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.
Look Around
David Archuleta Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you'll never get to feel the moment
It's like you're sleeping
'Cause you don't take the time to take it in
Like a train wreck you're on a mission
Tunnel vision got you blinded
Better slow down before you lose ground
Paint it over if your world is gray
When you close your eyes to see the view
You'll miss everything surrounding you
Stop and just look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around
You can build your life right on air
What you need will always be there
Stop and just look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around you
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh
Look around, look around
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh
Look around, look around
Shut the window tight
But it's raining on the inside
Do you realize you're getting nowhere
That it's all laid out for you?
Cut the ribbon if it starts to fray
When you close your eyes to see the view
You'll miss everything surrounding you
Stop and just look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around
You can build your life right on air
What you need will always be there
Stop and just look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around you
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh
Look around, look around
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh
Look around, look around
You found a loop hole that you fell in
Now you're treading water
You gotta see the hand
For it to pull you out
When you close your eyes to see the view
You'll miss everything surrounding you
Stop and just look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around
You can build your life right on air
What you need will always be there
Stop and just look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around you
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh
Look around, look around
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh
Look around, look around
Look around
The song Look Around by David Archuleta encourages listeners to be present in the moment and take the time to appreciate everything that is around them. The opening lines suggest that if one is constantly on the go and never stopping to take it in, they are missing out on the present moment. The metaphor of a train wreck serves as a warning to slow down before one loses control. The lyrics urge the listener to stop and take a look around, to realize what is already there.
The second verse describes a situation where someone is stuck in a rut, going nowhere. The solution is to cut the ribbon and make a change. The bridge emphasizes the importance of reaching out for help and seeing the hand that can pull one out of a bad situation. The overall message of the song is to be aware of one's surroundings and not take life for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
Keep on running
If you keep focusing on your goals and keep running without ever taking a moment to appreciate your surroundings, you'll miss out on life's beautiful moments.
And you'll never get to feel the moment
Failing to stop and appreciate the moment will cause you to miss out on the feelings that come with them.
It's like you're sleeping
A person who doesn't take the time to notice the beauty of the world around them is like someone who is sleeping through life.
'Cause you don't take the time to take it in
Not taking the time to fully absorb and appreciate the world around you will cause you to miss out on the beauty that it has to offer.
Like a train wreck you're on a mission
Obsessing over your goals without taking the time to enjoy life's simple pleasures will ultimately cause you pain and suffering like a train wreck.
Tunnel vision got you blinded
Focusing too intensely on your goals without taking the time to appreciate the broader world around you can ultimately blind you to everything else.
Better slow down before you lose ground
Taking time to experience and appreciate the world around you will ensure that you don't lose sight of beauty in pursuit of your goals.
It'll happen anyway
Even when you're moving at a slower pace, life goes on and opportunities remain. There is no need to always rush through everything.
Paint it over if your world is gray
If life feels dull or unexciting, taking the time to appreciate the beauty around you can help you to 'paint over' that grayness and find more joy in life.
When you close your eyes to see the view
It isn't until you pause and take in your surroundings that you can fully appreciate and understand what is going on around you.
You'll miss everything surrounding you
Failing to take the time to appreciate the beauty of the world around you causes you to miss out on so many amazing experiences.
Stop and just look around
Pausing to fully take in the world around you can help to avoid missing out on life's moments.
Get up and look around
Rising from inaction can help to wake you up to the beauty of the world and get you started on appreciating it.
You can build your life right on air
You don't need a lot of material possessions or wealth to build a fulfilling life.
What you need will always be there
The things you really need for a fulfilling life -- love, family, friends -- are always present and available to you, even when you stop and look around.
Shut the window tight
Closing yourself off from the world and its beauty leads to a stale life.
But it's raining on the inside
Even if you try to distance yourself from the outside world, you may still be struggling with negative thoughts or emotions inside.
Do you realize you're getting nowhere
Failing to appreciate and engage with the world around you results in a lack of personal growth and progress.
That it's all laid out for you?
The beauty of the world is always there, but you need to make an effort to notice and appreciate it. It's up to you to seek it out.
Cut the ribbon if it starts to fray
If something in your life starts to feel stale or unfulfilling, it's okay to seek out new experiences and ventures.
You found a loop hole that you fell in
Getting too caught up in your goals or a certain way of life can lead you down a path that ultimately leaves you feeling trapped.
Now you're treading water
Sticking to routine and not taking the time to fully experience the world around you can leave you feeling stuck and unmotivated.
You gotta see the hand
Acknowledging and appreciating the beauty of the world and all that is around you can help you to live a richer, more fulfilling, and satisfying life.
For it to pull you out
Taking in the beauty of the world can provide a path towards progress and growth that pulls you out of a rut and back into life.
Look around
By taking the time to look around and appreciate the world around you, you can unlock a richer and more fulfilling life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: VICTORIA HORN, MATTHEW SQUIRE, DAVID ARCHULETA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind