes are really cool. I think it would be so much fun to take one of those.

NL: This is a random small one, but we got this question a lot: how tall are you?

DA: I don’t know. [Laughs] I haven’t measured myself for like two years. I never bothered, and I’ve never cared to because…I don’t know! [Laughs] I just haven’t done it.

NL: We LOVED your ALMA Awards performance…

DA: Oh, thank you!

NL: Do you think you’ll put out a full Spanish album?

DA: I think that would be awesome and I really want to. It’s kind of like the Christmas album. As soon as I get the opportunity to do it, I’d love to. And we’re working on it. We’re really trying to get that to work out because, I mean, it’s half of my blood! Half of me is Hispanic!

NL: That’s awesome! We really loved the performance, and so many fans are still raving about it. So, please do it. We’ll love it!

DA: Aww thanks! I’d love to!

NL: Who or what is the current wallpaper on your phone?

DA: I’ve never paid attention to that. Let me see… It’s like a bunch of lines. It’s blue and it has curvy lines on it. [Laughs] I really don’t pay attention.

NL: What’s the one question you wish people would stop asking you?

DA: I don’t know. I mean, the questions that I’m sick of are the ones people need to — the reason why I’m sick of them is because so many people — it means so many people misunderstand it or like don’t know the truth or something. So, it’s good that they ask me so then I can clear it up. Like, “Oh, are you sad that you didn’t win? Aren’t you angry?” It’s like, first of all, that’s two years ago now almost. [Laughs] Or “I heard you were dating this person,” that kind of stuff. So like it’s good that you asked me, so now I can clear it up finally for you.

NL: If you could endorse any product, what would it be?

DA: Hmm. That’s a good questions. Uh… Man! I’ve never… I wouldn’t mind endorsing a water company. [Laughs] I love water. Water’s good.

NL: David Archuleta for Deer Park!DA: Or! Oooh! It’s on the tip of my tongue! The like square — Triscuits! Yeeeah! Triscuits are goooood.

Montclair videos

(video credit: Twilarchight)

The Riddle – there was a technical glitch at the beginning of song so David bantered away

RRC

POTC

Phone interview

KYXY interview – download mp3, credit: Fanscene or listen at Archuleta Avenue US

BUILD A BEAR

Remember thissssss???? Let’s talk about love…let’s listen to his sweet perfect vocals again, fellow Archies.

Reservation is required for this event – meet & greet $30 to meet+get bear+$20 gift card with part of the proceeds going to Rising Star Outreach. I’m glad David is still involved with B-A-B.

Birthday Scrapbook for D

Elicia Chin is interested in making a Birthday scrapbook for David’s upcoming birthday! So send her your messages/pics/etc!So email her at ecsa_20@hotmail.com for anything you would like to contribute!

Just to give you an idea of what I’ve been talking about here’s the video that I found after going through a list of them on YOUTUBE -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE8PPCeVZxw&feature=fvw (I thought this was still the best and kinda unique done by the fans of Vanessa Hudgens fans).

Nuestra Navidad Special

Source (All Headline News)

David Archuleta, Thalia Headline “Nuestra Navidad” Special

December 10, 2009 5:35 a.m. EST

Anthony Jones – Celebrity News Service Contributor

Miami, FL (CNS) – David Archuleta and Thalia are among the stars headlining the new “Nuestra Navidad” (“Our Christmas”) special on the Univision network. Airing Thursday, December 17th at 10pm/ET, the special features some of the biggest Latin stars in music performing some of their hit songs and Christmas classics.

“Nuestra Navidad” goes coast to coast to feature performances taped on location from various Latin music stars. Archuleta will perform “Ave Maria” from New York, while Banda Limón performs “El Burrito Sabanero” live from California. The special visits Alejandro Fernández in Mexico for his performance. Thalia and Pee Wee also perform.

For the fourth consecutive year, Emilio Estefan Enterprises partners with Univision to present “Nuestra Navidad.” Lili Estefan hosts the one hour special.

WTMX Chicage – Cara’ Connection

Click HERE to listen to Cara’s interview with David. Scroll down the page for the player.

CFTH BUZZZZZZ

People.com

Click First Look to watch the short CFTH promo video.

North Jersey dot com

Source

David Archuleta brings his holiday spirit to the Wellmont

Thursday, December 10, 2009

BY DILLON RAND

The Montclair Times

“American Idol” runner-up David Archuleta heads to the Wellmont Theatre on Sunday promoting his Christmas album, “Christmas From The Heart.” The album works to capture both Archuleta’s cheerful personality and undeniable vocal talent. Archuleta has proven himself dedicated to singing, being famed for overcoming vocal paralysis before starting his whirlwind of success on “American Idol.”

His progression would continue after the show with his popular self-titled debut album. The album featured “Crush,” a song that would hit No. 2 on the Billboard charts. Not surprisingly, both of his parents have musical backgrounds and were an inspiration to the young Archuleta, who is now only 18 years of age.

DILLON RAND: I’m sure everyone asks you about “American Idol” and what the experience was like. What questions are you sick of answering by now?

DAVID ARCHULETA: I wouldn’t say I am sick of hearing any of them. I mean, a lot of people ask me if Simon is mean. He is actually a nice guy who is just doing his job as a judge. He can get pretty blunt in doing his job, but he is a nice guy in person.

DILLON: Your most popular song has been “Crush,” which boasts a chorus “I know this crush ain’t going away.” Who was this crush on and has it gone away yet?

DAVID: Well I didn’t actually write the song so I didn’t have anyone particular in mind when it was being written. I don’t really have anyone that I have a crush on right now either. I really feel like I have been married to music. I mean, I don’t feel old enough to be married to anything, but I guess you could say I am married to music. That is the thing I have been focusing on. It’s fun to go on dates, I just haven’t done a lot of it! Maybe next year there will be a time when I can focus more on that. But I don’t know. I have not been focused on anything like that lately. So no crushes right now!

DILLON: So I’m guessing the focus has instead been the tour and the next album. What can you tell me about the upcoming album?

DAVID: Well now that the Christmas album is done and the Christmas tour has already started, the next focus will be writing for the next album. I think I will be starting to get into that in January, so next month already, I will really start to focus in on writing songs, and I am looking forward to getting a hold of other people and writing with them.

DILLON: I recently read a review of a show from this tour in which the reporter wrote that your rendition of “Ave Maria” moved them and everyone else in the audience to tears. That’s quite a compliment!

DAVID: That has just been a really special song to sing and I feel like it’s a really reverent one. It is about someone who was really special. You know, the Virgin Mother, Mary. It’s interesting because I wasn’t even going to keep it in the show. I almost didn’t put it in the show because it was so hard to sing and I didn’t want it to be a letdown every night. I would feel horrible doing that. I told myself I was going to try it for the first two shows in Utah and then just drop it from there. But I just enjoyed singing it so much and felt that it was such a special song. I knew it was a hard song to sing but told myself I was going to try and go for it anyway. And I am really happy about that. I am happy that people have appreciated it, too. It’s been so fun to have in the show. It is still not an easy song to sing, but it is worth trying, because it is such a great, meaningful song.

DILLON: At a show last month in Utah, your mother, Lupe, came out and joined you in a duet of “A Merry Little Christmas.” I heard she sounded good, too! Ever think about having mom go on tour with you?

DAVID: Man, I was trying to get her to come to other shows because it’s just fun having her, but she said, “Oh I’m tired … I don’t know.” She came to the San Francisco show because I was in the Bay Area after Utah, so I was able to sing with her again there. But I think she is kind of worn out. She is running around keeping track of the rest of my brothers and sisters, so I don’t blame her for being too tired to come. But I really like singing with her. I think the last time I sang with her was years ago so I was really happy to get the chance to do it again. And I let her enjoy it, too. She loves it! She is part of the reason why I love music. I would always listen to her and think “Man … I kind of want to be like my mom.” I had always wanted to be a performer like her.

DILLON: It’s funny that she is telling you that she’s busy, when most people would guess it to be the other way around.

DAVID: Oh no, it isn’t her show or anything like that. She is a mom. She said she wanted to, but she was just tired. I was trying really hard too! I said, “C’mon mom, it is close enough to home where you can come!” And she just said, “Ugh, I’m too tired.” But she is such a hard worker. It has been great that she has been home taking care of the kids and all. She treats all of her kids the same. People talk to her about me but she always tells them: “I love all my kids. They’re all great. David, Daniel, Claudia, Jazzy, Amber, they’re all awesome!”

DILLON: Well she sounds like a wonderful lady.

DAVID: I love my mother (Laughs).

DILLON: I hear you’re writing a memoir. How’s that coming?

DAVID: It has been fun because I have been able to show people more of my personality. I have gotten to talk about the things I want to talk about, things I actually normally talk about.

DILLON: Shifting gears a bit, you won a Teen Choice Award in ‘08 for “Most Fanatic Fans.”

DAVID: Oh yeah (laughs). I was surprised because the Jonas Brothers have more fanatic fans than I do. I don’t know. I don’t have as many fans as the Jonas Brothers, but the fans I have are really dedicated. I really appreciate it. They are the ones who allow me to do this. They are the ones who support me and come to the shows and enjoy the music. You just have to love and appreciate what they do. Sometimes it can get a little crazy, but all in all they are really great. And they try to be really respectful to me. I think that is really cool of them to do. They don’t hound and attack me. They just say “Hi!”

DILLON: Well what has been your craziest fan moment so far?

DAVID: Well they don’t usually pounce me, but it was weird with this one lady. She must’ve been in her 40s and I was running to a car when she just screams, “David Archuleta!” and grabs me. She wouldn’t let go of me and she kept trying to kiss my face. She just kept screaming my name, too, and I was wondering what on earth was going on. It was really awkward. No one had really tried to kiss my face like that. And I’m not a kissy person (laughs).

DILLON: You recently put out a Christmas album, you are currently touring across the country performing Christmas songs, and your birthday is three days after Christmas. It must be pretty easy for you to get into the Christmas spirit …

DAVID: Yeah, well I’ve been celebrating Christmas for five months now, so it’s been nice (laughs). I said to myself, “Okay David, it’s weird singing these songs in the summer, but there’s still meaning to them and that doesn’t ever change.” And that makes me think about what these songs mean and what they are all about. The songs are really cool and I’m just glad to sing them and make an album of them because they really mean a lot to me. It has just been a great experience.

DILLON: What are your plans for the holidays?

DAVID: I’m hoping to be home. My birthday is just three days after and it would be nice to be with the family just relaxing. It was so nice to do that last year. I had never appreciated it so much until last year, when I was almost never home. I am just happy to hang out with my family, playing video games and watching TV. It’s nice.

“American Idol” runner-up David Archuleta heads to the Wellmont Theatre on Sunday promoting his Christmas album, “Christmas From The Heart.” The album works to capture both Archuleta’s cheerful personality and undeniable vocal talent. Archuleta has proven himself dedicated to singing, being famed for overcoming vocal paralysis before starting his whirlwind of success on “American Idol.”

His progression would continue after the show with his popular self-titled debut album. The album featured “Crush,” a song that would hit No. 2 on the Billboard charts. Not surprisingly, both of his parents have musical backgrounds and were an inspiration to the young Archuleta, who is now only 18 years of age.

DILLON RAND: I’m sure everyone asks you about “American Idol” and what the experience was like. What questions are you sick of answering by now?

DAVID ARCHULETA: I wouldn’t say I am sick of hearing any of them. I mean, a lot of people ask me if Simon is mean. He is actually a nice guy who is just doing his job as a judge. He can get pretty blunt in doing his job, but he is a nice guy in person.

DILLON: Your most popular song has been “Crush,” which boasts a chorus “I know this crush ain’t going away.” Who was this crush on and has it gone away yet?

DAVID: Well I didn’t actually write the song so I didn’t have anyone particular in mind when it was being written. I don’t really have anyone that I have a crush on right now either. I really feel like I have been married to music. I mean, I don’t feel old enough to be married to anything, but I guess you could say I am married to music. That is the thing I have been focusing on. It’s fun to go on dates, I just haven’t done a lot of it! Maybe next year there will be a time when I can focus more on that. But I don’t know. I have not been focused on anything like that lately. So no crushes right now!

DILLON: So I’m guessing the focus has instead been the tour and the next album. What can you tell me about the upcoming album?

DAVID: Well now that the Christmas album is done and the Christmas tour has already started, the next focus will be writing for the next album. I think I will be starting to get into that in January, so next month already, I will really start to focus in on writing songs, and I am looking forward to getting a hold of other people and writing with them.

DILLON: I recently read a review of a show from this tour in which the reporter wrote that your rendition of “Ave Maria” moved them and everyone else in the audience to tears. That’s quite a compliment!

DAVID: That has just been a really special song to sing and I feel like it’s a really reverent one. It is about someone who was really special. You know, the Virgin Mother, Mary. It’s interesting because I wasn’t even going to keep it in the show. I almost didn’t put it in the show because it was so hard to sing and I didn’t want it to be a letdown every night. I would feel horrible doing that. I told myself I was going to try it for the first two shows in Utah and then just drop it from there. But I just enjoyed singing it so much and felt that it was such a special song. I knew it was a hard song to sing but told myself I was going to try and go for it anyway. And I am really happy about that. I am happy that people have appreciated it, too. It’s been so fun to have in the show. It is still not an easy song to sing, but it is worth trying, because it is such a great, meaningful song.

DILLON: At a show last month in Utah, your mother, Lupe, came out and joined you in a duet of “A Merry Little Christmas.” I heard she sounded good, too! Ever think about having mom go on tour with you?

DAVID: Man, I was trying to get her to come to other shows because it’s just fun having her, but she said, “Oh I’m tired … I don’t know.” She came to the San Francisco show because I was in the Bay Area after Utah, so I was able to sing with her again there. But I think she is kind of worn out. She is running around keeping track of the rest of my brothers and sisters, so I don’t blame her for being too tired to come. But I really like singing with her. I think the last time I sang with her was years ago so I was really happy to get the chance to do it again. And I let her enjoy it, too. She loves it! She is part of the reason why I love music. I would always listen to her and think “Man … I kind of want to be like my mom.” I had always wanted to be a performer like her.

DILLON: It’s funny that she is telling you that she’s busy, when most people would guess it to be the other way around.

DAVID: Oh no, it isn’t her show or anything like that. She is a mom. She said she wanted to, but she was just tired. I was trying really hard too! I said, “C’mon mom, it is close enough to home where you can come!” And she just said, “Ugh, I’m too tired.” But she is such a hard worker. It has been great that she has been home taking care of the kids and all. She treats all of her kids the same. People talk to her about me but she always tells them: “I love all my kids. They’re all great. David, Daniel, Claudia, Jazzy, Amber, they’re all awesome!”

DILLON: Well she sounds like a wonderful lady.

DAVID: I love my mother (Laughs).

DILLON: I hear you’re writing a memoir. How’s that coming?

DAVID: It has been fun because I have been able to show people more of my personality. I have gotten to talk about the things I want to talk about, things I actually normally talk about.

DILLON: Shifting gears a bit, you won a Teen Choice Award in ‘08 for “Most Fanatic Fans.”

DAVID: Oh yeah (laughs). I was surprised because the Jonas Brothers have more fanatic fans than I do. I don’t know. I don’t have as many fans as the Jonas Brothers, but the fans I have are really dedicated. I really appreciate it. They are the ones who allow me to do this. They are the ones who support me and come to the shows and enjoy the music. You just have to love and appreciate what they do. Sometimes it can get a little crazy, but all in all they are really great. And they try to be really respectful to me. I think that is really cool of them to do. They don’t hound and attack me. They just say “Hi!”

Go and Hear David Archuleta

“American Idol” runner-up David Archuleta will make a stop in Montclair with his “Christmas from the Heart Tour 2009,” in a performance on Sunday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m., at the Wellmont Theatre, 5 Seymour St. He will be promoting his Christmas album, “Christmas from the Heart.” Doors open at 6 p.m. His popular self-titled debut album featured “Crush,” a song that would hit No. 2 on the Billboard charts. At the close of this tour, Archuleta will be working on his next album. He will focus on writing songs and collaborating with other songwriters.

Opening for the headliner will be special guest Benton Paul.

Tickets are $25, $35 and $50, and can be purchased at the box office, or by calling 877-WELLMNT (877-935-5668), or by visiting online at www.tickets.com.

Examiner.com

Source. Lol at reminding us about his guitar hero commercial. Really. We had it framed up ages ago She provided the links to his previous stuff – nice!

American Idol’s David Archuleta coming to The Lyric

December 10, 11:46 AMBaltimore Pop Culture ExaminerGloria Dietz

Finally, runner up David Archuleta, from American Idol’s season 7 is coming to Baltimore. He will appear in concert at The Lyric next Tuesday, 12/15/09.

Archuleta comes from a Latino musical background and wasn’t familiar with pop music until he became mesmerized by Tamyra Gray when she opened the Top 30 semifinals with her memorable performance of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.” It was the first time he was aware of how expressive music could be, and what it was like to vocalize emotions. This was a pivotal moment of his that led him to who he is today. David was even lucky enough to go to a taping of the first season of American Idol and was able to sing for the contestants including Kelly Clarkson (who is in the red hat) while his father captured it on video.

When David was 11 years old, he appeared on The Jenny Jones show in 2002 and later appeared on Star Search Season 2 in 2003. This is when he became ill with bronchitis and appendicitis and was diagnosed with vocal paralysis. David needed vocal therapy and it took years of frustration and hard work, but he was able to regain his voice and became old enough to audition for American Idol.

His self-titled album has had three songs debut at once on The Billboard Hot 100 and his latest album, Christmas from the Heart is available now. David will sing a combination of holiday songs mixed with his original songs from his first album.

For tickets, go here.

Remember his Guitar Hero commercial? How cute that he wore boxers instead?

Entertainment Tonight – CFTH buzz

J.E.L.L.U.S.

Yellow M&M had a gig on ET??? And had an “awesome of m&m airtime” with the adorable David Archuleta? WHY wasn’t it Purple M&M? Purple is my favorite. After all, David sports a purple shirt for the tour, hmmmph. Just sayin’

BUT Purple is the bigger M&M and shall post the ET interview now. Also, Purple loves Yellow, so Yellow, here’s your mo-ment, ”Well, hey, Yellow, glad to be here!”

And oh,I should sign off as Red. Just in case. But my favorite color is Purple.  Hahaha.

Sun Bowl

Source

David Archuleta To Perform At Helen of Troy Halftime Show EL PASO, Texas (December 8, 2009) – American Idol’s David Archuleta will perform at the Helen of Troy Halftime Show at the 76th Annual Brut Sun Bowl on Dec. 31 at Sun Bowl Stadium.

 

“Helen of Troy is excited to bring another outstanding talent like David Archuleta to perform at halftime of the Brut Sun Bowl,” said Gerald J. Rubin, CEO and president of Helen of Troy. “David piqued America’s interest during his run on American Idol and he definitely will be a fan favorite due to his extraordinary talents as a singer-songwriter.”

Archuleta, who turns 19 years old on Dec. 28, was the runner-up on the seventh season of American Idol. In August of 2008, his self-titled album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

The Brut Sun Bowl, sponsored by El Paso’s headquartered Helen of Troy, will feature Oklahoma of the Big 12 Conference against No. 19 Stanford of the Pac-10 Conference. The Helen of Troy Halftime Show will feature a performance by David Archuleta, as well as the two fine marching bands of the universities participating in the Brut Sun Bowl.

This marks the sixth consecutive year the Sun Bowl has featured the Helen of Troy Halftime Show. Previous performers have included Los Lonely Boys, Diamond Rio, Baby Bash, Rihanna and the Village People.

The Brut Sun Bowl is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 31 at noon at Sun Bowl Stadium. The game will be broadcast live nationally in high definition on CBS for the 42nd consecutive year. Tickets for the Brut Sun Bowl range in price from $15 to $60 and can be purchased by calling (915) 533-4416 or (800) 915-BOWL or go on-line at www.ticketmaster.com.

Cleveland Phone Interview

Source

David Archuleta spreads holiday cheer in concert and on new album

By John Soeder, The Plain Dealer

December 09, 2009, 3:00PM

Chris Pizzello, Associated PressCHRISTMAS CROONER: “In my life, there’s no other time when I’ve been more involved with music than the holiday season,” says David Archuleta.

David Archuleta’s self-titled debut last year featured the Top 5 hit “Crush.” Now the 2008 “American Idol” runner-up is on tour behind a new holiday album, “Christmas from the Heart.” Archuleta, who turns 19 on Dec. 28, spoke to us last week by phone from Idaho, before a gig there.

There are so many holiday albums. What do you hope sets yours apart?

I wanted to be able to get that feeling of this whole time of year into the songs, and to be able to share that with people. That was my goal with the album. And that’s my goal with the tour, too. For the first part of the show, the focus is on pop music and non-holiday songs. In the second part of the show, we focus on the Christmas music. Hopefully, people leave in the mood for the holidays. In my life, there’s no other time when I’ve been more involved with music than the holiday season, every year. I’ve always been really into Christmastime. I used to go caroling with my brothers and sisters, and we used to do family shows together in retirement homes and hospitals. I really enjoyed it.

How did you conjure the proper mood in the recording studio?

I was like, “Man, it’s summer and it’s sunny outside, and here I am inside, thinking about these Christmas songs!” But the weather doesn’t affect the songs. The meanings don’t change. I just thought: “What are these songs about?” It helped me get deep into the meanings. And I tried to get those emotions out as best as I could in my performance. Sometimes there were Christmas lights in the studio, too.

What’s the story behind “Melodies of Christmas,” the new song that you co-wrote?

It’s about the melodies in Christmas songs, how they bring back those memories of being around the Christmas tree, opening presents with your family and spending time with people you care about. Simple melodies — like [sings] “Glo-o-o-o-o-o-ria” or [sings] “Chestnuts roasting. . .” — all those songs, they bring back those memories and those holiday feelings. Those melodies really have a kind of magic to them. While the lyrics are powerful, there’s something about the melodies themselves that really leaves an impression on people. That’s what the song is about.

Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?

This year, I really focused on journal writing. I was like, “I need to record what I’ve been doing, so my kids can know my story.” Next year, I want to focus on songwriting. I want to write as  much as I can. Right after the holidays, I’m going to be working on my next album. . . . I’m hoping to show more of myself. What I’ve been trying to do in the writing is show more of my personality, what’s on my mind, my creative side and my realistic side — just showing people more of who I am.

Another goal is to learn to play guitar better

Videos

Video credit: YouCanCallMeTina, Gengen & mrayburn8743

POC

FOG

The Riddle

My Hands

RRC

OHN

Ave Maria 

HYAMLC

WCIT

TFN

Feliz Navidad

Pictures

Amazing, awesome pictures from Gengenw!! Again!! Click link for more pictures.

Highlights:

Kendra’s familia provided the orchestral string music for the second half of the concert! Such a talented family. Hence, David sang “What Child Is This”.

And weather’s pretty bad in KC

During Feliz Navidad (see video), David came down from the stage and approached a group of young girls this time, to help sing some of the song. Cute.

As you would have realized, Kansas City is David Cook’s hometown. So the Cook clan minus David Cook was at the show!! And David thanked them for coming during one of his banters.

Waukegan Show

From Daily Herald

Videos!

credit: SnarkyMawg

Melodies of Christmas!

What Child Is This

The First Noel

Silent Night

O Holy Night

HYAMLC (David & Lupe)

Pat-a-pan

Ave Maria

Riu Riu Chewbacca

Prayer of the Children

The Riddle

Fields of Gold

Zeroooooo Gravity

Crush

WFY

ALTNOY

Pictures

From Gengen’s twitpic

Lol, David stopped to tie his shoe laces on stage.

Concert Review

Extract below. Click The Salt Lake Tribune with David Burger for more.

Whether singing in English, Latin (as on “Ave Maria”) or French (as on Bestor’s galloping arrangement of “Pat-a-Pan”), Archuleta showed not only a command of the material but an ability to connect with the audience with self-deprecating humor and sheepish but endearing half-waves to the crowd, which nearly sold out the symphony hall.

What was most impressive about the concert was that Archuleta and his team relied not on slick, overly produced Christmas music that would dull the experience, but on a real string section and a lean, stripped-down soft-rock sound that shows an authenticity to the teen, who is turning into a man in front of our eyes.

Twitter/Cellcast Updates

Not many updates about VIP meet. Also, this …..ShelleyFOD: “David doesn’t want us to say what he sang at VIP!”

But someone did tweet the 2 songs David sang at VIP meet.

Setlist:

1. He sang ALTNOY instead of My Hands

2. He played piano for THE RIDDLE

3. He put on a suit & tie from MOC onwards!! So smart looking.

4. Mommy Lupe dueted with him for HYAMLC – she was emotional and teary at the end of song! She’s probably on for Utah stops only?

5. For Ave Maria, the talented Mr. Kurt Bestor played the piano and David had the Children Choir for backups. Most were sitting down because @JohnAF tweeted:  “When U see the vids, U will see the sincerity & reverence in David’s face. That’s why we are sitting.”

6. LOL @ Riu Riu Chewbacca! May the force be with you.

7. Screams and applause after SN. Encore was OHN – at the end, it was NOISY!!!!

8. Thanks to @dustinnnn for hosting & annyo84 for doing the cellcast.

Twitpics

Credit to: JOHN_AF, SusanFOD, roxfox01, LF512