Fresh off his most recent visit, Pittsburgh Pride 2025 headliner David Archuleta is returning to the Steel City on October 14 at the Thunderbird Café and Music Hall in Lawrenceville during a multi-city “Earthly Delights Music Tour.” The former American Idol star has even more music to share with his fans. Archuleta said, “I’ve got some of the stuff I played at Pride and some new stuff.”
Archuleta grew up in a musical family. His mother, Guadalupe, Lupe Marie Bartholomew (affectionately known to the Archies as “Mama Lupe”), a salsa singer and dancer, and his father, Jeff, a jazz musician, introduced him to music at a young age. Archuleta said, “My father brought home the soundtrack to ‘Les Misérables,’ and I loved hearing the sounds. I loved repeating what I heard. There was, within me, a natural pull toward music. Maybe it’s genetic.”
He began singing at the age of six. He began performing publicly at the age of ten, participating in a local talent competition where he sang “I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton. By age 12, he became the Junior Vocal Champion on the second season of “Star Search.” In 2008, he gained a massive new fan base competing on the seventh season of “American Idol,” on one of the show’s top ten fan-favorite seasons. Archuleta placed second in the television show, losing to David Cook.
Archuleta was born in Miami, Florida, but his Latino family moved to Sandy, Utah, when he was six years old. Archuleta and his siblings were raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church or the LDS Church.
In 2021, sparking a media frenzy in the national news, Archuleta came out as gay and left the Mormon church. His mother, Mama Lupe, left the Mormon church when Archuleta did. She said, “If you’re going to hell, then we’re all going to hell with you.” It’s the subject of his song, “Hell Together,” on the “Earthly Delights” album.
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His much-publicized journey to finding his own personal freedom is the subject of his new book, “Devout: Losing My Faith and Finding Myself.” The memoir details his struggles with his spirituality and his sexuality, and how the two disparate cores of his being wrestled for dominance. The Idol entertainer contemplated suicide.
The book is scheduled to launch in February 2026. Archuleta said, “My book is about reflecting on my past, my music is about moving forward.”
Since coming out, Archuleta has reinvented himself. He is happier and more centered. He enjoys touring. While touring the country, Archuleta said, “Each city has its own character, its own culture, its own etiquette.” He added, “Pittsburgh is a great city with great energy.”
David Archuleta comes back to Pittsburgh on October 14 at the Thunderbird Café and Music Hall.
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