David Archuleta’s Christmas From The Heart Receives Lovely Review From Manila

Ever since David’s trip to Asia, I have been in love with the people there. Everywhere David went, they were just so warm and welcoming and appreciative. The interviewers had done their homework, asked intelligent questions, and respected David. Thankfully, we did not have to hear “Do you have a girlfriend?” a thousand times while David was in Asia. Some of David’s best interviews came out of the time he was there. And the fans.. well, they ADORED him.

The concert in Manila with David Cook was just epic. Oh, how I would’ve loved to be a part of that special day. So, it’s not surprising that David has received a very positive review from the Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation, or mb.com.ph.

David Archuleta sings from the heart in Christmas album
By ROWENA JOY A. SANCHEZ

Christmas songs are intrinsically beautiful for imparting the message of love and hope. This means singers need only to render these well to deliver their magic and purpose.

David Archuleta does just that. In the CD “Christmas From The Heart,” the “American Idol” runner-up passes up on grand ambitions, opting instead to use his soaring pipes for simple yet soulful renditions of the 13 tracks here.

The effect: Goosebumps galore akin to the feeling of watching his showdown with Cook in “Idol” back when.

Indeed, 18-year-old Archie (a nickname his fans gave him) is serious in putting out feel-good music regardless of a song’s popularity. This 13-track album of all-time Christmas favorites, as well as lesser-known holiday tunes, plus an original song, also stands testament to Archie’s versatility in that his voice can fit any type of setting – from an intimate club to an orchestra-filled theater stage.

His vocal prowess is highlighted in the tracks “Joy To The World,” “O Holy Night,” and “Ave Maria.” In “What Child Is This” and “Silent Night,” he sounds almost like a divine messenger lulling a child to “sleep in heavenly peace.” He touches on longing, too, in “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” which, surely, many OFWs could relate to.

And then there’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Done as a duet with Charice Pempengco, another singing champion, it is remarkable how the ballad did not bear any palpable upmanship between the singers. Pempengco, who is known for belting singing style, is a refreshing revelation here for simply toning it down. Verily, less is more.

The “AI” alumnus pays homage to his Spanish roots in “Ave Maria” and “Riu Riu Chiu”—only to go French in an upbeat rendition of the Burgundian classic carol, “Pat-A-Pan.” The songs may be relatively obscure, but in Archie’s hands, they become likely favorites.

He sums up every good emotion he feels about Christmas in his co-penned finale, “Melodies of Christmas.”

“Filling hearts with Christmas cheer, may it last through all the year / Something in the melodies, that the Christmas season brings / Joy and laughter in the air, smiling faces everywhere.”

Joy and laughter—that’s what Archie wants for Christmas.

And for simply singing the songs the way he did, he gives even before he receives.