Archive for November, 2009

I have a funny feeling that I’ve (or someone else has) already posted this, lol. Tyring to catch up with everything since work has been keeping me a busy beeeeee. Anyway, it won’t hurt to have read this twice, in case it already has been posted …

POP QUIZ: David Archuleta

David Archuleta, the doe-eyed runner-up from the seventh season of “American Idol,” appears Monday at the Warfield in support of his new album, “Christmas From the Heart.” The 18-year-old singer’s second release this year features his golden-voiced takes on a handful of seasonal standards such as “The First Noel” and “O Holy Night,” as well as a new song called “Melodies of Christmas.” He called us last week from his family’s home in Murray, Utah, to talk about his career so far, holiday plans and dream about Bob Dylan.

Q: Are you already over this whole Christmas thing?

A: Christmas isn’t here yet.

Q: I know, but you’ve had to think about it since October when the album came out.

A: Oh, yeah. I’ve actually been celebrating Christmas since the summer because we had to start recording in July. But it’s been good. It’s helped me really think about what Christmas is all about.

Q: Was it hard to go in the studio and sing “O Holy Night” while you were wearing flip-flops and shorts?

A: It was interesting, to be sure. In some studios we had the Christmas lights up just to get in the mood.

Q: What’s the one Christmas album your family listened to every year?

A: My mom was a big fan of Celine Dion, so that’s probably the biggest. She’s such an amazing singer. There’s so much power in her songs and her voice. She’s a big part of my Christmas memories.

Q: Your album came out the same day as Bob Dylan’s “Christmas in the Heart.” Do you think any of your fans accidentally picked up his album and wondered what happened to your voice?

A: I know, they almost have the exact same title, which is pretty funny. I hope not. Bob Dylan was actually in my dream last night.

Q: What was Dylan doing in your dream?

A: I think he was singing Christmas songs. I don’t really remember my dream. It was snowing and his Christmas music was going on. I don’t know why. I guess he was on the back of my mind yesterday. I should Tweet about that.

Q: This is your second album this year, also your second tour, and you’re in the studio working on your next album. Why so fast?

A: It’s going fast, but that’s how you grow. It pushes you out of the comfort zone and what you thought you could do. You don’t think you can do it, but you get through it and you realize it’s all part of the growing process. Sometimes the business can get tough, but you have to be willing to handle it and take that challenge. It reminds you that it’s always worth it in the end.

Q: What’s the one thing you want for Christmas?

A: I don’t really want anything. Just to be home and not worry about anything. As long as I get a few days to just relax and not have to do something, I’ll be happy.

Hear David Archuleta’s music at www.my space. com/davidarchuleta.

‘Idol’ Archuleta’s career a lovely blur

At age 10, he won a children’s division of the Utah Talent Competition.

At 11, he was performing an impromptu song in a Los Angeles hotel lobby for “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson.

At 12, he became the Junior Vocal Champion on the TV show “Star Search.”

At 17, he received 97 million votes and was the runner-up on season No. 7 of Fox’s “American Idol.”

At 18, he released his first single, “Crush,” from his debut self-titled album. As of June, it had sold 900,000 copies worldwide.

And on Sunday, exactly 28 days before his 19th birthday, Archuleta will visit Santa Rosa for the first time and perform at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts on the fifth stop of his holiday Christmas From The Heart Tour.

“The ‘American Idol’ thing seems like a lot longer ago than just a little over two years,” Archuleta said last week from Los Angeles, where he was working on his new record.

“Especially this year, it has gone by so fast,” he added. “It’s like I really can’t believe that I did all that in two years. It’s amazing how it just hasn’t stopped since July 2007 (when he auditioned for ‘Idol’ in San Diego). It has just kept on going and going and going.”

While dubbed as a holiday concert tour, Archuleta isn’t naive enough to think he can skip doing at least some of the songs that accelerated his rapid rise in an industry that can take years to master.

“Yes, I’ll do a few of those pop songs that I do,” he said. “I’m kind of known for ‘Crush,’ so you have to put that one in there. It’s always fun for me to be able to sing that song.

“But the main focus will be on the Christmas music. Since it is the beginning of the season, I want people to be able to leave that night in the Christmas spirit. Hopefully, they will.”

Halfway through his run on ‘Idol,’ judge Simon Cowell declared him as the one to beat, and after his performance on the season’s finale, Cowell said he won the night. But Archuleta only received 44 percent of the official vote and bowed to winner David Cook.

“Oh, we are very good friends and we still talk on the phone a lot,” Archuleta said of Cook. “I really love David Cook. I have been trying to see one of his shows for the longest time but it never seems to work out. After ‘Idol,’ we did get to peform together in Manila and that was so cool. I have no idea how many people were there for those concerts.”

As for “Idol” itself, Archuleta still watches, and he has some advice for runners-up like himself, Blake Lewis from Season No. 6 and Adam Lambert from last year.

“I watched it from time to time last year, but it was really hard to just find the right time,” he said. “It’s fun to watch it after you have been on it because you know all the things they are going through that the people at home never know. There is a lot of work that goes into it. But it is neat to watch and know that they are doing all this other stuff.

“But my advice to anyone who doesn’t win and wants to continue in music is to be true to yourself. Don’t try to impress people by being something else. Be who you are and show people that.

“Sometimes I just sit down and wonder how I’m going to get through all this. But you just keep going anyway. You have to enjoy it.”

He said he was sorry to see Paula Abdul go as one of the “Idol” judges, but at the same time he has high hopes for Ellen DeGeneres, who has been added.

“I hope that (Paula) does well,” he said, “but it’ll be fun having Ellen on there. She is so funny.”

And while “Idol” evolves, so does Archuleta.

“I think where I have changed in the past two years is learning how to speak up for myself,” he said. “Of course, management helps a lot. I wouldn’t know the first thing about how to set up a tour. It is amazing how many people you have working for you.

“But I’ve learned how to ask for things. To tell people I want this or that. You have to or you would get walked on. You realize that it is a business.”

From Press Democrat

Ann Arbor Review

David Archuleta Fans Moved to tears at Ann Arbor Symphony Concert

David Archuleta’s performance Friday night with the Ann Arbor Symphony was full of many high points, breathtaking moments and tear-jerking melodies.

Stepping into this concert, I didn’t know what to expect. On one hand, I was bracing myself for high-pitched squeals from young teenage girls and on the other hand I was getting ready for a lovely symphony performance. During this concert, Archuleta combined an element of pop and classical music to create a beautiful, once in a lifetime experience.

The concert was filled with too many mentionable moments to list. He opened with a jaw-dropping rendition of “Angels We Have Heard on High” (Arr. Kurt Bestor), which brought many of the audience members to tears.

Between songs, in this innocent boyish charm, Archuleta filled the auditorium by talking about many different oddities such as showing us where we were in Michigan using his very own hand for the lower and upper peninsulas. He also shared with us his connection to each song and how much he enjoyed the symphony.

During the first half of the show, David sang a few of his pop songs accompanied by the symphony. A definite stand-out among these was “Crush,” his debut single from this self-titled album (released in November). The symphony slowed it down quite a bit and turned this usually fast, upbeat tune into a slower, more ballad-like version of the song.

During the first half of the concert David also stepped away from his usual concert repertoire and sang songs from other artists such as “Fields of Gold” (Sting), “The Riddle” (Five for Fighting) and “1000 Miles” (Vanessa Carlton). Although the first half of the concert was definitely note-worthy, after intermission, David really stepped it up a notch.

David surprised everyone in the crowd with a new song he had never performed before called “A Merry Christmas to Me” (Philip Keveren; Arr. Sam Cardon; Orch. Neesha Quinn), which quickly became my favorite Christmas tune.

After Archuleta sang a superb “Ave Maria”, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house- including mine. When David sang “Ave Maria” it really reminded me of why I fell in love with him in the first place. Although David can belt out any pop song you throw at him, when he sings a slower, more traditional song while backed up by a symphony, you can’t help but have tingles sent up and down your spine. The environment of the auditorium, along with the Ann Arbor symphony, really helped David’s voice to soar.

The acoustics in Hill Auditorium were amazing — they really helped to bring all of the songs to life. When Archuleta sang his rendition of “1000 Miles,” his voice engulfed every last corner of the auditorium and made it vibrate with soothing notes and lyrics. Along with the acoustics, the fact that there was a very minimal amount of teenage squeals made the concert more professional, polished and entertaining.

When you pair a glorious, Josh Groban-like singer along with a beautiful symphony and a stunning auditorium, the product is nearly perfect. The concert on Friday was an unforgettable experience in an amazing venue. I sincerely hope that Archuleta’s producers choose to have him perform with symphonies more often because it really brings out the best in this young star.

from Mlive

David Archuleta Makes Second Half of Symphony Show Sing

I’ll admit, after the first half of pop singer David Archuleta’s concert with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra Friday night, I was struggling to keep my inner Simon Cowell in check. But for the second half, it was Paula Abdul all the way.

The first half of the “Christmas From the Heart” program at Hill Auditorium was a surprising disappointment. Archuleta, “American Idol” runner up in 2008 and thus familiar with the ways of acerbic judge Cowell and the more gentle Abdul, seemed to lack confidence. Control, pacing and pitch were all over the map, and many high notes were left untouched.

Sharply dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and tie, Archuleta appeared most comfortable with the Spanish Christmas carol “Riu Riu Chiu” and Sting’s “Fields of Gold.” He accompanied himself on the piano for Vanessa Carlton’s “1,000 Miles,” and sounded good enough, but was surprisingly weak on his pop hits, “Zero Gravity” and “Crush.”

Was he nervous? Intimidated by his first-ever full show with a symphony? Wishing he were at home for Thanksgiving? Whatever it was, it left me wondering if the millions who voted for him on “Idol” were responding more to his sweet charm than his musicality. But in the second part of the show, both attributes were in evidence — a potent combination that could take him far. During “What Child Is This,” I could see the performer I hope he will eventually become. He sang from the heart and it was pure gold.

This was the Archuleta I was hoping to hear, his voice on standards such as “Ave Maria” and “Silent Night” powerful and filling Hill Auditorium the way it was meant to be filled. The standing ovation after the latter was earned and deserved. He seemed so much more at ease after the break, and his voice reflected the change, especially on the French carol “Patapan” and the lovely ballad “Merry Christmas To Me,” which he said he was performing in public for the first time Friday night.

As for his between-song comments, well, let’s just say he’s got so much energy he seldom seemed to finish a thought, or even a sentence, before he hurried off to the next one. He seemed nonplussed by the screaming teens and tweens and the shouts of “We love you, David” in between songs, and waited patiently for the fuss to die down.

For an encore, he offered an impressive “O Holy Night” that was spiritual and powerful. Then, clutching a bouquet of red roses, he waved to his cheering, screaming fans, touched some hands in the front row, and was gone.

The audience was a cross-generational mix, with many of the diehard “Archies” in the choice seats down front. During intermission there was probably more texting going on than usual at an A2SO concert, and I can’t recall ever seeing glow sticks at the symphony before.

Conducted by Music Director Arie Lipsky, the symphony, as usual, sounded superb. Leroy Anderson’s “A Christmas Festival” got things off on the right foot, but it was Anderson’s familiar “Sleigh Ride” that put me in a holiday mood.

Audience members were clearly delighted with the show.

“It’s fun seeing someone with so much talent, who is only going to get better,” said Ann Arborite Jim Fuester during intermission. “He’s so fresh and has so much energy.”

Carly Dempsey, also a local fan, said she too was thrilled with the performance.

“I like that he’s really honest. When he’s up there, he’s a little shy, but it’s natural. I think he sounded great — it’s impressive what he can do with an orchestra,” she said.

Alas, there were many empty seats on the main floor; upwards of 1,800 (out of 3,500) tickets were sold, according to A2SO Executive Director Mary Stefek Blaske. Although the turnout may not have been what was expected, you have to give the Ann Arbor Symphony credit for trying something different. This new partnership with Radio Disney is exciting and I hope it will continue, with the next show on a non-holiday weekend, which may have had an effect on crowd size.

Meanwhile, this is only the beginning for David Archuleta. It will be fun, someday, to say we saw him when.

from Ann Arbor

SLC Review

Archuleta Ushers in Sounds of Christmas

DAVID ARCHULETA, BENTON PAUL, Abravanel Hall, Nov. 25

David Archuleta may have finished as runner-up to the 2008 “American Idol,” but he’s clearly No. 1 in the hearts and minds of his hometown fans — especially those gathered at Abravanel Hall Wednesday as the young singer kicked off his Christmas tour.

From the reaction Archuleta got before he even stepped on stage, he probably could have stood up there and sung the phone book, and no one would have cared. But he didn’t, of course. Rather, he put on a stellar show that showcased his range and ability, paid homage to his pop success and captured the spirit of the season.

Archuleta started off the program with a set of some of his pop favorites, including “Waiting for Yesterday,” “Crush” and “Zero Gravity.” He debuted a new song called “The Riddle,” which is all about why we are here, he said, and which was very well-received by the audience.

He gave a beautiful rendition of “Fields of Gold,” a song he first heard when Michelle Kwan skated to it at the 2002 Olympics; and also served up a moving version of Kurt Bestor’s “Prayer of the Children.”
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But Christmas didn’t wait in the wings for very long, and with a small orchestra and dramatic lighting effects, Archuleta welcomed in the “Melodies of Christmas,” starting with a song of that title that he co-wrote for his new CD.

It was followed by a variety of traditional carols and songs, including the French “Pat-a-pan,” the Spanish “Riu Riu Chiu” and the English “What Child Is This?”

He was joined by his mother for a beautiful, harmonic duet of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and Bestor joined him on stage at the piano for a powerful rendering of “Ave Maria,” which Bestor arranged.

Striking versions of “Silent Night” and “O Holy Night” were also part of the program.

Archuleta demonstrated a confident and endearing stage presence, clearly having a good time with his hometown fans. Even more, he showed an ability to convey emotion and feeling as well as strength and musicality. He combines a powerful voice with a youthful vitality that is both engaging and impressive.

The night got off to a lively, energetic start with another Utah singer, Benton Paul, from Highland. He sang a few of his hits, including “Look for the Light” and “Paris” before shifting into the holiday mode with a beautiful “Still, Still, Still.”

from Deseret News.

Kaleidoscope finally airs on FOX! So far, this is the first video I’ve seen on youtube, SILENT NIGHT. Thanks to r2rod2 for the video! Expect more videos to be uploaded Stay tuned!

Love love loved the intro! American Idol SUPERSTAR, David Archuleta!

Yesterday, the 4th Thursday of November, the Americans celebrated their Thanksgiving Day! We, Filipinos, do not celebrate this event but we, especially us David Fans, are thrilled to what really is the significance of this very special day on Americans. Below is a brief background about this Holiday in America.

Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day, presently celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, has been an annual tradition in the United States since 1863. It did not become a federal holiday until 1941. Thanksgiving was historically a religious observation to give thanks to God, but is now primarily identified as a secular holiday.

In the United States, certain kinds of food are traditionally served at Thanksgiving meals. Firstly, baked or roasted turkey is usually the featured item on any Thanksgiving feast table (so much so that Thanksgiving is sometimes referred to as “Turkey Day“). Stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, other fall vegetables, and pumpkin pie are commonly associated with Thanksgiving dinner. All of these are actually native to the Americas or were introduced as a new food source to the Europeans when they arrived. As an alternative to turkey, many vegetarians or vegans eat tofurky, a meatless turkey made of tofu.

The less fortunate are often provided with food at Thanksgiving time. Most communities have annual food drives that collect non-perishable packaged and canned foods, and corporations sponsor charitable distributions of staple foods and Thanksgiving dinners.

In New York City, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is held annually every Thanksgiving Day. The parade features parade floats with specific themes, scenes from Broadway plays, large balloons of cartoon characters and TV personalities, and high school marching bands, which leads me to remember last year’s parade! Of course, it was such that memorable due to the presence of David Archuleta! Missed that event so I decided to post the vid of David singing a portion of ‘Crush‘ on the parade! Enjoy!

It’s a one day delay now, but it’s not yet too late to tweet and greet our lovely fella American Archangels and of course to our beautiful BB a “Happy Thanksgiving Day“!

These are some of the merchandise you will see on sale in the Christmas Tour…in case you’ll watch!

I bet everyone here loves to have ALL of these good David Christmas stuffs right? It’s the perfect gift to each Archie Fan this Christmas!

Thanks to Moose on IDF and Archuleta Avenue

Lots of Laugh when I saw this on Archuleta Fan Scene!

It is the repertoire of songs to be sung by David! (Notice the odds!)

Loving Arms, Away from Harm: To the Victims of the Maguindanao Massacre

Today, being a National Day of Mourning for the heart-wrenching tragedy that claimed 57 (+) innocent lives in Maguindanao last Monday, AP would like to dedicate this beautiful rendition of Prayer of the Children by David Archuleta to all the families that have been left in grief and mourning.

To the families of all the lawyers, journalists, politicians, men, women, and innocent civilians who fell victim to last Monday’s massacre, our deepest condolences, sympathies and most importantly, prayers are with you.

… Prayers of comfort, love, peace and most especially JUSTICE.

video credit: gengenw

Prayer of the Children

Can you hear the prayer of the children?
On bended knee, in the shadow of an unknown room
Empty eyes with no more tears to cry
Turning heavenward toward the light

Crying Jesus, help me
To see the morning light-of one more day
But if I should die before I wake,
I pray my soul to take

Can you feel the hearts of the children?
Aching for home, for something of their very own
Reaching hands, with nothing to hold on to,
But hope for a better day a better day

Crying Jesus, help me
To feel the love again in my own land
But if unknown roads lead away from home,
Give me loving arms, away from harm

Can you hear the voice of the children?
Softly pleading for silence in a shattered world?
Angry guns preach a gospel full of hate,
Blood of the innocent on their hands

Crying Jesus, help me
To feel the sun again upon my face,
For when darkness clears I know you’re near,
Bringing peace again

Dude!

Jason’s lil sis Jackie twitpic’d this:

Thanks to snarkyarchies for the tweetcaps. (i’m too lazy tonight)