David Archuleta Says Making New Music Feels Like 'I'm Cleansing Myself Right Now’ (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

David Archuleta at the premiere of ‘Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words’ in Hollywood on Oct. 30, 2024.Photo:Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage

Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage

David Archuletais gearing up for a metamorphosis.

On the red carpet for the premiere ofMegan Thee Stallion’s documentary,In Her Words, theAmerican Idolalum found words to describe the new music he’s been putting out.

“I’m cleansing myself right now from where I was,” Archuleta admitted to PEOPLE. “It was a good place where I was, but I feel like it’s like a metamorphosis, you’re shedding your skin. That was my caterpillar stage, and it’s now time to bloom. And I feel like’Hell Together' was kind of like my cocoon, where it’s changing, and now it’s like ‘Hey, this was my old skin and it’s time to take it off.'”

David Archuleta at the Lambda Awards on Oct. 24, 2024 in West Hollywood, California.Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty

Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty

Archuleta also gave a hint about the direction of his forthcoming album, telling PEOPLE he’s going to “channel the pop girlies, channel a little bit of my Latin roots as well.”

In 2021, Archuletacame outas part of the LGBTQ+ community in an Instagram post. “I came out in 2014 as gay to my family. But then I had similar feelings for both genders so maybe a spectrum of bisexual,” the “Crush” singer said at the time. “Then I also have learned I don’t have too much sexual desires and urges as most people, which works I guess because I have a commitment to save myself until marriage. Which people call asexual when they don’t experience sexual urges.”

David Archuleta in New York City in June 2024.Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

The singer, who was a devout Mormon, began to wrestle with the contradictions between his identity and the beliefs of the church. After breaking off three engagements with three different women, Archuleta realized he was suppressing his sexuality.

“I’m sure other people who’ve been in that situation can relate,” he told PEOPLE in 2022. “People who are queer, who’ve tried to get married just to do the ‘right’ thing, it ends up not being a very good thing, and it’s not very healthy for either participant of the relationship.”

He eventuallystepped away from the church, saying, “Once you step away, you’re finally able to see the fuller picture. It’s confusing because, literally, the pictures on my wall are all Christian-based pictures of Jesus and of scriptures and things. Now I’m like, ‘This was my world, but now it isn’t. Now what do I do?’ I have no idea.”

source: people.com