With budding maturity, David Archuleta captures two years’ worth of introspection and reflection, dozens of songwriting sessions, long days spent in the studio and nights in the air, all leading to The Other Side of Down, his highly anticipated second album.
Not only the follow up to David’s 2008 self-titled debut, it’s a reintroduction to the American Idol runner-up with the angelic voice who 30 million television viewers fell in love with during season 7—now older, wiser, with faith still on his side and an eternally optimistic wide-eyed outlook. Hence, the album’s title. “For me, it’s about moving forward and making progress,” David explains. “I’m heading towards ‘the other side of down,’ which is ‘up.’”
Oh the tranquility of silence, how wonderful and generous a time that allows us to think, to discover and rediscover what we have deep within our minds and hearts. I awoke from a dream one night with one of David’s songs from his new album going on and on in my head. I had to reach for it and listen to it. So in this night it felt as if he was patiently waiting there for it to be discovered, with a peaceful smile on his face and the question, “What took you so long?” I felt elated because the words in the song give us the story that speaks to us about David and his journey. We are familiar with much of life being symbolic to David like the mere mention to us in a tweet of the formation of beautiful clouds in the blue sky one day. Watching him talk to a squirrel in a park is his way of giving us a gentle nudge to slow down and look at what is real and natural. He was reminding us then to notice the simple things. What took us so long? Only the greats can reach out to people and touch them through their art and in his near silence, he is fast becoming one of the greats.
Without hesitation I hear David’s own thoughts throughout the song. He is strongly passionate about everything in nature that is part of the land and he takes himself away to it whenever he can. I remember the day when he drove off into the mountains and sent the following picture back to us. The words of the song go wonderfully well with his picture. David doesn’t speak to one person but to everyone and it would not be odd for him to ask us if this might be a place where we would love to go.
I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
I came across a fallen tree
I felt the branches of it looking at me
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I’ve been dreaming of?
Photo by David Archuleta
Oh simple thing where have you gone?
I’m getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you’re gonna let me in
I’m getting tired and I need somewhere to begin.
Although this is not a Beatles song, I hear Paul McCartney which makes it so amazing to now hear it in David’s voice. He complements the words, the music and the English flare and I find that extraordinarily exciting. The lyrics seem to reflect upon David’s own beliefs. So now as the words of the song so obviously portray, perhaps where he has gone has become where he has longed to begin. It is possible that this is somewhere and something that he can rely on to be with him and guide him for the rest of his life. We require some environmental serenity in order to achieve spiritual sensitivity.
Camp ASCCA, Alabama’s Special Camp for Children and Adults, became a part of my life after accepting a job there as Camp Secretary. I knew the moment that I arrived on my first day at work that Camp ASCCA would give me more than simply an income. Every day was a testimony of the human spirit, of overcoming obstacles, and the joy of being who you are. I saw firsthand what camp means to the campers and their families. When a family move took me away from the area, I took Camp ASCCA with me in my heart.
The Singer and the Song Project was born from a simple hope to bring together two groups of people who I love and who I knew would love each other: my Archie family and the campers and staff of Camp ASCCA. It is just an idea…and the person who has the idea is not the person important to the success of a project. The people who are vital to its success are the ones who are willing to take the idea and give of themselves to make it happen.
Thank you so much for having giving hearts. ♥ Please know that every donation, no matter how big or how small, has an impact on the lives of these campers. The music has started. What you are about to see and hear…will be beautiful.
♦ Video by Paula ♦
All of the donations go through Camp ASCCA’s website to their PayPal account and go directly to camp, therefore, donations are tax deductible. All of the steps listed below are the normal steps to make any contribution through the camp’s website. The only addition is tagging the donation, but a lot of people tag donations anyway if making a donation in memory of someone or in honor of someone. It’s really fairly simple to see what to do once you’re on the website. Donors will receive an email confirmation/receipt of their donation.
I also have an email address for any questions regarding the project:
The recipient of the painting will be chosen at random from the donations tagged “In honor of the singer” and will get one chance to win for every $5 donated. The painting is a 16 x 20 oil on canvas.
The instructions are also in the YouTube info for the video too, so I’m hoping that helps.
Hands hold many messages. They are symbolic of personal power, capability, action, autonomy, self-expression, appeal, intelligence, language and more. DA’s hands are always part of his musical messages. However, when he is not singing, he can tend to down-play them; tuck, and fold them away with his thoughts behind those magnificent eyes.
In this photo, it seems to me that Matt Clayton has deliberately down played most of the rest of DA: his legs, torso, arms, shoulders and head are all in positions of rest or pulling back. His hands however, are bared, sleeves rolled back in preparation for action, every digit brought to full relief with light and shadow as though sculpted. The hands seem aware, fully present, caught in that moment before movement. What happens next as their purpose becomes realized, the eyes open, the head rises and body unfolds, will be a revelation.
Matt Clayton seems to me to tell stories with his work. It would be fun to know what he is thinking. There are so many ways to go with the Matt Clayton photo, e. g., pulling back before you move forward, as a metaphor for the mission, as a metaphor for our own lives, looking inward from where the “newness” actually comes from.
I looked up some of Matt Clayton’s more recent work and he shows such respect for the human body: that is, he picks settings and textures and backgrounds that show a reverence for not only the people involved and their “topic” but for human beings in general. I am not used to this.
And the pic of him sitting by DA is so fun. He has the whole design of the picture: light and dark, shadows and objects, all pointing to DA. while he sits on a lower box in the shadow. It is as though, even while he is ostensibly in the photo, he is still the observer. Only this time he is observing us observing him. That is__he is looking at us looking at DA. HIS DA. I find that so funny. I think he has a great sense of humor under it all. So I guess what I am saying is, that he not only shows respect for his subject but for his audience as well. He takes his art seriously, but not himself. Remind you of anyone?
“In Art, man reveals himself and not his objects.”
A beautiful tribute to David from us, his fans, this video truly speaks for itself. If he has any doubt that we’ll be here when he returns from his mission, he can watch this video and those doubts will quell away. Fans are represented from all over the world. I watched it through tears of happiness.
A special thank you to @starrynites01, @pastelpastel and @zerogravity1 for putting this together and to all the fans who participated.
I find this ex-treeeemly interesting. You would have to know the small town of Vernal, Utah, to really know why I’m amazed. It’s famous for it’s Dinosaur quarry, but that’s about it (well, and now Betty’s Cafe). It’s about a 3-4 hr. drive from SLC on the central-eastern side of the state. I just really wonder what David was doing out there in this small rural, farming town. They have a LDS Temple there that is a beautiful one, perhaps that’s why he went out. Because, then later, he tweeted about being in the ortho’s office and watching a movie on the ceiling screen. He just keeps his motor humming, on that fine tuned and well oiled machine, all the time.
“Betty’s Cafe head chef Lynda Oaks held up a menu that former American Idol contestant and soon-to-be missionary David Archuleta signed on his stop in Vernal on Thursday. A server at the cafe Dave Everett said he was impressed by Archuleta, and said he doesn’t see too many celebrities in the cafe. Regular customer of Betty’s Nancy Jensen Birchell said she spoke with the singer during breakfast and he admitted that he had visited the Vernal Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during his visit. Birchell said he was dressed in Sunday best and very nonchalant. “Who knew you’d see David Archuleta in Betty’s,” Birchell said. The pop singer later sent a message to his more than 2,200,000 followers Facebook about the Roosevelt and Duchesne restaurant China Star. Archuleta announced in December that he would serve a two-year proselytizing mission for the LDS Church.”
That picutre (in the link) of him at the table, with the sun all hazy around him, there – in the middle of nowhere – … it has a surreal feeling to it. Especially if you know how off the beaten track this is. Waaaaayyyyy out there in the middle of going to or from somewhere else.
He just sits there. Eating. Nonchalantly, as they say.
I don’t know of any picture or setting I have seen recently that so captures the elusive essence of DA like this one does.
Bluesky
He blows me away with all that he does. Grateful for his music and example.
MunkFOD
I find it so interesting that he is there alone and yet not alone. He is so enveloped in the light of goodness that it makes my heart pound and stand still at the same time. The photo is of value. It is so David — in this world, but not of this world.
Tawna
For me, it is like the out-of-focus image that I see here, matches with crystal clarity his image in my heart. He is, and always will be, just David.
Bluesky
That is the quality that I love most about him.
As I said above: I don’t know of any picture or setting I have seen recently that so captures the elusive essence of DA like this one somehow does.
“Beam me up, Scotty.”
Somehow this silhouette, in silence, without seeing the good-looks, without hearing the voice or being (benignly) beguiled by his open manner and ready smile, speaks volumes — If by “screaming” you mean it seems loud, I agree. Loud has never been so quiet.
Meditation on David: I remember one time there was a picture of DA in a cross legged sitting pose that spurred us on to many a discussion about his qualities of spirituality. But this unassuming image seems to capture a feeling, an essence, a tide of color and light that quietly engulfs me.
Bluesky
Bluesky, yes loud, demanding my attention, bringing, no pulling me into his space, yes engulfing me. You’re good.
And that picture is good. And David is one of a kind.
Djafan
That pic is so out of this world. I was just thinking, if we didn’t know it was David in that pic, would we know it was him? Of course we would. He has the most strikingly beautiful and recognizable silhouette I’ve ever seen.
Bebereader
Check out the artist Jan Vermeer. This looks like one of his. (Except for the ketchup)
Poof
Bluesky, Thank you for being in my David world. This: Somehow this silhouette, in silence, without seeing the good-looks, without hearing the voice or being (benignly) beguiled by his open manner and ready smile, speaks volumes — If by “screaming” you mean it seems loud, I agree. Loud has never been so quiet. He knows he is never alone even though he is by himself. This picture speaks so much about him. For some reason, I am comforted by it. I’m not sad. I don’t feel like he’s about to be lonely. I don’t feel like crying looking at it. I’m gonna be OK. He’s gonna be OK. Phew!
Angelofdja
This picture had me gulping in air, and waiting to exhale. It is as astonishingly beautiful as the man himself.
Skydancer
The photograph, so soft and understated, reveals rather than conceals what lies within…a soul of pure beauty, brilliance and light. He gets up on a Thursday morning and drives to a Temple well off the beaten path. It is not the first time he has done this. For David, it is just another day in paradise.
The My Kind of Christmas Tour hits the west coast today for a series of four concerts. Tonight David will blow everyone’s socks off in Santa Rosa at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts!
SANTA ROSA-Wells Fargo Center For The Arts
Tomorrow, Club Nokia in Los Angeles will be treated to his awesomeness.
It’s been five days since Westbury and I miss it big time. But I can’t complain; it was a midwinter night’s dream to be at VIP, sit in Row 4 and see David perform, to finally meet Angelica and Abrra and catch up with old friends. The planets aligned nicely for me; the only missing link from The Voice was Djafan. We have been looking forward to The Grand Meeting for the last two years since we started The Voice. There’s something about that third dimension that cinches the deal.
(Dear David, do you know how many people you have brought together, how many friendships you’ve created, how much good you have brought to the world? You are so young in years and have accomplished more than you realize. But that‘s another subject for another time. )
I recognized Abrra when I first saw her at VIP. She’s cute and warm and friendly and funny and nurturing and every bit as efficient and geeky as she is online. We hugged and I gave her the big kiss on the cheek I promised. It feels like I know Abs my whole life. She is like a warm fuzzy blankie. We bonded instantly, at first sight.
VIP took place in the lounge and the lights were low and hazy. It was packed and we knew David entered the room when we heard screams followed by a hush. I could barely see him at the far end of the lounge but when I got closer, there he was, dressed like a typical teenager in jeans and a hoodie, signing posters for the fans. It was a pleasure to spend some time with SandyBeaches again and to see TOFan and refnaf. I also met Kizzi for the first time! Abrra was already in line to get a signed poster and she saved me a spot. I almost forgot that Mr. Bebereader was sitting at our table, with our coats and purses. He’s been a fan of David’s since Idol and never misses a chance to say hi to him. I quickly let him know that it was time. Since he didn’t want to leave the purses unattended, he arrived at the line with three ladies purses in tow. LOL The line moved quickly…
Me: Hi David. I’m Bebe. B-E-B-E (I was sure he wouldn’t know how to spell my name.)
David: (Repeating me, as he signed) Beeee beeee B-E-B-E. Lower register. Dead. Why did he have to do that?
I could barely see him in the darkness but I wasn’t really looking either. Have you heard of self preservation? Then I heard him say “So how’re you doing?” I guess he was talking to me; I was the only one there.
Me: Great! Good luck at the show tonight! (So generic.)
David: Thanks! And thanks for coming out!
He handed me a life-sized signed poster and I made a beeline back into the crowd. A new line formed for pictures and then he sang the first verse of “My Kind of Perfect”, a capella. Lovely.
We were back out in the lobby after VIP when someone told me that Angelica had arrived. I turned around and knew exactly who she was. She’s beautiful, blond, bright, and a firecracker, a combination of attributes that you’d expect in someone who writes with so much passion.
I thought I’d pull a fast one so when I approached her I said “Hi Angelica, I’m Abrra and this is Bebe (pointing to Abrra who was standing beside me.) She had never met either of us but you can’t trick her. She good-naturedly laughed at my attempt at silliness but knew I was teasing. She sparkles; she’s fun; she’s a people magnet and she pulled me right in.
We had some time to sit in our seats in the venue before the show started. There I had the pleasure of speaking to SilverFox again; we met at a VIP two years ago. Shoutouts to FunnyGirl, who is even funnier than her screen name and Marciami, mi compadre. It was evident that fans were there from all parts of the country and elsewhere. This is such a credit to David and I was proud of him before the show even started.
On with the show…
This was not the David I remember from American Idol. He has evolved into an adult, a charismatic performer, fully in charge and a tease onstage. He knows how to work the crowd with his banter, jokes, and by the way he uses his voice. He came out with a slow saunter, singing the words to “Sleigh Ride”, looking completely different from the teenager in the jeans and hoodie I saw moments before. We gasped collectively when we saw him. We screamed. We stood, honored to see him once again. The New York audience never got a chance to see him sing songs from TOSOD and I was thrilled when he sang the title song. The setlist was eclectic and it worked. There were pop tunes, Jazzy numbers, Christmas standards and new Christmas songs. David was playful onstage but he owned it, giving the band cues, dancing, and joking with us:
“That one’s a mistletoe. I don’t know if it’s active on the stage tonight.” LOL
The highlights for me were:
1) The new bi-lingual Christmas song David wrote with Sunny Hilden, “Fa la la la la la.” It’s fun, upbeat, has a catchy tune. And it gives David a chance to let loose and do a little dancing onstage! It’s going to be my ringtone for the holidays.
2) The Amy Grant cover, “I Need A Silent Night”. Fun lyrics and David’s beautiful vocals. I go to sleep and wake up with this song in my head.
credit 8throwcenter
3) “The First Noel”, “Silent Night”, “O Holy Night”. Exquisite vocals. Beautiful reverent performances.
4) Little Drummer Boy! What on earth???!!! I was blown away by this performance. David chooses songs for a reason because they convey a message. I believe he was telling us that he wants to do music forever, is grateful for his gift and will build his career as he sees fit, thank you very much. He made a bold move and beat aggressively on the drums with mallets, to make that statement. A sight to behold when he held the two mallets up in the air. More power to you David. Own it! It’s yours!
All in all it was a great show and had something for everyone. I left the venue feeling both exhilarated and peaceful at the same time. I spoke to a few people as we were exiting. We all had the same look on our faces. What just happened?
After the show, about 50 of us gathered at the Broadway Diner to try to figure it out. We’re still not sure. Except that when all our powers of reasoning fail us, the words of Michael Orland, Musical Director of American Idol, Season 7 are brought to mind. “David Archuleta came to American Idol as a genius and he left as one.“ On a cold wintry night in December, Mr. Orland’s words ring loud and clear.
For us artists there waits the joyous compromise through art with all that wounded or defeated us in daily life; in this way, not to evade destiny, as the ordinary people try to do, but to fulfill it in its true potential – the imagination.~ Lawrence Durrell
I once asked the question, “What level of stardom does David really want?” I didn’t know the answer then and I still don’t. But I wonder if, like me, his opinion on this has changed in the last year. Just what level of success does he hope for? And what is he willing to do to gain it?
During his recent tour in Asia, David was greeted and treated as a Superstar. Both his reception at the airports and the reaction of the crowds at these events must have reminded him what it was like three years ago when he was just coming off of American Idol, reminded him how it felt to be so loved and adored by throngs of fans. He was obviously moved by it. The result was a fantastic series of concerts with David singing his heart out, including a breathtakingly beautiful performance of Heaven. It was so evident that the warm reception he received in Asia meant a great deal to him.
It should have shown David very clearly what could happen when someone has faith him and promotes him properly. Could it also have affected his idea of where he might want his career to go and made him reconsider just how much success he really wants? If so, then another question he must surely be wrestling with is: how much will he have to compromise in order to get to that place?
During an interview with The Truth About Music in April of this year, David talks about how an artist needs to think about just how much he would be willing to compromise to get to where he wants to be.
Credit: truthaboutmusic (Starts at 3:06)
In order to move forward in his career David will need exposure, promotion, and to work with a label. There are some things David will never compromise on and that’s one of the things that makes me proud to be a fan. Core values should never be compromised. However, in order for any partnership to work, there needs to be some “give and take” on both sides. How much he is willing to compromise and where that compromise might lead him remains to be seen. But we might be getting a clue in the very near future.
David just returned from Hong Kong to shoot a Music Video for his new song, “Wait”. I love this song! I think it has the potential to be a fabulous video. Wait is a romantic song, a song about love and about longing. It’s about needing someone and not being able to stop thinking about them, even when they’re gone. My sincerest wish is that it’s portrayed that way in the video. At age 17/18 he may have been opposed to the idea of being promoted and seen as a romantic figure since he was still so young. But now almost 21, I hope he is more open to the idea. Or at the very least, less opposed to it. Is he ready to share his dreams with us? Ready to encourage us to look for love and to hold on to that someone special in our lives?
It will be interesting to see what interpretation is used and how the song is presented in the video. I think it will give us some insight into where his career may go in the near future.
Whatever he decides, I will support him 100%. But I really hope he is ready to make a video about wishing, hoping, and longing for that special someone. I hope he’s ready to take his music, his videos, and his career to the next level.
Posted by SandyBeaches on Saturday, October 8, 2011
For a few years now, we have been asking ourselves and each other about the mystery and the magnetism that surrounds the relationship between David and his fans. In season seven on American Idol, Andrew Lloyd Webber advised David that he should keep his eyes open, but as his soul seeks its freedom, David continues in his own style, reaching his worldwide fans who share some of the same passions and vibrations.
Unable to fall to sleep one night, I did a search and found the keys that might unlock a mystery that has almost haunted me. What I found sounded rather technical, methodical, a little mystical and scientific. As I kept reading, the key piece to the three-year old puzzle was about to be revealed. “Who is he really?” and in the same context, “Who in this world are we?” was at my finger tips.
I found in the different writings that in modern science, the influence of music (or of sound and vibration), touches our senses from without. So then, what is the source of the influence from within? The key to the secret of the influence of music is hidden in the source where sound comes from. The source that we listen to with relentless admiration is ‘David’.
We know the amazing power of David’s voice over others, so this is where David’s fans play into the mystery. Sensitive people can feel the effects of his voice either by watching him in person or listening to him at a distance. For some who have never seen David perform live, there is an immediate connection because of the sensitivity level of the listener. David’s profound development of mental awareness of feelings and personal motivation is expressed in his speaking, but more especially in his singing.
David Archuleta ~ Joy To The World~And Wonders of His Love
From the earliest of times, it has been said that our breath is our very life and it personifies outwardly. The sound of David’s breath becomes his voice. If there is anything in this world that can give expression to the mind and the feelings, it is ‘the voice’. David makes a deep impression on us because the power that we feel is not in the words but in what is behind the words. We are in awe when David sings in Spanish or in French or Latin. It is the familiar nuances and the beauty of his voice, not the meaning of the words that has us simply spellbound.
The power of David’s mental awareness of feelings and the motivations in his voice come from the strength of his breath and we feel it and are deeply impressed. His voice creates a resonance of emotion in him (which he sometimes calls a shiver) and that vibration of music that rises and falls is the magic that we hear. The power of David’s voice on a listener depends upon the level of spiritual evolution that he has the unique ability to touch. I don’t believe that there ever will be another astounding emotional song like “Silent Night” that was sung last December. Every person in the audience felt the emotions that emanated from his eyes, his hand, the tilt of his head, the single hum and the feelings that came from the depth of his soul.
All that is beautiful and in good taste is understood, enjoyed and appreciated by only a few and sometimes this can become a hindrance to a singer’s career development. Today, people follow the crowds instead of the great souls of the music industry and David is one of the most creative and passionate singers of this generation. While some young singers fall from grace due to their growing personal problems, their popularity rises. Maybe in this stress filled generation of youth, there are those who identify with those singers and fewer who are able to identify with brilliant performers.
David has expressed to us a dream he had of performing before thirty people. In this group of listeners, most would be people who are congenial, sympathetic, understanding, and responsive to his music. These fans bring quite a wonderful vibration to him as compared sometimes to an audience of perhaps a different vibration. I can only hope that we could be in that audience of thirty people.
Possibly there will never be another audience of several thousands who were of the same musical spirit as David was in December of last year. The audience listened intently, they responded, they became attuned to him and they shared in the magnificent musical celebrations. When this happened, a phenomenon was created. What was born there in that cold December can not be unborn. It will be recreated each time he takes the stage__any stage. Those of us with eyes to see and ears to hear will witness once again, the birth of a star.
All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.
~ Arthur Schopenhauer
I have a story for you in three parts. I have just come to realize that there are three stages that David has stood on that have made his career spectacular. The first was a time that I would remember as a landmark before he left to fulfill his dreams. It was a stage in which 84,000 people in the audiences along with directors, conductors, the Tabernacle Choir, family, friends and fans witnessed the introduction of the most beloved voice. A voice soon to be heard and felt more intently on the American continent and around the world. That stage has a special place in my memory as being the stage that confirmed to him who he could be, and it was one of the proudest moments that I would ever remember.
Months went by, and then one day I realized stage two delivered itself in the song “Crazy,” an amazing story of someone who had stepped back and taken a long, methodical look at the oftentimes controversial world of music. The lyrics of the song and the emotions that were introduced for the first time are telltale that the story is about him.
The crowd was anxious for David to sing to them the night of the Idol After Party. While he was preparing to sing, “Alright, let it go!” was called out excitedly by a fellow in the audience and captured on video. The song “Crazy” is the most divulging of songs bearing the brunt of emotions that enabled him to sing it so magnificently. This may very well be his ultimate song that became a turning point.
The words with his expressions, tell us everything that we wanted to know about him months before. So now let me tell you quite possibly the story that unfolded.
I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind There was something so pleasant about that place Even your emotions had an echo In so much space
A simple walk on a California beach with the warm sun on his face and wind at his back could have opened his mind to absolute clarity. It was a time that let him give up everything that was steering him in the direction he did not want to go in and directing him to where his heart wanted to take him.
And when you’re out there Without care, Yeah, I was out of touch But it wasn’t because I didn’t know enough I just knew too much
What a wonderful feeling that he must have had to be giving up the concerns that tormented him for so long. The Albatross was gone.
The third stage has been empowering for him, with his fears subsiding and shyness all but gone. “Heaven” took us by storm and left us in awe with a bounty of emotions. The songs themselves are a progression by stages: of realizing who he is, of taking command of himself and now, with this final stage, allowing him to perform with absolute perfection. With his hand oftentimes reaching outwards, his grasp extends beyond the audience to touch Heaven itself.
From the very first word of the song his spirit soars with full intent. He has scaled a lofty summit toward his goals. You can see it in his eyes. We feel it in our hearts. He comes face to face with the One and everyone, who has loved him and stood beside him, giving him all the trust and courage he has ever wanted or needed.
David, from your fans everywhere, bravo and thank you!
Abrra
bebereader
djafan
MT
Angelica
voiceadmin
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