Words by April De Guzman Photos by Jude Ng
Major love was shown as American Idol Season 7 runner -up David Archuleta performed for his Filipino fans last October 20, at the Kia Theatre in Cubao.
Everything and More
It was a night full of nostalgia as the crowd composed mostly of former student fangirls who are now young professionals reunited to show their love and support to the ever humble and baby-faced crooner from Utah who has seemed to not have aged even after his five years of absence in the limelight.
Tippy Dos Santos started the night with a couple of acoustic songs including a cover of Moonstar 88’s “Torete” and her hit collaboration and PhilPop award-winning song “Dati”.
“Kumusta kayo?” screamed the pop singer. The 26-year-old American Idol alumnus kept the crowd up their feet dancing with his latest single “Up All Night” and it is just the start of the very emotion-filled night. He then impressed the crowd with a mix of old hits and new tracks from his two recently released EP’s Leo and Orion and a couple of covers from Disney’s The Lion King’s “He Lives In You” to Swedish House Mafia’s “Don’t You Worry Child”.
One of the admirable features of David’s live performances is his spontaneity on stage, long banters and whenever he plays the piano as he sings. The may have messed up with the keys during “My Kind of Perfect” but the crowd came to the rescue as they sang along in a capella.
As a major treat to his fans, the Platinum recording artist brought Tippy Dos Santos back onstage for a duet of “You Are My Song”. It is known that Archuleta has released an all-OPM album back when he is still filming for a soap opera, Nandito Ako in 2012. This is followed by “Forevermore,” originally from Side A, which is according to him is his “most favorite love song of all time” and South Border’s “Rainbow”.
.@DavidArchie makes a triumphant return in 🇵🇭 : Watch as he gets teary-eyed while singing “Nandito Ako” #DavidArchuletaMNL
📸 @judeng pic.twitter.com/hlXNj2FLEu
— Jayson Paor (@jaysonpaor) October 21, 2017
‘Touch my hand’
Overwhelmed by the support that he’s been getting from the start of his career up until today, a crying David Archuleta nailed his version of “Nandito Ako” making the crowd even more emotional.
The talented singer capped off the night with his chart-topping debut single, “Crush”.
.@DavidArchie got us all “hypnotized and mesmerized” last night : WATCH #DavidArchuletaMNL @ovationprod pic.twitter.com/VfK8DEY9nv
— MNLOnline (@MNLOnlineNews) October 21, 2017
His latest LP called Postcards in the Sky is coincidentally released on the same day. It is his most honest and genuine offering to date especially now that he has the creative freedom with the production with inspirations coming from his two-year Mormon mission in Chile and his life in general.
He is easy on the eye with his boyish charm and easy to love with the talent that he has been using to spread hope and to inspire. He reminds people through his music that it is okay to mess up sometimes (“I’ll never change if I’m too afraid to break, got to let it go, let the whole world know / You don’t have to be invincible…”) and that embracing the change can be a good thing (“I’m ready for a change, I’m not afraid to lose and leave it all behind / But if I let you in I know I’ll be alright…”).
Still crying. Thank you for tonight, @DavidArchie! You always have a home in the PH! <3@ovationprod @MNLOnlineNews #DavidArchuletaMNL pic.twitter.com/5ThgbXrPUD
— ☀️ (@aprilskelter) October 20, 2017
The setlist:
1. Up All Night
2. Something ‘Bout Love
3. Numb
4. Invincible
5. I’m Ready
6. He Lives In You (The Lion King cover)
7. Parachutes and Airplanes/Thunder mashup
8. Spotlight Down
9. My Kind of Perfect
10. You Are My Song (performed with Tippy Dos Santos)
11. Forevermore
12. Rainbow
13. Elevator
14. Don’t You Worry Child (Swedish House Mafia cover)
15. Touch My Hand
16. A Little Too Not Over You
Encore:
17. Nandito Ako
18. Glorious
19. Crush
It took him five years to come back, but he is definitely worth the wait. David Archuleta Live in Manila is another one for the books as presented by Ovation Productions.
