DAVID ARCHULETA SINGS CONTIGO en la DISTANCIA and AMERICA the BEAUTIFUL! 4 VIDEOS, 11 PHOTOS, BIO! ALMA AWARD!

September 23, 2009.
American Idol’s 18 year-old singing sensation, David Archuleta, just keeps getting better and better! Even though I was crushed when he came in second during the 2008 Idol contest, he has proven what others have shown: You don’t need to finish number one to land on top! The Latin crooner knocked them dead when he belted out “Contigo en la Distancia” on Friday’s National Council of La Raza ALMA Awards, taped Thursday, September 17 and aired on ABC last Friday, September 18. He also garnered the prestigious ALMA best "Year in Music" award. Watch the incredible performance in the video at the bottom of this post.
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Photo of a smiling David Archuleta showing off his ALMA trophy for the "Year in Music" award. 9-18-09 photo

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After the event, David wrote on his blog: “Buenos dias! I got to perform at some pretty cool events last week. I got to sing at the Tennis US Open, and sang 'America the Beautiful' (see video below) . . . Our next stop was in LA for the ALMA Awards! It was my first performance on an awards ceremony, and my first time performing on TV in Spanish!”

Photo of David Archuleta in red, his best color, because the young man is on fire!

David continued, “ . . . It's interesting actually because I was pretty nervous for both the US Open and the ALMA Awards. I think it's good though because it gives you a little extra push sometimes . . .”

Photo of David Archuleta nailing "Contigo en la Distancia" at the ALMA Awards Friday, September 18, 2009

“I was so happy to be able to do it for all the Latin people too! I owe so much to the Hispanic culture since my mom and all of her family are Hispanic (Honduran), and it's definitely had a huge impact on the way I am,” David said.

Recent photo of David Archuleta singing with spiked hair

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“So I'm definitely planning on doing more in Spanish, and I hope this will allow more opportunities. So I need to thank the ALMA Awards for having me come and perform, and it was really exciting to receive an award for new artist too!”
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Photo of David Archuleta showing off his trademark smile

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David Archuleta became one of the most recognizable figures on television in 2008, when his strong tenor vocals and boyish charm helped earn him a second-place finish in American Idol's seventh season. Although he was born in Miami, Florida, on December 28, 1990, Archuleta spent most of his childhood in Utah, where he lived with his parents (Jeff, a jazz trumpeter, and Lupe Maire, a Honduran salsa singer) and four siblings.
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Another photo of David Archuleta on fire, showing off his fantastic vocal flair

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Inspired by a videotaped performance of Les Miserables, he began singing at age six, and his gift allowed him to secure performances at the Utah Talent Competition, The Jenny Jones Show, and Star Search, where he was crowned "Junior Vocal Champion" in 2003.

Photo of David Archuleta from Friday's ALMAs, when he mesmerized the audience with his soulful interpretation of “Contigo en la Distancia”

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David Archuleta auditioned for American Idol in 2007, earning his first praise from the judging panel with a rendition of John Mayer's "Waiting on the World to Change." He advanced to the semifinals and remained with the show throughout its entire season, delivering strong, passionate performances of such pop ballads as "Another Day in Paradise," "Angels," and John Lennon's "Imagine."
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Pensive photo of David Archuleta, a legend at 18 for his oral brilliance

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At 17 years old, Archuleta was the season's youngest contestant, and the constant presence of his father raised some questions about David's ability to make decisions on his own. His confident vocals did not invite much skepticism, however, as he ultimately emerged as the first runner-up to David Cook and inked a deal with 19 Recordings. "Crush," the initial single from his self-titled first album, David Archuleta, debuted at number two.

David Archuleta’s upcoming holiday album, Christmas From the Heart (cover pictured above), drops October 13, 2009. It can be pre-ordered from Amazon for $9.99 now. It will contain the following tracks:

1. Joy To The World
2. Angels We Have Heard On High
3. O Come All Ye Faithful
4. Silent Night
5. First Noel
6. O Holy Night
7. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
8. I'll Be Home for Christmas featuring Charice Pempengco
9. Pat a Pan
10. What a Child Is This
11. Riu Riu
12. Ave Maria
13. Melodies of Christmas

Feel free to connect with David Archuleta on his official website, MySpace, Twitter, and Facebook pages. He loves his fans!

Enjoy the video of David Archuleta singing an ethereal "Contigo en la Distancia" at Friday’s ALMA Awards. If you’re like me, you’ll watch it over and over again!:


Check out this video of David Archuleta signing autographs on the Red Carpet at the 2009 ALMA Awards, aired 9-18-09:


On September 13, 2009 David Archuleta sang "America the Beautiful" at the Women's US Open Finals! Watch the stunning performance in this video now!

Check out David Archuleta’s single “Touch my Hand” video from AOL Sessions Live November 27, 2008:

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==copyright 2009==