David Archuleta Releases First Single Since His Journey on ‘The Masked Singer’
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After getting revealed as The Macaw on The Masked Singer, David Archuleta has released his newest musical project. The pop singer has dropped his latest single “Up” to celebrate his newfound strength and confidence.
David Archuleta Releases Brand-New Single ‘Up’
The “Crush” hitmaker may not have won The Masked Singer, but he’s nonetheless captured the hearts of many. When Archuleta unmasked himself after hiding his identity as Macaw, judge Ken Jeong was particularly brought to tears. This was apparently because Archuleta’s voice has healed the Jeong family from emotionally tough times since he sang his rendition of “Imagine” by John Lennon.
“You are a ray of light to me, my wife and to my kids– thank God for you!” Jeong said.
At the time, Archuleta didn’t hold back and shared his own personal story. The “A Little Too Not Over You” performer admitted that he had thought of suicide before he accepted himself as queer. Now, with a stronger and freer perspective on being gay, Archuleta is ready to advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights through music. Recently, the singer dropped the song “Up,” his first ever single unmasked since The Masked Singer.
“It’s a song about finding the strength you didn’t know you had in you,” he said about the song. “And replacing any fear and hate with love. Especially self-love.”
According to Archuleta, “Up” is for people who have hit rock bottom and felt hopeless. For the pop singer, getting oneself off the ground and moving up are the only ways through.
He Shared How He Overcame The Guilt of Being Queer
Growing up religious, it became an extremely difficult journey for Archuleta to come out as queer. Recounting the experience, the singer stated that he used to look at himself as a failure and a “wicked” person for not overcoming the challenge of same sex attraction.
“It made me afraid of myself, and I did not want to be a ‘wicked’ person walking the earth,” he said. “No matter how many times I tried, no matter how many times I tried dating a woman, I went to church and fasted, never looked at pornography, and despite that, I realized it was just my nature.”
Archuleta went on and stated that such fear forced him to hide himself even in the aspect of music. Back then, he would rather drop Christmas albums than songs about his sexuality. He’s released Therapy Sessions before, exposing some of his suppressed thoughts about being part of the queer community.
Later on, he realized that God didn’t intend him to change, that God meant him to be gay. Consequently, this revelation motivated him to be free and happy with the way the he is and feels.
“There was an absolute clarity and assurance, absolute confidence, so loving support from a Higher Power greater than me, that showed me how to love greater,” he said. “It taught me to love myself and allow myself to be loved. It was pure, it was healing.”
