(At Meet The Mormons premiere)
I had a strange reaction when David went to the trouble of making a video for the song “Glorious” and then gave the song away for free. The video represented what most fans consider a dream come true; David singing his heart out in the studio! I thought, ‘What is he doing? Is he sabotaging his career if he gives his talent away?’ But as the the views on YouTube climbed to hundreds of thousands and reached over a million, the light finally went on over my head.
This was a genius move. How better to jump-start his career than to hitch his wagon to a juggernaut of a song that is the centerpiece of a documentary movie? This move certainly got his name back in circulation in Utah and with his fans, some who may have stepped back when he left on a mission. Finally he had something to share with those who took the time to listen. It was a generous gift.
Next came the super cut video contest where David invited everyone to make a video of themselves singing “Glorious” to a music track that he provided.
This is where the whole thing evolved into the “song that could”. I have seen old and young, male and female, trios and duos, and choirs take to a microphone and record themselves singing. They sing in living rooms, stairwells and one was even on a road beside a corn field. Reading the descriptions below many of the videos, I could tell that this song had touched them deeply. It wasn’t just that David had asked them to sing; it was a desire to share their hearts with song.
What started out as a song to promote a documentary became something that touched generations of people worldwide. The main motivational ingredient was David Archuleta. He took a song and breathed life into it as only he can and made others want to listen to the lyrics and become inspired to sing it their way.
What I discovered by looking through the video playlist is that David’s fanbase is more diverse than I realized. At concerts there are mainly ladies and young teen girls. How nice it is to know there are men of all ages who proclaim their fandom! There is a silent majority out there who are fans. They show their support in ways that never occurred to me.
I see now that giving the song “Glorious” away for free was a master plan! A gift and an invitation from one heart to another. That’s the David I know best!