What do I know about David’s new musical direction? Zilch.
What do I think I know about David’s musical direction? Plenty.
I have carried myself off the past couple of weeks to a remote part of the world in the Basque Country of Spain with no great wifi but with plenty of great tapas (pintxos in Basque language). I run away from my crazy real life every now and again to another kind of real life or, should I say, a truer life.
So does David.
I missed posting his Miami stint at the Nathan Pacheco’s concert. Every Archie must have heard and loved their duet of The Prayer by now. Although I prefer David’s solos to his duets, it was with excitement and relief that I managed to hear The Prayer through the semi-non-existent crackling sounds of poor wifi, waking me from rustic retardedness to sudden archudom alertedness, once again filling me now with all kinds of half- baked opinions and analysises.
Both David and Nathan have beautiful voices. The Prayer is a song written for beautiful voices like theirs to uplift and haunt the spirit of listeners.
Nathan’s interpretation soared through the musical notes into my sense of appreciation, making me smile and making me hope for more.
David’s interpretation of the same song soared straight into my heart, making me smile with tears, knowing that my spirit would be haunted for as long as my heart breathes.
Does this song give us an indication of David’s new direction? – the question that perpetually bothers us. Voice-challenging opera-esque songs? .. Or does his heart of hearts still incline towards Pop? .. Or perhaps Pop laced with a little more soul?.. Why sing MKOP and CRUSH when the hard-hitting Prayer is the meat of the repertoire and will grab all the evening’s attention? Was it to convert an “egghead” audience or to demonstrate his musical versatility? Or was it his determination to remain age- appropriate?
(Don’t get me wrong. Those 2 songs are favourites of mine. Just like many other Archies, it is my archu-business to be restless when it comes to this young man and the habit is to probe deeper and deeper into The Archulator’s mind when the occasion arises. And of course I often inevitably end up asking what seem to be rather redundant, and even silly, questions. ;). )
There always emerges an abundance of angles and sides to David if one decides to do an analysis of him. And the tough gets tougher. I will have to talk about this pic before I rattle off with some form of cohesion, hopefully.
No luxuriant hair .. ruffled or helmet-like .. no possibility of talk of it being too short or too uncool .. no Missionary get-ups to define or re-define him .. no glossy, distracting boots (luv ’em!) .. just a young man enwrapped in an incredible musical talent .. pure in heart .. pristine in attitudes .. happily communing with Mother Nature .. sending infectious vibes to all those who love him. More importantly, to continually renew his heart connection with them all.
If we stubbornly want to pin David down to a musical direction, this is what it is .. now and before .. and always :
HIS DESIRE and ENDEAVOUR to make his listeners FEEL THEIR OWN EMOTIONS vide his HEART’S VOICE and MUSIC.
Le Petit Prince – one of my favourite books
Glad that David relates to that sentiment too.
There is no specific direction. He does not have one. He just sings with his heart and from his heart. He just makes people Feel. And it’s all up to us to receive that emotion from him. He has not the kind of direction the way most of the listening masses see it ..or the way the music production companies see it.
Non-fans don’t get it. Many Archies too, admittedly , are somewhat confused. And I dare say, even David himself would confess he does not get himself either, despite his firm conviction that he is at one of his happiest while belting out a song .. any song: from the playground of Pokemon (what is that? I asked myself, scratching my head in ignorance) to the heavenly altars of The Prayer.
David has the aspirations to forge ahead towards greater commercial success, surely( he is human, isn’t he ??! 😉 ) But he also has the whimsical nature of a true artiste: he is unpredictable and will not be happily pinned down by the “how’s” and the “what’s” and the “when’s”. (His faith is another story; that will be discussed later… much later.. maybe.. maybe not ..maybe never.. 😉 )
Art and Artistes make no sense. They are beautiful qualities and entities. They live in the abstract. The artiste will express whatever that’s inside him when he needs to express them, not when he is expected to by others. I have a similar streak; I know. I paint. He might take 2 years .. 3 years .. to give us new music (Nooooo David!!) or it might be tomorrow (Yezzzzz David!! Thank you!)
This is another pic which I like from Pocoelsy’s creativity; I see it as possibly denoting the various ‘directions’ a true artiste like David can go .. eyes seeing different directions .. eyes focused on the world yet hazy into the horizons .. A smile which may not be a smile …
David is in no great hurry to meet with the world’s approval. But he will continue to touch the world; touch the hearts of those who would listen. That is his musical direction
And a good direction too, I must say…..
Scott Flarin, music director/conductor of Nathan’s concert, has this to say about David after working with him:
“So Beautiful! And talented. Deep musicianship.”
“Deep musicianship” surely puts “Direction” into a secondary, if not, a redundant place, does it not? 🙂
David with Scott Flarin
Much of David’s heart is connected with the people with whom he came in contact in Chile, the country where he spent 2 years immersed in guiding their spirituality, much done through the beauty of his voice and his heart connection with them.
And the heart connection continues –
-tracewillow-
Maybe you can see your direction more clearly now… after feeling the reaction of all the people who have come to see you in all your performances!!! Keep on sharing your light…just as you are doing…always staying REAL! 
Archuleta Avenue Malaysia 