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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – LOS ANGELES, CA – February 7, 2025 – David Archuleta has been on an incredible journey of self discovery which has led him to so many new freedom’s in his own life, so it’s only fitting that his latest single is a cover of one his own idols…George Michael. Today, David is proud to release his rendition of George’s Billboard Top 10 certified Gold single, “Freedom” HERE and to celebrate the 35 year anniversary of the timeless song. #Freedom35
On “Freedom,” David delivers a soulful and electrifying reinterpretation of George’s iconic anthem. With his unparalleled vocal depth and modern artistry, David breathes new life into this timeless classic, creating a version that connects with today’s audience while paying homage to the original’s spirit of empowerment and individuality.
The track is produced by Phil Lawrence, the Grammy-winning talent behind some of the biggest hits from Bruno Mars, Adele, and CeeLo Green. Phil’s trademark touch brings a polished and dynamic edge to this reimagining of “Freedom.”
David says, “ When I came out, George’s music took on a whole new meaning for me. I could feel him breaking out through his music that I craved to experience myself. It was like a motion helping me forward in my own journey. To honor that step ahead, I’m covering his song “Freedom” which again I can relate to so much. “Heaven knows I was just a young boy, didn’t know what I wanted to be.” Being in front of millions as a teenager on TV to now having to reshape who I am and what that means for me in the public eye, and hopefully sharing that spirit of George with today’s generation.”
Photo by Irvin Rivera
David’s seventeen year career-long journey has always been aligned with George Michael in some fashion or another. The singer-songwriter recalled performing, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” at the seventh season finale of “American Idol” as a duet with Sir Elton John, with George himself surprising the audience with a performance that same evening. David became quite emotional as he shared, “After so many years, I went back and listened to that song and had it on repeat. Because the meaning took on so much more than when I first heard it as a closeted 17-year-old on Idol. It holds the combination of feeling the pain life can bring, yet a hope for the future and empowerment that I needed — to feel seen, understood and keep going today. I am grateful for the genuine expression that was always felt in George’s voice as he sang.”
In 2023, David was invited to induct George into Project Angel Food’s “Path of Angels” star dedication ceremony in Hollywood. Archuleta, reflecting on George Michael's impact, remarked, “George Michael shattered barriers and defied stereotypes. His honesty became a beacon of hope for countless members of our community yearning for acceptance in a society that often dictated our identities for us.”
David Archuleta continues to carry on Michael’s torch, blending his powerful and heartfelt vocals with a track that celebrates self-liberation and resilience. “Freedom” is poised to resonate with listeners worldwide, offering both nostalgia for longtime fans of George Michael and excitement for new audiences discovering this song for the first time.
Now, as David continues to unlock new levels of freedom with his own music and beyond, Archuleta has found an endless source of inspiration in his growing passion for dancing, raves, and festival culture. “EDM festivals and dancing have been a new way of feeling a sense of community and togetherness that I was worried I would lose,” he says. “Feeling a oneness through music and dancing is so magical and therapeutic—it’s freeing and also creative. It has encouraged me to be more fearless and to not be afraid to express myself in more creative ways.”
David’s most recent releases include:
Rather Be Lonely - HERE
Hell Together - HERE
Afraid To Love - HERE
I’m Yours - HERE
“Up” - HERE
Faith In Me: HERE
Movin’: HERE
OK, All Right: HERE
Follow David Here:
Twitter 1.1M Followers
TikTok 1.2M Followers + 19M Likes
Instagram 628k Followers
Facebook 3.4M Followers
YouTube 841k Subscribers
Spotify 1.6M monthly listeners
Complete Press info including hi-res art here: HERE
ABOUT DAVID ARCHULETA:
Since first stepping into the pop spotlight at age 17, David Archuleta has embodied the kind of genuine star power that can’t be manufactured. After years of dazzling audiences with his radiant personality and phenomenal voice—a journey that’s included turning out multiple platinum-selling hits, achieving global acclaim as a captivating live performer, and emerging as an undeniable fixture on the pop-culture scene—the Miami-born singer/songwriter experienced a major personal transformation that radically altered his identity as an artist. As shown on his recent single “Hell Together,” Archuleta has dramatically expanded the landscape of his songwriting and devoted himself to making pop music with equal parts uncompromising emotion and exhilarating impact.
With his latest triumphs including winning the 2024 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist and landing a book deal with a HarperCollins imprint for his forthcoming memoir, Archuleta first moved toward the unfiltered truth of his new material with a revelatory writing trip to Toronto in late 2022. “It was a really magical week where I started exploring topics I’d never discussed before in my music, like falling in love with a man and leaving my faith,” says the L.A.-based artist, who came out in 2021. “In a way it was scary, but mostly it was thrilling to do what would have seemed impossible to the person I used to be. I realized I don’t have to hide who I am anymore.” Although he’d displayed a heartfelt candor on previous releases like his eighth album Therapy Sessions (a 2020 album that opened up about his struggles with anxiety), Archuleta ultimately embraced an entirely new element of unbridled creativity in the writing of songs like his euphoric 2023 single “Afraid To Love.”
While Archuleta brought a sublimely dance-ready sound to songs like “Afraid To Love” and “I’m Yours” (a 2023 single whose video earned such illustrious awards as the Best Music Video prize at the Cannes World Film Festival), “Hell Together” centers on a stripped-back and soulful form of piano-driven pop. A gospel-inspired ballad that hit the top five on iTunes the day of its premiere in March 2024 and is currently nominated for a 2025 Queertie Best Music Video Award alongside Victoria Monet & Tove Lo, the heartrending yet triumphant track took shape after a conversation with his mother following the publication of a People magazine article in which he discussed his faith transition. “I didn’t hear from my mom for a few days after the article came out and I was worried she was upset with me, because she was very devout and always saw the church as a place of healing,” he says. “But when we finally talked my mother said that she was stepping away from the church as well. She told me, ‘I don’t want to be somewhere that my children don’t feel loved and welcomed. If you go to Hell, we’re all going to Hell with you. We’re a family and we’ll always be there for each other, in good or in bad! ’”
Not only a powerful example of his newly elevated artistry, “Hell Together” is an unprecedented showcase for the tremendous vocal talents Archuleta has cultivated since childhood. Raised in Utah from the age of six, he first fell in love with music due to the influence of his mother (a salsa singer and dancer) and father (a jazz trumpeter). By his early teens he’d begun writing songs of his own, and in 2008 he gained massive fame as the first runner-up on the seventh season of American Idol. After making his debut with his double-platinum single “Crush,” he released a steady stream of albums and built an adoring following around the world, touring in such far-flung places as Asia and the Middle East. In a truly unexpected and audacious move, Archuleta left the music business in a moment of colossal success and headed to Chile to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for two years—then returned with a profoundly renewed sense of purpose as he dove back into his music career.
As he continues to unlock new levels of freedom in his music and beyond, Archuleta has found an endless source of inspiration in his growing passion for dancing, raves, and festival culture. “EDM festivals and dancing have been a new way of feeling a sense of community and togetherness that I was worried I would lose,” he says. “Feeling a oneness through music and dancing is so magical and therapeutic—it’s freeing and also creative. It has encouraged me to be more fearless and to not be afraid to express myself in more creative ways.” With his recent live experience including making his musical-theater debut in 2022 as the lead in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat—and joining the likes of Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons, Grammy Award-winner Victoria Monet, and Lauv for the 2023 LOVELOUD tour—Archuleta routinely brings that open-heartedness to a high-energy live show that fosters an extraordinarily close connection with the crowd. Over the past few years, he’s also deepened his relationship with his fanbase by bringing his effortless charisma and disarmingly warm presence to social media platforms like TikTok, where he’s now spurred numerous viral videos with millions of views.
Naming such eclectic artists as Tracy Chapman, indie-pop singer/songwriter Maddie Zahm, and Nigerian musician Tems among his current inspirations, Archuleta is continuing to unveil more of his inner life in his songwriting. With more new music due out soon, he notes that uncovering his most authentic voice has involved finding self-assurance in unexpected places. “Growing up in the church, I was taught to stand up for my beliefs and share them with the world, which is exactly what I’m trying to do with my music,” he says. “Even though I stand for something else now, I still have that same level of conviction in what I do. I believe in being bold in my vulnerability and speaking the truth of who I am, so that hopefully people can come away from my songs feeling like they understand themselves, or others, or just life in general a little better than they did before.”
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