‘Patience and Compassion for Yourself Is Key’: David Archuleta on Queer Self-Acceptance
Accepting his own queer identity has allowed him to more freely explore his creativity.
Music
David Archuleta is bringing his pride across the country.
With a number of Pride performances scheduled for summer — including World Pride in Washington, D.C. — he’s using the stage to celebrate authenticity.
For those who are on a journey of self-discovery, Archuleta offers advice: “Patience and compassion for yourself is key. Allow yourself to process things at your own pace,” Archuleta said in an email to Hollywood Rebound. “Not everyone is the same.”
“But do try to challenge yourself and go out of your comfort zone, especially if you were taught to fear yourself and stay away from anything that could ‘provoke’ your queerness from coming forward.”
Accepting his own identity has led Archuleta to explore his creative side more freely, he said.
“I was more uptight and didn’t dare do anything that wasn’t unquestionably safe. It’s exciting to be willing to explore more creatively as I also explore more of who I am as a person,” Archuleta said.
That creative freedom is most recently heard on the flirty “Crème Brulée,” and the vulnerable and sultry “Can I Call You.”
“Crème Brulée” is the first single from Archuleta’s upcoming EP, which is expected to release in August. A Haylee Wood remix of the song is also out.
“You really do see the world in color with a new vibrancy when you allow yourself to open up,” Archuleta said.
And he isn’t done evolving, either.
“Coming out was always the ‘dangerous’ thing I thought would ruin my life, and now here I am and it has been invigorating … so now I'm like, ‘Ok, what's next? What else did I have holding me back unnecessarily?’”