Opening up about his struggles growing up as a gay Mormon, the David Archuleta memoir, Devout, features a description of the singer wanting to drive off a cliff in 2020, to end his third engagement to a woman.
Released on Tuesday (2.17,) the now 35-year old pop star wrote “I’d prayed so many times.” “God had apparently given up on me.”
Raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is strongly against homosexuality, the former American Idol runner-up, who came out in 2021, had kept his true sexuality concealed for years. And in this week’s Variety Magazine, the singer said he worked hard to present a straight, clean-cut image to the world, adding:
“I felt like I had to portray myself a certain way for so long, and now I can finally say hey, just like I came out, I want to be able to give the whole story in the full picture, because it’s not always daisies and roses to get to where you are.” “And I felt like I had to present myself that way all my life. Especially as a Mormon and especially on ‘American Idol.’ I always have to be the sweet kid, always grateful for everything that was taking place.”
Obvious to many that he wasn’t presenting the entire picture, the Miami-born native explained “I think a lot of people, especially the queer community who was watching, could relate because they could see the silent struggle that I was going through on a public level in front of millions of people.”
Hoping his book helps the Mormon church come to accept its gay members, the Archuleta said:
“If they are what they say that they are, which is that they want to do what God wants to guide all of God’s children, there are queer children of God always being made every day in the world, whether they accept it or not.” “I’m hoping that this sets a fire for change and burns down unnecessary walls, and builds bridges in place of that.”
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Author: Saul Goode
Photo: Paparazzo Presents