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Interview from Idol Chatter!

David Archuleta takes My Kind of Christmas nationwide

"I love Christmas music more than anything else," says David Archuleta. "That's why I'm doing the Christmas tour again."

The former American Idol singer, who'll turn 21 three days after Christmas, kicks off his My Kind of Christmas Tour Thursday in Westbury, N.Y. The 13-date tour also will take David to Pennsylvania, Idaho, Utah and California before wrapping up Dec. 21 in Beaver Creek, Colo.

"My favorite tour I've done so far was the last Christmas tour I did," David says. "On that tour, I kept one side of the show pop songs, and then the other side was Christmas music, but I wanted to keep it sacred and reverent. This time, I want to have a little more fun."

The tour got its name from a fan's suggestion, playing off My Kind of Perfect, a track from David's album The Other Side of Down. But once David had the name, he and a friend decided to write a new song using the title, and he'll be singing My Kind of Christmas at the shows.

"It was just spur of the moment, but I ended up really liking how it turned out, explaining what Christmas means to me," he says. "What is my kind of Christmas? That's what we describe. It'll be exciting to share an original Christmas song with the fans."

David released a holiday album, Christmas From the Heart, in 2009. This year, he's a featured performer on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Glad Christmas Tidings. That album, recorded live last year at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, showcases David on six songs, including Joy to the World, Silent Night and Angels From the Realms of Glory.

"I feel like Christmas songs are already epic," he says, "and to be able to have a full choir and orchestra back you up makes it even more epic. You just feel like there's this amazing field of energy up there.

"Everyone puts a lot into that performance. Sometimes people go, 'That Mormon Tabernacle Choir, they're always so smile-y and stuff.' I guess that's because they're loving what they're doing. That's what makes them so magical when they perform."

In addition to the well-known carols he sings on the album, David performs three songs that won't be familiar to many listeners. Gesú Bambino, for instance, is a Christmas song published in 1917 by Italian-born Pietro Yon, who eventually became organist at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. "It's a very classical song," David says. "I was actually wondering if I could pull it off. To be honest, I'd never done anything like this."

The Cat and the Mouse Carol, written by British singer-songwriter Ted Hutchinson, will be new to most American listeners, though it's more popular in England and Australia. "We wanted to find a song that we could introduce to everyone, a song that no one really knew but that had a nice, personable story" David says. "It's a very innocent story that's almost like a child's Christmas story."

David makes a nod to his ancestry with Los pastores a belén, a traditional Spanish carol. "The whole theme of the concert was 'heritage,'" he says. "I wanted to bring my pioneer heritage into it. I actually do have pioneer ancestry on my dad's side, but my mom, she's Central American. So I wanted to bring that into it, too."

Glad Christmas Tidings is already available on CD, DVD and Blu-Ray. A PBS special of the concert premieres Dec. 13.

David hopes to find some time in early 2012 for songwriting and, perhaps, acting classes. "There might be some fun little projects to try out that I might want to get ready for," he says. "Other than that, I think I'm going to try and take it easy and take some time to myself, too."

Having been released from his contract with Jive Records earlier this year, David's seriously considering releasing his next album on his own -- and it might not even bee a full album.

"I've been thinking about trying something like having singles come out one at a time over a period of time," he says. "It's a different process, and you're more free that way. The way things are working nowadays, I think that'd be better to try out.

"Of course, with a record label, you have more of a platform in one way. At the same time, you're more tied down. Even though it's hard to find the organization you'd normally find with a label situation, I feel like I want to try it in a different way than a label normally would have me do it."

USA Today

Weekly wrap from Idol Chatter!

• David Archuleta, who's in Nashville this week, attended the Tuesday Night Opry last night. "Little Jimmy Dickens was performing on that stage and he just turned 90," David tweets.

 Idol Chatter

The National Anthem and Myrtle Beach buzz!

More Idols sing the national anthem

Idol Chatter

Pop City Life

American Idol's most memorable moments

3. David Archuleta decided to sing John Lennon’s “Imagine” in the Idol semifinals back in season seven.

The vocal that followed immediately established the then-teen as a frontrunner that year and is among the best ever on the show.

I just credit David from not fleeing the stage after hearing the rather bizarre feedback from Paula Abdul.

I guess he took it as the compliment it was meant to be.

Idol Chatter

We haven’t heard the last from David Archuleta

Fans have been tweeting David Archuleta words of encouragement this evening at a dizzying pace.

So I guess it’s true. The guy who was the runner-up in season seven of Idol, who appeared to be the judges’ favorite throughout that season, is no longer a member of the Jive record label, having been released or dropped.

I figured that if I waited until this evening to address the issue in a blog, one of David’s hometown papers in the Salt Lake area would surely have gotten to the bottom of the matter.

They haven’t. So we’re left to draw deductions from a couple of tweets from his former management team and the unnamed source who told Hollywood Reporter on Friday that “David was released from our roster.”

It caps a strange couple of months for the former Idol finalist, who has one of the most devoted fan bases you’ll ever find.

On one hand, David’s been featured at a number of high-profile events, appearing on NBC’s Skate for Heart in mid-January, starring on FOX’s New Years Eve Live, and performing in front of thousands at the Children’s Medical Center Holiday Parade in Dallas in early December.

And when Billboard asked folks to vote for their favorite album of 2010, those loyal David Archie fans made his “The Other Side of Down” number one. That’s right, number one. In front of Eminem’s “Recovery,” Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now,” Taylor Swift’s “Speak Now” and all the rest.

Ah, but online votes are not CD sales, and if the numbers I’m reading everywhere are correct, “The Other Side” has sold a paltry 63,000 copies. And I kept checking David’s website for news of a tour to support the album. It never materialized.

In contrast, his debut album was certified gold in a matter of months; and the Christmas album David released in the fall of 2009 was well received, selling nearly 250,000 copies according to one source I saw.

To my ears, “The Other Side of Down” is David’s best album yet. But it was also released to a fickle public enraptured by new pop sensations like Justin Bieber and Kei$ha. And it was released in the highly competitive period right before the holiday shopping season, when lots of artists are rushing new music to fans.

True to form, David seems to be taking the latest development in stride. And remaining upbeat.

I’ve interviewed the guy twice about upcoming concerts in this area. He always comes across as humble and gracious.

And he might not have a record contract with Jive, but he still has that voice. More than one of this year’s Idol contestants cited his performance of “Imagine” as their favorite Idol moment ever.

Since Friday, David has sent out tweets thanking fans for their support, to let them know that “I am excited for the opportunities ahead” and that “things are going where I feel they should.”

I’m sure we’ll find out where that is in a matter of time. Give that voice, I have no doubt we’ll be hearing more from David.

Editor’s Note: For a look back at David’s September performance at the Pullo Center in York, go here.

For a look back at his Idol performances, click on the 9 Years of Idol link above, the click on his name under Season 7.

Idol Chatter

9 years of Idol

Idol Chatter is doing a look back at the past 9 years of Idol! Click HERE to view David's page!

Year's Best Idol Albums from Idol Chatter

Idol Chatter

David tops Billboard year end readers' poll!

Those David Archuleta fans, they do love their man. And this year, they've made David's The Other Side of Down the top album in the Billboard readers' poll.

Ranking immediately behind David were the year's top-selling albums: Eminem's Recovery, Lady Antebellum's Need You Now and Taylor Swift's Speak Now.

Idol Chatter

Some Buzz Today!

Daughtry remains atop the the American Idol airplay chart this week with September, which continues to get lots of plays at the AC, Hot AC and Top 40 formats. Lee DeWyze's Sweet Serendipity continues to climb the chart in advance of the release of Lee's Live It Up album Nov. 16. It's currently No. 46 on the Hot AC chart, and it moves 59-44 on the Idol airplay chart.

Meanwhile, holiday music makes its first appearance of the season. Clay Aiken's O Holy Night re-enters the Idol airplay chart at No. 78. Other Idols getting significant Christmas airplay, according to Mediabase: Kelly Clarkson (My Grown-Up Christmas List), Carrie Underwood (Do You Hear What I Hear), Katharine McPhee (I'll Be Home for Christmas) and David Archuleta (Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas).

Idol Chatter

The Orla Fallon Celtic Christmas Special press release!

Orla Fallon's Celtic Christmas Premieres on Public Television Beginning November 25 (Check Local Listings)

Singer/Harpist, Formerly of Celtic Woman; Public Television Stations Will Offer Tickets to Orla's 50-City 2011 Tour, New CD and DVD

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - November 8, 2010) - This holiday season, WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG welcomes Órla Fallon back to public television. Órla Fallon's Celtic Christmas premieres beginning Thanksgiving weekend, Thursday, November 25, nationwide on public television (check local listings) and features guest appearances by Órla's former Celtic Woman band mate, Méav, 2008 American Idol runner-up, David Archuleta, and country singer Mark Wills. Méav's appearance marks the first time she and Órla have performed together since their days in Celtic Woman. Órla also reunites with Anúna, the original choir from Riverdance who Órla sang with prior to Celtic Woman.

Órla Fallon's Celtic Christmas, taped at the beautiful James K. Polk Theater in Nashville, TN, features holiday classics including "Joy To The World," "I Saw Three Ships," "Do You Hear What I Hear," "The First Noel," "Silent Night," "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," and many more.

The companion CD and DVD will be released on November 16 nationwide by The Elevation Group. The CD includes duets with Méav and David Archuleta as well as a special version of "Little Drummer Boy," featuring a duet with 20-time Grammy Award-winner Vince Gill, and the beautifully arranged "Away In A Manger" with Anúna.

"I'm so excited about this TV special," said Órla Fallon. "I had such a wonderful time recording it. The audience was fabulous, the guests were fabulous... The choir, the band, the orchestra... It was a dream come true."

"This was my first TV Christmas special," stated David Archuleta. "Hearing these songs that you grew up listening to, love and hold close to you... with Órla's voice on them, the way she sings them, it felt very sincere."

Market Wire