‘American Idol’ alum reveals harsh truth behind the show — calls experience ‘miserable and traumatic’
David Archuleta came on ‘American Idol’ season 7 with a winner’s potential! However, he ended up being a runner-up, and fans still consider it one of the biggest snubs. It turns out that the viewers weren’t entirely wrong for hating on the show, as Archuleta himself had a terrible experience. In a 2021 interview with Variety, the former contestant reflected upon his not-so-pleasant journey on ‘American Idol’ and how he felt navigating it. “I felt so disconnected from everything,” he told the outlet at the time. “Like, 13 years later, I'm piecing together what actually was going on. But it's still a process because I still don't understand why people were so into it,” he added.
Archuleta admitted that he kept his guard up throughout the show, and it made the experience stressful. “I was just in protection mode the whole time. If anything, I was putting a wall between me and everyone else,” he explained. The 34-year-old singer revealed that all contestants were put under a lot of pressure, so much so that many had nervous breakdowns while filming. He summed the whole experience as “traumatic” and “miserable.” No praise from the judges or applause from the audience could change his mind about the show at that point.
In the second round of the semi-finals, Archuleta performed John Lennon's ‘Imagine’ and impressed the judges. Former ‘American Idol’ judge Randy Jackson told him that he was born to do “exactly” what he did. Meanwhile, the only thing that Archuleta could think of was: “I don't want to be here anymore.” On top of being in a high-tension environment, the former contestant was closeted at the time. He told the outlet that he was overwhelmed by “older male fans” speculating about his sexuality. He grew up being an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where homosexuality was looked down upon.
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So his teen years were certainly challenging for him on more than one ground. Nevertheless, he expressed gratitude for the show that gave him a platform and a voice. “I have to be grateful, because where would I be without it?” he said. “But at the same time, I've talked to other 'American Idol' contestants about how we all have trust issues,” Archuleta added. He recalled feeling like “powerless little bugs” who would be punished if they stepped out of line. Another downside that he faced because of ‘American Idol’ was the invasion of his privacy.
“People literally come up to me in the grocery store asking if I’m dating anybody. The Mormon thing to do is ask, ‘Who are you going to marry?’” he recalled speaking to The Daily Beast’s Obsessed. At the time, he was merely a closeted teen who didn’t know how to answer these questions. When he embraced his sexuality, things took a turn for the better. It was a hard pill to swallow for his catholic community and his mother, who didn’t accept his sexuality for the longest time. She eventually came around and everything worked out for the better. As for Archuleta’s singing career, he’s created an impressive discography!