David Archuleta

David James Archuleta is an American singer and songwriter. Born in Miami, Florida, he first gained national recognition as a young performer on television talent shows before finishing as the runner-up on the seventh season of American Idol in 2008. Following his appearance on the show, he launched a commercial recording career, releasing multiple studio albums and touring internationally.

Archuleta was born on December 28, 1990, to a mother who worked as a salsa singer and dancer and a father who was a jazz musician. Raised alongside four siblings, his family relocated to Sandy, Utah, when he was six years old. He began singing at an early age, inspired by a musical video, and attended Murray High School in Utah. As a youth, he participated in the Boy Scouts of America, eventually achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. He also completed studies at the Barbizon Modeling and Acting School in Salt Lake City.

At age ten, Archuleta won the Child Division of the Utah Talent Competition. He subsequently appeared on television programs such as The Jenny Jones Show and CBS's The Early Show. In 2003, at twelve years old, he competed on the second season of Star Search, earning the title of Junior Vocal Champion. Following his appearances on Star Search, he was diagnosed with partial vocal paralysis, which led him to limit his public singing engagements while recovering without surgery.

In 2007, Archuleta auditioned for the seventh season of American Idol in San Diego. During his time on the competition in 2008, he performed songs including Imagine and accompanied himself on piano for several performances. After placing second in the finale, three of his performances entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He signed with Jive Records in June 2008 and released his debut single, Crush, in August 2008. His self-titled debut album was released later that year, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 chart and selling over 750,000 copies in the United States.

Over the following years, Archuleta expanded his musical catalog and television appearances. He guest-starred as himself on shows such as iCarly and Hannah Montana, and released a memoir titled Chords of Strength in 2010. His third album, The Other Side of Down, was released in October 2010, featuring the single Something 'Bout Love. He also performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for their annual Christmas concert, which was later released on CD and DVD. After leaving Jive Records in 2011, Archuleta starred in the Philippine television miniseries Nandito Ako in early 2012 and released Forevermore, an album composed of covers of Filipino songs.

Archuleta continued to record and release music throughout the 2010s and 2020s. His fifth album, Begin, was released in August 2012, followed by the compilation album No Matter How Far in March 2013. He later released his sixth studio album, Postcards in the Sky, in October 2017, and his second holiday album, Winter in the Air, in 2018. In May 2020, he released his eighth studio album, Therapy Sessions.