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.
Who I Am
David Archuleta Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm just driving around and I'm running a tab
But it doesn't really matter, no I'm not getting mad
It's ok 'cause I know where I'm going
Out the window everybody's on the phone
All the lights are on and they're all in the zone
Gotta take a step back from my new ring tone
Days like these
It's hard to breathe
I'm gonna take this moment that I'm in right now
Stop the craziness somehow
Leave it all behind me
I know it's gonna find me
I've got nothing to win, and I got nothing to lose
Just trying to walk in my own two shoes
Gotta take the time now
It's time for me to find out who I am
Oh oh oh, Oh oh oh, Oh oh oh
Who I am
The windshield looks like a movie screen
And the world outside is a big machine
And it moves so fast I can barely think
That's ok cause I know what I'm doing
Days like these
It's hard to breathe
I'm gonna take this moment that I'm in right now
Stop the craziness somehow
Leave it all behind me
I know it's gonna find me
I've got nothing to win, I've got nothing to lose
Just trying to walk in my own two shoes
Gotta take some time now
It's time for me to find out who I am
Oh oh oh, Oh oh oh, Oh oh oh
Sometimes
You just know
When to hold on
When to let go
I'm gonna take this moment that I'm in right now
Stop the craziness somehow
Leave it all behind me
I know it's gonna find me
I've got nothing to win, I've got nothing to lose
Just trying to walk in my own two shoes
Gotta take some time now
It's time for me to find out who I am
I've got nothing to win, I've got nothing to lose
Just trying to walk in my own two shoes
Gotta take some time now
It's time for me to find out who I am
Oh oh oh, (Time for me, Time for me)
Oh oh oh,
Oh oh oh (Time for me, Time for me)
Who I am
Oh oh oh,
Oh oh oh,
Oh oh oh
Who I am
The song "Who I Am" is about finding oneself amidst the chaos of the world. The lyrics express the feeling of being lost and overwhelmed, but also the determination to take control of one's life and figure out who they truly are. The singer is in a taxi cab, driving aimlessly and running up a tab, but they are not getting mad because they know where they are going. They look out the window and see everyone on their phones and caught up in their own worlds. The singer realizes that they need to take a step back from the craziness of life and find a moment of peace, where they can reflect on their true purpose and identity.
The chorus emphasizes the importance of taking a moment to breathe and let go of the things that don't matter. The singer wants to leave everything behind and find themselves, with nothing to win or lose, just trying to walk in their own shoes. The second verse describes the world outside as a big machine that moves too fast, but again, the singer is not worried because they know what they are doing. The bridge offers advice to just hold on and let go when needed, and then the chorus repeats, emphasizing the need to take time to find oneself.
Overall, "Who I Am" is an inspiring song that encourages listeners to take control of their lives and find their true selves. It acknowledges the challenges and overwhelming nature of the world, but also offers the hope of finding inner peace and purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
Been two hours in a taxi cab
I have spent hours in a taxi driving around, going nowhere in particular
I'm just driving around and I'm running a tab
I am aimlessly driving, racking up a hefty taxi fare
But it doesn't really matter, no I'm not getting mad
I am not bothered by the accumulating cost of the ride
It's ok 'cause I know where I'm going
Despite the aimless drive, I have a sense of where I am headed
Out the window everybody's on the phone
As I look out the window, I see everyone occupied with their phones
All the lights are on and they're all in the zone
The city is brightly lit, and people seem to be focused on their tasks
Gotta take a step back from my new ring tone
I need to momentarily disconnect from the notifications on my phone
I don't care if Jeff Fenster is calling
I am not concerned about any incoming calls, even from important contacts
Days like these, It's hard to breathe
Sometimes, the days can feel overwhelming, making it difficult to catch my breath
I'm gonna take this moment that I'm in right now
I am actively looking to seize the current moment
Stop the craziness somehow
I need to find a way to quiet the chaos around me
Leave it all behind me
I am ready to distance myself from my current challenges
I know it's gonna find me
I am aware that these issues will still follow me, despite my efforts
I've got nothing to win, and I got nothing to lose
I am not motivated by pursuing any particular gain or loss in this situation
Just trying to walk in my own two shoes
I am focused on finding my own path and identity
Gotta take the time now
I need to make a conscious effort to take time out for myself
It's time for me to find out who I am
I am actively searching for my own identity
The windshield looks like a movie screen
The windshield serves as a cinematic screen that showcases the sights outside
And the world outside is a big machine
The world seems like a giant production that operates seamlessly in motion
And it moves so fast I can barely think
The pace can be overwhelming and challenging to keep up with
That's ok cause I know what I'm doing
Despite the chaos, I remain confident in my direction
Sometimes, You just know, When to hold on, When to let go
Sometimes, you instinctively understand when it is time to remain steadfast, and when it is time to let go
Oh oh oh, (Time for me, Time for me), Oh oh oh,
I am actively carving out time for myself
It's time for me to find out who I am
I am focused on discovering my true self and my personal identity
Who I am
Ultimately, I am searching for my own identity
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: SAM HOLLANDER, STEPHEN RUCHELMAN, SHELLY PEIKEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind