As David Archuleta has told us, he has been doing quite a few interviews lately. One of those recent conversations resulted in an article published yesterday by the press in northern Illinois.

As is to be expected, the story contains a lot of variations on things also found in other interviews, but there were a few items that particularly interested me.

The author writes that David said that his next pop CD “won’t be drastically different from his first.” I’m not sure exactly what that means, but I suppose that there could be positive and negative aspects to that statement. On the one hand, I guess that I shouldn’t have to worry about a sudden shift to heavy metal and/or rap, which is definitely a good thing! However, I would personally prefer David’s future albums to take somewhat of a different musical direction, with more of a focus on his voice and singing, and I am crossing my fingers for a less-processed sound. (But, I digress. That’s a topic for another time…)

We’ve heard from David before about his journal writing, but I found it very interesting to read about the idea that keeping track of his thoughts in this way has helped him with songwriting ideas.

The comment from David that stood out the most to me, though, was this one: “I kind of want more songs that make people feel good. That make them say, ‘Hey, there’s a lot of good in this life.’” That sounds like a lovely goal to me, and I hope that we get to hear many of the ideas and songs that David would like to share with us to create those positive thoughts and feelings.

You can read the whole Pioneer Press article below.

By JENNIFER THOMAS, Entertainment Editor

He wasn’t the David who took home the “American Idol” crown in 2008, but that hasn’t hurt Season 7 second-place finisher David Archuleta. Archuleta, who turns 19 this month, laughs frequently and charmingly, and speaks passionately about his desire to communicate his personality through music. One of his passions is Christmas music, which led to him to release a holiday album, “Christmas from the Heart.”

“Christmas music is one of my favorite types of music,” he said. “Having your own arrangement of those songs and having an orchestra play on the album was really neat to do. Hopefully this will mean something to people this time of year.”

At Archuleta’s Dec. 11 concert at the Genesee Theatre, he’ll mostly perform Christmas music, with a small section of non-holiday music. His holiday album includes classics like “Joy to the World” “Ave Maria” and “Silent Night”; an original song, “Melodies of Christmas”; and his favorite track, the traditional French song, “Pat-a-Pan.”

It’s been a busy 18 months since Archuleta appeared on “American Idol.” He went on the “Idol” tour and then released his self-titled album in November, 2008, which included the hit single, “Crush.” He’s working on another album, which he said won’t be drastically different from his first, but he hopes to do more of the songwriting. He’s been spending time in Nashville lately with songwriters to learn the artform.

“I’ve learned a lot,” he said. “I’m really happy with the songs I’m working on. It’s about more than writing these big, smash radio hits, but how to show people what’s in my mind, my personality. I want people to understand who I am. The things I think about, what I want to talk about. I kind of want more songs that make people feel good. That make them say, ‘Hey, there’s a lot of good in this life.’”

Archuleta was just 17 when he put out his first album; he’s more comfortable with the process now.

“I’m getting a lot more involved this time,” he said. “Last year I was just so confused. I didn’t know what the process was — how you found songs, writers, did promotion.”

His New Year’s resolution for this year — to write once a week in a journal — has helped him organize his thoughts.

“I’ve always been someone who doesn’t know how to say things. This year I’ve been able to know what I’ve been thinking about,” he said. “That’s how a song starts — just with a thought.”

Unlike most singers, who get a sense of their growing popularity, “Idol” contestants have a strange experience of going from being relative unknowns one day to household names the next.

“I was not expecting to make it to the finale, make an album, go on tour,” Archuleta said. “Even if you think you’re not able to do it, not good enough to accomplish these things, you surprise yourself. When you’re given an opportunity, you don’t know where it will go in the end, so you have to take a chance. That first ‘Idol’ audition, I didn’t know where that was going, if I’d just wasted my money, but if I hadn’t gone, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Archuleta remains in contact with most of the Top 12 from Season 7, including winner David Cook. Last September, he joined Michael Johns and Brooke White on stage for renditions of “Proud Mary” and “Let it Be” when they played a concert in his hometown of Murray, Utah.

“They’re like a family the months you’re on the show,” he said. “They’re the only ones who know what it was like; the emotional roller coaster of that.”

His schedule is just as overwhelming now, but he’s sure music is his path.

“I want to continue working on music, writing,” he said. “It is a lot of work. If people are enjoying what you do, that makes the work worth it.”

SOURCE

Last 3 posts by B in Wisconsin

• David Archuleta's press conference in Honduras - January 17th, 2010
• David Archuleta's blog from Central America - January 13th, 2010
• David Archuleta on The Weather Channel - December 26th, 2009

~ by B in Wisconsin on December 4, 2009.

Christmas tour, David Archuleta

Tags: christmas from the heart tour, David Archuleta