David Archuleta performs during the Snow College Convocation Arts and Lecture series. Photo courtesy of Keaton Ross
On Thursday, March 24, the Convocation Arts and Lecture Series hosted David Archuleta as their guest speaker. Archuleta is a singer/songwriter who became well-known after being the runner up on American Idol in 2008.
Archuleta began his performance by singing an acoustic version of “My Kind of Perfect” which is a song that was released in 2010 along with his album The Other Side of Down. He discussed the impact that he faced being signed for a record label and performing as an artist before he was eighteen years old. He stated that he didn’t like having the focus be on himself, but because he was constantly being told that he was “living the dream” that he convinced himself he was happy. He was “supposed to be so happy with this” but he wondered, “Why do I not feel full? Why do I feel empty?” On a break for the holidays, Archuleta had the opportunity to return to his home where he spent time with his family. That is when he realized that “The things that make you happy don’t change.”
After serving a LDS mission for two years in Chile, Archuleta faced many comments about how critics “wondered why you’d take two years off and fall off the face of the earth.” Archuleta wanted to come back and “Show them that I didn’t run away.” After being busy in Los Angeles talking to producers and writers, he got “freaked out” with the amount of focus they tried to put on him. When entering a recording session, the writers asked him how he was feeling. He told Convocation students that he opened up to the writers about his feelings and they wanted to write about it. This story is how he introduced the next song that he performed from his set of new recordings called “Numb.”
David Archuleta moved right into performances of Lukas Graham’s “7 years” song and his all-time hit, “Crush.” Archuleta ended the performance by singing “Glorious” with the Snow College choir Cadence. Archuleta received a standing ovation from the many students and faculty that filled the auditorium.
Katrina Christensen
Katrina Christensen is a sophomore at Snow College and is graduating in the spring of 2016 with plans to major in Communications. Katrina graduated from Maple Mountain High School in May of 2014, and enjoyed being involved in many clubs and organizations while there. As a Sophomore at Snow College, Katrina served as a member of the Snowdrift's Senior Staff, Public Relations Student Representative, and served as a leader in her church organization. Katrina loves any excuse to take pictures, arrange fresh flowers, or to watch movies under a warm blanket.