He’s come a long way from his American Idol days! David Archuleta was the runner-up on season 7 of the reality singing competition, but what has he been up to since then?

“I felt so disconnected from everything,” the singer told Variety in December 2021 about his time on the show. “Like, 13 years later, I’m piecing together what actually was going on. But it’s still a process because I still don’t understand why people were so into it.”

He added, “I think I was just in protection mode the whole time. If anything, I was putting a wall between me and everyone else.”

Immediately after competing on American Idol, the “Crush” singer dropped his debut self-titled record David Archuleta in 2008. Since then, he’s released a seven more albums and various singles.

“When I first started [singing], all I knew was that I liked to sing, it made me feel good, and it made me feel understood,” David told Billboard in March 2020. “I’ve realized I still feel more fulfilled when I connect to why I started singing in the first place. I can have peace, I can have fun, but I can be honest — and have the combination of all that, rather than just go after the catchiest, poppiest, trendiest thing. I just feel more relaxed, and back into who I am.”

In May of that same year, his album Therapy Sessions dropped.

“A lot of [the songs] are basically the conversation I had with myself, where I’m trying to move forward, but I’m fighting a lot of the worries and negativity that I feel towards myself,” David shared. “The fun aspects of the tracks are almost like, ‘C’mon, you gotta laugh at yourself a little bit — it’s a little ridiculous how you’re thinking. Don’t let it get to you.’”

Aside from his continuing music career, David has come out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

“I’ve been open to myself and my close family for some years now that I am not sure about my own sexuality. I came out in 2014 as gay to my family. But then I had similar feelings for both genders so maybe a spectrum of bisexual,” he shared via Instagram in June 2021. “Idk what to make of it and I don’t have all the answers. I just invite you to please consider making room to be more understanding and compassionate to those who are LGBTQIA+, and those who are a part of that community and trying to find that balance with their faith which also is a huge part of their identity like myself.”

The “OK, All Right” musician spoke openly about his sexuality during his Variety profile.

“This is still new for me, but I feel good about it,” David shared. “I don’t have to be someone else. I’m just holding this part of me with more grace and without shame. I don’t feel like I have to hide anything anymore. And it’s such a relief.”

Scroll through our gallery to see what else the singer has been up to since his American Idol days.

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