Blogamole › David Archuleta

By Michael Lopez

Anyone expecting a followup to The Other Side of Down may now have to wait a while. It seems American Idol alum, David Archuleta, will be putting his music career on hold for the next two years to become a Mormon missionary.

David made the emotional announcement during a concert in Utah last night. Pushing through tears and a wave of emotions, Archie told the crowd that he was answering a "higher calling."

"It's not because somebody told me that I was supposed to do it," he explained on stage. "And it's not because I no longer want to do music anymore, but it's because it's the feeling that I felt that I need to do next in my life."

So far, it's unclear if David will serve the church here in the states or do missionary work overseas. But you've got to admire his devotion to his faith. And we're sure the experience will make for some very interesting lyrics when he returns to the studio in 2014.

Do you admire David’s devotion to the Mormon church? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Agentes De Cambio, American Idol, Blogger: Michael Lopez, David Archuleta, Música, Mormonism, Religion

By Michael Lopez

This past week in New York, a mini American Idol reunion took place. Famous vets Constantine Maroulis, David Cook, and David Archuleta united to perform songs at a Ronald McDonald House charity concert.

The event was held to help bring in money for pediatric cancer patients and turned out to be a rousing success. Over $375,000 was raised at the show, which also happened to be sponsored by Calvin Klein Inc.

Archie seemed very excited to be a part of the event. When tweeting about it, he made sure to give plenty of shout outs to his fellow Idol alums.

"Had a really great night tonight at Ronald McDonald House! Good hearing Cook again as well as Constantine Maroulis. Awesome performers."

And, for the record, this is hardly David's first venture into charitable territory. The pop crooner has also donated his time to causes like DoSomething.org and Haitian relief. Way to go Archie!

Which American Idol alums would you most like to see perform together? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Agentes De Cambio, American Idol, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Constantine Maroulis, David Archuleta, David Cook, Música, Ronald McDonald House

By Michael Lopez

In case you were wondering, there was an actual purpose behind the three-day weekend we all just enjoyed. Though the true meaning of Memorial Day can sadly get lost in the shuffle of beach outings, BBQs, and department store sales, several celebs made sure to recognize the millions of military personnel who have given up their lives for this country.

Rihanna wrote a very heartfelt message to her fans,

"Happy Memorial Day!!! #Cheers to the troops!!! And to their wonderful families! You are the heart of this Nation and We love you so much!"

Justin Timberlake tweeted a very inspiring message to his 4.6 million followers,

"Everyone please Thank veterans, active personnel & their families this wknd for sacrifices they have made for us. I'm very thankful!"

Jennifer Lopez made a point to express some military Twitter love too,

"Let's take a moment to send love to all the service men and women around the world!!!!"

In fact, a rather large amount of famous tweeters added the #MemorialDay hashtag to their posts. And we're sure that the hundreds of thousands of soldiers currently stationed overseas greatly appreciated the gesture.

And country star LeAnn Rimes, who has a long history of supporting the troops, made sure to acknowledge the important holiday as well,

"To all of the soldiers who have fallen for our country, Eddie [Cibrian] and I will never forget the ultimate sacrifice you have made for our country. To all the families who have lost their loved one's, our hearts go out to you this Memorial Day and always. God Bless you all!"

Other famous Memorial Day shout outs came from David Archuleta, Mark Sanchez, and former American Idol finalist Chris Daughtry.

Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama carried out his traditional Presidential duties on Monday by visiting Arlington Cemetery and laying a wreath on the tomb of the unknown soldier.

"To those of you who mourn the loss of a loved one today, my heart breaks, goes out to you,” the President said. “I love my daughters more than anything in the world, and I cannot imagine losing them. I can't imagine losing a sister or brother or parent at war."

Did you do anything special to commemorate Memorial Day? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Barack Obama, Celebrities, David Archuleta, Holidays, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, LeAnn Rimes, Memorial Day, President Obama, Rihanna, twitter

By Michael Lopez

We told you not to worry about David Archuleta. Even though he got the news that Jive Records dropped him last February, the former American Idol star is right back at it, auditioning new musicians to join him for a full-fledged band!

In a recent YouTube video blog, an enthusiastic Archie spoke to fans about his latest undertakings. Though he filmed the vlog from his home base in Utah, David explained how he had been spending time in L.A. meeting with drummers, keyboardists, and guitarists for an upcoming musical project.

He also posted an accompanying blog with the clip.

“Letting you guys know about the band auditions and meetings that have been going on aside from the NASCAR and blimp rides while in LA haha. Been keeping busy with that but really looking forward to how it’s going to come about. Can’t wait to get everything set up and to start performing again!”

David also brought up more Spanish news, greeting fans with a “Buenos Días.” He confessed that he’s currently trying to learn multiple languages and broaden his horizons as an artist. Archie even did some impromptu piano playing, though nothing with a Latin rhythm…just yet.

Would you like to see David Archuleta in a rock band? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags American Idol, David Archuleta, Hot Stuff, Música, Vlogs, YouTube

By Michael Lopez

It’s been an interesting week for American Idol. On the TV front, the series has been performing well in the ratings, introducing viewers to a whole new batch of talented crooners. But for alum David Archuleta, things haven’t been going so well. His latest album, The Other Side Of Down, has sold way below expectations, leading Jive Records to drop him from the label.

Archuleta’s disappointing album sales have come as somewhat of a surprise. The Other Side Of Down’s lead single, “Something ‘Bout Love,” generated positive buzz, and fans clamored for a peek at David’s stylish video. But since then, Down has only sold 67,000 copies, not even close to the platinum status of his self-titled debut.

But if there’s one thing that David is famous for, it’s his upbeat personality. After news of his split with Jive broke, Archuleta went viral, posting a clip addressing the situation. Filmed at California’s Magic Mountain theme park, David smiled and said his peace in a seven-minute video.

“Jive has been changing as a company,” Archuleta said. “[Working there] just didn’t feel like the right thing now. I’m looking forward to the future, what David is going to be giving to you guys!”

With such talent and likeability, we’re sure Archie is going to land on his feet. Perhaps he can start working on some duets with new Idol hopefuls or carry out that plan to record en Español.

Did you like David Archuleta’s latest album? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags American Idol, David Archuleta, Jive Records, Música

By: Simone Hilliard

David Archuleta dropped his third studio album The Other Side of Down Tuesday (October 5). While we're sure Archuleta is hoping the new LP will garner commercial success, the Miami native and American Idol runner up admits his primary goal with his new musica is to help people get through the dark times of life; confirming that even he gets supremely bummed at times.

Image: Getty Images

Archuleta told MTV News:

"No one goes through life just smooth sailing, coasting. Everyone has those rough patches, and so I don't want to ignore them and act like everything's hunky-dory, but I do feel like ... there's always something to be happy and grateful about no matter what you're going through."

That's not to say Archuleta's album is filled with mopey, "woe is me" ballads. In fact, anytime the pop star found his songwriting going to a dark place, he switched gears.

"I wanted to look at it from a different perspective. It's like, 'Yes, I do feel a little confused and it can be a little frustrating, but things will be OK.' I want people to know that you don't have to stay in that place, and I feel like sometimes people get stuck there so much. I wanted to get people out of there with this album."

His "don't give up" attitude is reflected all over The Other Side of Down, from the self-questioning "Who I Am" to the choir-enhanced "Things Are Gonna Get Better." Even Archie's infectious single "Elevator" has the 19-year-old taking a dream about a girl as an opportunity to speak about the ups and downs of growing pains. It's a message all the more eerily prescient given the recent onslaught of teen suicides.

"I've been getting a couple letters about bullying and stuff. It's interesting how that issue's come up again. But I think that's why it's important to surround yourself with good friends too. I think they can really help you get that support, and they don't always have to be the most popular kids. ... You just need good people who have a good heart and care about you. That's what matters."

Did you get your copy of The Other Side of Down ?

Let us know what you think of Archie's new musica in the comments, or @MTV3!

Tags American Idol, David Archuleta, The Other Side Of Down

By Michael Lopez

We love hearing about music artists getting in touch with their Latin roots. So what if they’re not native Spanish speakers, the fact that they are interested in reciprocating the love to their Latino fans is good enough for us. And now pop star David Archuleta’s talking about belting out his next batch of hits en Español!

In a phone interview with HitFix.com, David mentioned,

"I really wanna do a Spanish album. I have that Latin culture background. It's a part of me. I'm not the best Spanish speaker, but I have a longing to connect with that. I just think how supportive the Latin community has been, even during 'Idol.' I'd like to give back with something like that."

Pretty awesome news! Although it may take a little while until we hear his big Spanish debut. Right now David's got his hands full with the release of his second big record, titled The Other Side Of Down.

Already getting tons of buzz thanks to a really cool kick-off single, Down is set to drop next Tuesday (October 5). And for those who want the full Archuleta experience, his site is offering a deluxe version complete with a DVD, hand initialed pix, and a David friendship bracelet.

Source: [HitFix]

Would you pick up an Archuleta album en Español? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags American Idol, David Archuleta, Música, The Other Side Of Down

By Michael Lopez

A while back we got to listen to David Archuleta's "Something About Love," the first single off his new Other Side Of Down album (dropping in October). We dug the song a lot and were actually quite curious to see how it would translate into a video.

Well now it’s finally hit, and the “Something” video is getting tons of positive fan reaction all over the web. As you can see on his Twitter page, David obviously appreciates the praise.

“Thanks for the positive feedback you guys on the video!!”

We like it because it doesn’t try to be too ambitious. No other-worldly special effects, no slick fashion designs, just a simple portrayal of everyday life.

David starts off walking the streets in a basic t-shirt and jeans, dropping by the basketball court and admiring the urban landscape. Then we see him at a gorgeously lit evening party, under a sprawling night sky.

People having fun, shining sparklers, and posing for pictures…This is the kind of stuff we can all relate to (as opposed to Diddy flying over New York in a private helicopter). And it doesn’t hurt that the song is so catchy too. We still can’t get it out of heads!

Source: [Billboard]

What did you think of David Archuleta’s new video? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags David Archuleta, Música, music videos, Something About Love, Video

By Michael Lopez

She’s in? She’s out? Whatever is going on behind the scenes at “American Idol,” it’s stirring up tons of buzz. That’s definitely a good thing; even if J.Lo and Steven Tyler (the rumored-yet not confirmed new judges) don’t commit, just getting their names out there as contenders is great “A.I.” publicity.

Yesterday (August 2), the Hollywood Reporter confirmed that “no deals have been signed” and Ms. Jenny From The Block's reps are keeping their mouths shut too.

So let’s go to a worst-case-scenario here: What if Jennifer doesn’t do it? We still need to fill that Latin “A.I.” void, right?

That’s why Blogamole’s chiming in, with a few judge options we think would be perfect!

Marc Anthony
Whether or not they get J.Lo, Marc Anthony would be a great back up. If she does sign on however, how awesome would it be to see this music power couple interact? The cuddly exchanges, the bickering over talent, hey we’ve all been there. It could even work as a separate reality show entirely.

Gloria Estefan
We all remember how heavily Gloria’s music was featured on “A.I.’s” Latin episode. She’s been in the business for over 25 years and definitely knows a thing or two about musical talent. Perhaps if J.Lo and Marc Anthony don’t make the cut, she could bring along her counterpart spouse, Latin uber-producer Emilio!

Read more...

Tags American Idol, David Archuleta, Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Reality, Television, Thalía

By Michael Lopez

Doesn’t it seem like yesterday that sweet young David Archuleta was the “American Idol” runner-up everybody was rooting for? Yeah, David Cook took the prize that year, but we all knew Archulta’s career was just getting started.

In the two short years since then, he’s pwned the Teen Choice Awards (and is up for two more next month), scored an Alma Award, toured with Demi Lovato, and released a #2 debut album!

After David released his latest single, “Something ‘Bout Love,” this week, the buzz just kept on building: Live performances, public appearances, even his own Tweets are keeping the Archuleta hype machine going strong:

“I really appreciate the excitement and all the support from you fans!!! It means a lot! Thanks so much you guys!! :D”