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12/28/2008 8:05 PM
Happy birthday, David Archuleta! 09:03 PM PT, Dec 27 2008 As of Sunday, David Archuleta is a man. Legal to vote and to drink in Argentina, Estonia, Hong Kong, Moldova and Sweden -- but not in the U.S. Legal to appear on television shows without having to do hours of tutor-supervised studies. And now legally of age to marry in all 50 of the United States. Needless to say, his 17th year was momentous for Archuleta, rocketing out of nowhere to become the instant leader of the greatest movement "American Idol" has every known; a million selling single; an album that should turn gold momentarily. Lately Archuleta has been making Christmas appearances just about everywhere on Earth. So let us wish a very happy birthday to this shining light of Season 7, of whom in all my reporting in and around the Idoldome, in conversations with his comrades, the people who make the show and the fans who have had the chance to meet him, I have never heard anyone say that he has ever for one second been anything but the nicest lad on Earth. Not a single diva story in a year of "Idol." That is an accomplishment. The final stanza of Rudyard Kipling's poem "If" is a bit of a hackneyed sentiment, but nonetheless seems to hit the nail on the head regarding the coming of age of young Archuleta. So we post it here with our best birthday wishes: If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings -- nor lose the common touch; If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And -- which is more -- you'll be a Man, my son! -- Richard Rushfield
As of Sunday, David Archuleta is a man. Legal to vote and to drink in Argentina, Estonia, Hong Kong, Moldova and Sweden -- but not in the U.S. Legal to appear on television shows without having to do hours of tutor-supervised studies. And now legally of age to marry in all 50 of the United States.
Needless to say, his 17th year was momentous for Archuleta, rocketing out of nowhere to become the instant leader of the greatest movement "American Idol" has every known; a million selling single; an album that should turn gold momentarily. Lately Archuleta has been making Christmas appearances just about everywhere on Earth.
So let us wish a very happy birthday to this shining light of Season 7, of whom in all my reporting in and around the Idoldome, in conversations with his comrades, the people who make the show and the fans who have had the chance to meet him, I have never heard anyone say that he has ever for one second been anything but the nicest lad on Earth. Not a single diva story in a year of "Idol." That is an accomplishment.
The final stanza of Rudyard Kipling's poem "If" is a bit of a hackneyed sentiment, but nonetheless seems to hit the nail on the head regarding the coming of age of young Archuleta. So we post it here with our best birthday wishes:
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings -- nor lose the common touch; If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And -- which is more -- you'll be a Man, my son!
-- Richard Rushfield
- Los Angeles Times
December 28, 2008 7:26 AM Happy Birthday to David Archuleta! Posted by Bob Payne Season 7 runner-up David Archuleta turns 18 today - and wow, what an amazing year for the young singer from Murray, Utah. A year ago he was singing in small rooms for friends and family, and now he's singing for -- and being drowned out by -- a crowd of 16,000 at New York's Madison Square Garden. Say what you will about the declining audience of "American Idol," but you can't deny its ability to mint pop music stars. Archuleta's eponymous debut CD just cleared the half-million mark in sales and is still going strong. And his first single, "Crush," has topped 1.2 million in downloads. But even with all that success, those around him say Archuleta is still humble almost to a fault. When I had the pleasure of interviewing him last July, he definitely exhibited traits that brought jeers during "AI": a habit of rambling, a constant smile that made him seem even younger than he was, and an inability to say something negative about anything or anybody. But when you go deeper, you find him to be insightful, shrewd in the ways of the music business, and unwavering in his work ethic and commitment to his craft. Mr. Archuleta, may the year ahead bring you even more success and -- more importantly -- happiness. Recently while appearing at a Jingle Jam concert in Atlanta, David's band brought a cake onstage and sang him "Happy Birthday" -- with the audience's help. There were fake candles on the cake though, and Archuleta's reaction is hilarious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qydZpGX44g
December 28, 2008 7:26 AM
Posted by Bob Payne
Season 7 runner-up David Archuleta turns 18 today - and wow, what an amazing year for the young singer from Murray, Utah. A year ago he was singing in small rooms for friends and family, and now he's singing for -- and being drowned out by -- a crowd of 16,000 at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Say what you will about the declining audience of "American Idol," but you can't deny its ability to mint pop music stars. Archuleta's eponymous debut CD just cleared the half-million mark in sales and is still going strong. And his first single, "Crush," has topped 1.2 million in downloads.
But even with all that success, those around him say Archuleta is still humble almost to a fault. When I had the pleasure of interviewing him last July, he definitely exhibited traits that brought jeers during "AI": a habit of rambling, a constant smile that made him seem even younger than he was, and an inability to say something negative about anything or anybody. But when you go deeper, you find him to be insightful, shrewd in the ways of the music business, and unwavering in his work ethic and commitment to his craft.
Mr. Archuleta, may the year ahead bring you even more success and -- more importantly -- happiness.
Recently while appearing at a Jingle Jam concert in Atlanta, David's band brought a cake onstage and sang him "Happy Birthday" -- with the audience's help. There were fake candles on the cake though, and Archuleta's reaction is hilarious:
- Seattle Times
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