David Archuleta has been on the road on his “More The Merrier Christmas Tour” for just over two weeks.
And while appearing humbled and grateful to the fans who attended the holiday shows, American Idol took to Instagram Wednesday to reveal that dozens of people walked out during a break at his concert in Delta, Utah, after he spoke out about his queer identity.
The singer apparently decided to share a lengthy message to his fans on social media after receiving an email after this particular show – apparently from a venue employee or manager – praising Archuleta’s performance before sharing their disappointment in his decision to speak about his sexuality on stage.
David Archuleta, 31, revealed that dozens of people left his Christmas show in Delta, Utah on November 29 after he spoke out about his gay identity.
The person behind the email started off by calling the show “incredible” while crediting Archuleta for taking the “crowd on a magical Christmas ride.”
“They had an incredible experience but didn’t pay for David to take 15 minutes and ruin the Christmas experience they just had,” this person wrote about his decision to talk about his sexuality. “I don’t think the concert was a place for that to happen.”
The venue employee went on to reveal that he wanted the show to end after O Holy Night and people would leave feeling like they had just experienced Christmas.
In his Instagram post, Archuleta admitted that he gets nervous around the place before people start to get up and leave.
“The person who sang those songs on stage was no different from the person at the end of the show,” he wrote to fans of his concert in Delta, Utah. I am learning to love myself and encourage others to do the same.
Its truth: The American Idol alum shared a lengthy statement on Instagram after receiving an email — apparently from a venue employee or manager — praising Archuleta’s performance before sharing their disappointment in his decision to speak about his sexuality
Backlash: The on-set staffer called Archuleta’s performance amazing, then moved on to criticize him for ‘talking about his journey to being a weirdo’
His truth: “The person who sang those songs on stage was no different than the person at the end of the show,” Archuleta wrote to fans about his concert in Delta, Utah. “I am learning to love myself and encourage others to do the same.”
At this point in the statement, the Crush star revealed that he considered “ending my life” two years ago as an option to come out publicly.
If you feel offended by me saying I love men more than you because someone felt it would be best to end their life for the same reason, I want you to think about why you feel so uncomfortable. I want to have uncomfortable conversations. This is how you gain understanding.
The Florida native, who has been raised in Utah since he was six years old, maintained that he never said “anything explicit or inappropriate” during the show, and that “it’s worth the loss of dozens of people who come out to ask others to hear his truth so everyone can.” So Know that they are not alone on this journey.
I don’t think sharing my journey destroys any Christmas spirit unless you allow your own misconceptions to destroy it yourself. Thank you Delta,” the post concluded on Instagram.
Archuleta, who placed second behind David Cook on the seventh season of American Idol in 2008, was raised in a strict Mormon household, where he felt he had to keep his sexuality a secret.
His way forward: The Florida native, who has been raised in Utah since he was six years old, maintained that he never said “anything explicit or inappropriate” during the show, and that “it was worth losing those dozens of people who came out” for others to hear his truth. So everyone knows they are not alone on this journey.
He came out as gay to his family in 2014, but waited until his appearance on Good Morning America in June 2021 to publicly reveal that he is part of the LGBTQIA+ community, describing himself as “a form of being bisexual.”
Archuleta comes out in public, which was Covered by the Daily Mailended up giving him a sense of “relief” because he no longer had to “hide” a part of himself.
When asked about his sexuality during the interview, he told Steve Osunami that he was still thinking about the details and indicated that he was open to relationships with both men and women.
He said, “I would say that I don’t, I think, have a form of being bisexual… I’m still attracted to both of them, whether I like it or not.”
Archuleta also notes that he struggles with his faith when coming to terms with his sexuality and initially connects with a higher power when he doubts himself.
TMZ He reports that Archuleta has since recanted from his religion to define what he wants spiritually, and that he still has fans and LGBTQIA+ people urging him to share his story,
OPEN BOOK: The singer came out as gay to his family in 2014, but waited until his appearance on Good Morning America in June 2021 to publicly reveal that he’s part of the LGBTQ+ community, describing himself as “a form of being bisexual.”
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