‘American Idol’ contestant was so overwhelmed by fame, he took a two-year religious break to find himself
David Archuleta is revealing the real reason behind his break from Hollywood following his stint on 'American Idol.' For the unversed, let us share with you that Archuleta competed on Season 7 of the ABC singing competition, and he was named the runner-up. Soon after, Archuleta released his debut single, 'Crush,' which debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2008, Archuleta dropped his self-titled album. In the five years that followed, Archuleta managed to release five studio albums. In 2013, Archuleta released a compilation album named 'No Matter How Far' and then stepped away from the microphone.
Later on, Archuleta made his way back into the music scene with his 2017 album, 'Postcards in the Sky.' During his latest interview with E! News to promote his new EP titled 'Earthly Delights,' Archuleta candidly spoke about his experience on 'American Idol' and his hiatus from the music industry. Looking back, Archuleta described himself as "a very innocent, naive kid who suddenly came to national fame on this show, 'American Idol,' when it was at the height of its popularity and millions of people were watching it and tuning in."
While shedding light on the pressures of being on a singing reality show like 'American Idol,' the 'I Will Go and Do' singer recalled, "They were invested in me, whether I do well or what would happen next. I didn't know how to make that transition and was intimidated by all that pressure and attention." While Archuleta struggled to deal with his newfound fame, he decided to take a break from the spotlight, and he found peace and comfort in a spiritual space, his church.
Speaking of his hiatus, the 34-year-old singer shared, "I went on my religious sabbatical as a Mormon missionary for two years. I came back and was like, 'OK, do I still want to do music?'" In the interview, Archuleta also confessed that he had never been on such a trip before and "he had never really taken time to reflect, like, 'What do I want to be?' Who do I want to develop into? What image am I gonna grow?"
During his two-year missionary stint in Chile, Archuleta was on a journey of self-discovery, where he got the time to explore who he really was, including his sexuality and his relationships. Following that, Archuleta returned to making music and released his eighth studio album, 'Winter in the Air,' in 2018. Archuleta's ninth studio album, 'Therapy Sessions,' saw the light of day in 2020. Next year, Archuleta came out as queer.
While having a chat with People magazine on August 18, Archuleta talked about his dating life and said, "For the most part, I date men, but I consider myself queer, so I'm still open to meeting girls. I still do, if it feels right." When Archuleta was asked about his current relationship status, he coyly said, "I don't usually disclose where I'm at in my relationships. I'm very much in my lover-boy flirty era, and it's a very fun time for me."
