February 17, 2024

Tickets

By John Hayden

From his voice to his smile, to his warm personality, David “Archie” Archuleta has grown into a performer and role model, finding the long term success that eludes many young stars later in life.

Now he’s bringing his show to Wilton Drive. On Saturday, February 17, 2024, HarmonyWaves presents Rock the Block with Archuleta headlining the street-closing event. “I’m excited. It’s a family friendly event,” he told OutClique. “It’ll be only the third time I’ve had dancers and I’ll be doing the choreography myself.”

The Miami native shot to fame on American Idol, finishing second on season seven. He was around 18-years-old but handled the spotlight like a seasoned veteran. Since then, he’s released several albums, including Therapy Sessions, which he recorded during pandemic.

He’s also come out as LGBTQIA+. While coming out can be difficult for most people, Archuleta faced extra challenges. He comes from a devout Mormon family. While the religion has become much more friendly to the community, facing backlash was a risk.

“I was nervous. I come from a time when you’re not supposed to talk about that stuff.”

But his family isn’t just tolerating, they’re embracing. “My sister told my nieces and nephews that I’m their ‘guncle.’”

Archuleta played his first Pride event last year. He knows it’s important to represent his community. “It reminds people that people who are queer, people who are LGBTQ+ community, are part of the family.” 

Mental health is also an important issue in his life. Last year he was part of a campaign to bring awareness of mental health issues. He knows that surrounding stigma can deter people from seeking help.

“I wrote Therapy Sessions and it was basically everything that was coming out of me as a result of my own personal therapy. It was so nice to learn how to have compassion for me and for the things that frustrated me about myself.”

He learned he wasn’t alone with the things he was dealing with, and that took a huge burden off of his shoulders.

After David plays Rock the Block on the 17th, he plans to spend the rest of the year playing gigs, writing music, and writing a book. He wants to explore his time on Idol, his religion, being queer, and tackling the misconceptions that permeate pop culture.