Early life
David Archuleta was born to Jeff Archuleta and Lupe Marie, a salsa singer and dancer from Honduras. Archuleta has four siblings. Archuleta's family moved to the Salt Lake Valley, to the city of Sandy, Utah, when Archuleta was six. He was raised in Murray, Utah after moving there when he was 6 years old.
Archuleta started singing at age six, inspired by a Les Misérables video. "That musical is what started all of this," he said. He started performing publicly at age 10 when he participated in the Utah Talent Competition singing "I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton; he received a standing ovation and won the Child Division.
Archuleta was inspired by watching both Tamyra Gray and Kelly Clarkson to "see what performing and really getting into a song was like" during the beginning weeks of the premiere season of American Idol. He later made his television debut, at eleven years old, singing "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" on a Jenny Jones show for future Latino stars alongside season one finalist A.J. Gil. Through A.J. Gil he was able to meet and sing for Gray who had sung the song on American Idol as well as Clarkson (that year's winner) and Justin Guarini (the runner up).
Musical influences
Archuleta's mother is from Honduras, and much of the music he listened to as a child was Latin-influenced including watching his mom sing at events with her sisters. She also "was big on dancing" according to Archuleta, and would "make" him dance to traditional music with his older sister. He also listened to jazz music, he said, from his father's collection as well as gospel, pop, rock and "soulful music." In a later interview, he revealed that his father was a jazz musician. Archuleta also said he enjoys Broadway musicals.
On his American Idol "Fast Facts" page, Archuleta cites his musical influences as Natalie Cole, Stevie Wonder, Kirk Franklin and Bryan Adams. When asked to list his top pop artists, he cited Natasha Bedingfield, Natalie Cole, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Bryan Adams, Kirk Franklin, and Robbie Williams. Like Elliot Yamin and another singer he admires, John Mayer, Archuleta tries to infuse his pop selections with a soulful vibe.
Star Search
In 2003, at age 12, Archuleta sang on several episodes of the television show Star Search. He ended up as the Junior Vocal Champion on Star Search 2. On one episode, he sang against then-11-year-old Alexandréa Lushington, who also became a "top 20" semi-finalist on American Idol alongside Archuleta. Around the second year of being on Star Search he started focusing on the lyrics, "I didn't even pay attention to the lyrics when I was 12, 13".
Archuleta's competing on Star Search led to appearances on The Jenny Jones Show and CBS' The Early Show, and meeting the finalists from American Idol's first season, for whom he performed a spontaneous a cappella rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls, and received enthusiastic praise from Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson. The year after Star Search he found out he had partial vocal paralysis but declined risky surgery and has said he feels he is almost fully recovered. He limited his singing for specific occasions like Stadium of Fire, the Independence Day celebration at Brigham Young University Stadium.
American Idol
Archuleta won his ticket to the Hollywood final auditions (with a performance of John Mayer's "Waiting on the World to Change") with the help of idol judge, Randy Jackson, who sang the background "waiting" in the song. (at the San Diego tryouts held at Qualcomm Stadium July 30 and July 31, 2007) He was 16 during the Hollywood auditions (where he sang Bryan Adams' "Heaven" and Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" to unanimous praise) and because he was not yet 18, had to attend school while a part of American Idol's seventh season. His parents were there because he was a minor. Archuleta also took advantage of the decision to allow contestants to play musical instruments when he accompanied himself on piano for his performances of "Another Day in Paradise" and "Angels."
A Los Angeles Times article speculated why Archuleta avoided singing the first verse of "Imagine": because "of his religion (Mormonism), he's unlikely to espouse the song's agnostic ideal . . . with the line about 'no religion too.'" Archuleta did, however, sing the entire song on Good Things Utah when he was 13. During his first performance of Imagine on American Idol, when asked by judge Randy Jackson why he didn't sing the first verse, Archuleta said the third verse was his favorite because it has "a great message."
In the finale he sang "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," "In This Moment" and "Imagine." Judge Simon Cowell declared that Archuleta won the evening and even David Cook, who ultimately won, thought Archuleta would win: "I have to concede it, the kid came out all three songs and nailed it," said Cook. In the final tally, Archuleta received 44 percent of the votes. During the finale show, both Archuleta and fellow finalist Cook appeared in separate but nearly identical commercials for the game franchise Guitar Hero, mimicking a Tom Cruise scene from Risky Business.
Hold On
David Archuleta Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't deny it, now you are gone
This is the first time
Can I make it through?
Without you now, do the things I used to do
It's getting harder to ease the pain
The feeling changes, love still remains
Maybe given time
I'll make the most of what I've got
Is this the price we pay
With all the good times we shared
Faithfully, we've got a reason to go on
I know it's good to be true
Just spend the nights with you
Let me tell you that our love can make it through
Hold on, baby, hold on
We've got to go on now
This feeling's so strong
Hold on, baby, hold on
It's a burning desire
Comin' right down the wire
Sweet talking, it's all in the line
There's no turning back
Unless you make up your mind
The expectations after all of these years
Risin' to the moment let's forget all our fears
Is this the love we have
With all the good times we shared
Faithfully, we've got a reason to go on
I know it's good to be true
Just spend the nights with you
Let me tell you that our love can make it through
Hold on, baby, hold on
We've got to go on now
This feeling's so strong
Hold on, baby, hold on
It's a burning desire
Comin' right down the wire
And when the night is over
Well, no one can deny it
Got to believe in
We couldn't ask for more
Than to hold each other tight
It's just we'll never take things for granted
Hold on, baby, hold on
We've got to go on now
This feeling's so strong
Hold on, baby, hold on
It's a burning desire
Comin' right down the wire
Hold on
We've got to have
We've got to hold on
Got the feeling to go on
We've got to hold on
Got the feeling to hold on
Feeling this so strong
Hold on
The lyrics of David Archuleta's "Hold On" depict a man trying to cope with the aftermath of a breakup. He's reflecting on how he's lost a significant part of his life and how difficult it is to carry on without his partner. He's fighting to remain optimistic and move forward. In the chorus, he urges himself to hold on in spite of the pain and sorrow he's going through. He believes that love is worth fighting for and that with time, he'll eventually make the most of his present situation. David's message in this song can be a source of hope and inspiration for anyone going through a difficult period in their life.
The song was written by David Archuleta together with Emanuel Kiriakou and Jess Cates. It was released on June 2, 2009, and serves as the third single from the "David Archuleta" album. "Hold On" garnered positive reviews from music critics who praised David's soulful vocals and the song's uplifting message. The song's music video was shot on a beach in Santa Monica, California, and features David singing to the camera and waving to his fans.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, baby, how's life been movin' on
The singer asks his former lover how they're doing while acknowledging that they've moved on.
I can't deny it, now you are gone
The singer admits that his former lover is no longer with him and accepts that fact.
This is the first time
The singer is experiencing this tough situation for the first time.
Can I make it through?
The singer questions his ability to overcome the situation without his former lover.
Without you now, do the things I used to do
The singer wonders if he'll still be able to enjoy the things he used to do without his former lover's presence.
It's getting harder to ease the pain
The singer is finding it increasingly difficult to alleviate his emotional pain.
The feeling changes, love still remains
Even though things have changed, the singer's love for his former lover persists.
I don't know how if I can get this right
The singer doesn't know if he'll be able to handle the situation in the correct manner.
Maybe given time
The singer hopes that time will help him heal and deal with the situation in a better way.
I'll make the most of what I've got
The singer is determined to make the most of the current situation and move on.
Is this the price we pay
The singer is questioning if the pain is the cost of the love they experienced.
With all the good times we shared
The singer cherishes the good memories he shared with his former lover.
Faithfully, we've got a reason to go on
The singer believes that their commitment to each other is reason enough to keep going.
I know it's good to be true
The singer knows that their love is genuine and authentic.
Just spend the nights with you
The singer desires to spend quality time with his former lover.
Let me tell you that our love can make it through
The singer reassures his former lover that their love can overcome any obstacle.
Hold on, baby, hold on
The singer urges his former lover to hold on and keep going.
We've got to go on now
The singer believes that they need to move on from the past and look towards the future.
This feeling's so strong
The singer acknowledges that the emotions he's feeling are intense and powerful.
It's a burning desire
The singer uses a metaphor to describe the intensity of his emotions.
Comin' right down the wire
The singer is illustrating how close the situation is and how urgent it is to take action.
Sweet talking, it's all in the line
The singer implies that the relationship was built on empty promises.
There's no turning back
The singer realizes that he can't go back to the way things were.
Unless you make up your mind
The singer suggests that his former lover has a choice to make before they can move forward.
The expectations after all of these years
The singer acknowledges the expectations that were built over the long-term relationship.
Risin' to the moment let's forget all our fears
The singer is determined to rise to the challenge and move forward together.
And when the night is over
The singer alludes to a metaphorical night of hardship that will eventually come to an end.
Well, no one can deny it
The singer believes that nobody can question the strength of their relationship.
Got to believe in
The singer emphasizes the importance of hope and trust in their relationship.
We couldn't ask for more
The singer feels content with what they have and doesn't need anything else.
Than to hold each other tight
The singer values physical intimacy and desires to hold his former lover close.
It's just we'll never take things for granted
The singer expresses gratitude and promises to never take their relationship for granted.
We've got to have
The singer reiterates the need to keep holding on and staying committed to each other.
Feeling this so strong
The singer reaffirms the intensity of his emotions to his former lover.
Contributed by Jake N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Randall Belaire
Wow this is just amazing!!! His voice is so beautiful 😍 and I have always been interested in his music but th his one is the best so far for me
Gina Mae Mayol -VERACITY
Hey, baby, how's life been movin' on
I can't deny it, now you are gone
This is the first time
Can I make it through?
Without you now, do the things I used to do
It's getting harder to ease the pain
The feeling changes, love still remains
I don't know how if I can get this right
Maybe given time
I'll make the most of what I've got
Is this the price we pay
With all the good times we shared
Faithfully, we've got a reason to go on
I know it's good to be true
Just spend the nights with you
Let me tell you that our love can make it through
Hold on, baby, hold on
We've got to go on now
This feeling's so strong
Hold on, baby, hold on
It's a burning desire
Comin' right down the wire
Sweet talking, it's all in the line
There's no turning back
Unless you make up your mind
The expectations after all of these years
Risin' to the moment let's forget all our fears
Is this the love we have
With all the good times we shared
Faithfully, we've got a reason to go on
I know it's good to be true
Just spend the nights with you
Let me tell you that our love can make it through
Hold on, baby, hold on
We've got to go on now
This feeling's so strong
Hold on, baby, hold on
It's a burning desire
Comin' right down the wire
And when the night is over
Well, no one can deny it
Got to believe in
We couldn't ask for more
Than to hold each other tight
It's just we'll never take things for granted
Hold on, baby, hold on
We've got to go on now
This feeling's so strong
Hold on, baby, hold on
It's a burning desire
Comin' right down the wire
Hold on
We've got to have
We've got to hold on
Got the feeling to go on
We've got to hold on
Got the feeling to hold on
Feeling this so strong
Hold on
Rumil Monera
I love this ❤️
Marj Pacana
This is an Original Pinoy Music of Shamrock. So proud that this song have been covered by an International singer 🤩
rylle asildo
Neo colors po original kumanta niyan.
Kemjei Lee
First to watch 😲😲😲😲 ❣️❣️❣️ this is breath taking, if you ain't singing this for your partner on that romantic date, then you've done nothing.
Kemjei Lee
Please, can you give it with lyrics 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏 thank you 😊
Nicky_55
Rock✨