David Archuleta on Entering His Flirty Era With ‘Crème Brulée’

Gone are the days of our favourite doe-eyed teenage heartthrob singing his little heart out on American Idol. David Archuleta returns to the forefront of pop culture with a sweet and savoury single that celebrates his newfound confidence. A fun-filled pop anthem traced in the liberation of one’s sexuality, ‘Crème Brulée’ sets the mood for Archuleta’s summer EP with its clever blend of sun-soaked beats and sly turns of phrase.

The bold and breezy track marks Archuleta’s evolution both as an artist and an individual after coming out as a member of the LGBTQ community in 2021. Embracing the singer’s authentic identity, ‘Crème Brulée’ puts forth lyrics that are unapologetically queer, with the LA-based artist comparing his addictive charm to the namesake dessert. His smooth vocals further lean into the song’s theme of sure-footed, tongue-in-cheek empowerment.

“It is freeing. It’s nice to not feel bad about a lot of things that I used to,” says Archuleta in an interview with BURO Malaysia. Standing tall in his convictions, the 35-year-old looks back on his journey so far, connecting the dots between the time when the fear of rejection had cast a long shadow over his career to the moment he finally found his voice. He now realises that he isn’t just making music; he’s making space for others to live their truth.

How did ‘Crème Brulée’ come to you?

I was inspired by the pop girlies of last summer! That was a time in my life when I started to feel more comfortable and confident in myself, and I noticed I was getting more attention from people because of it. I used to be a bit shy and embarrassed by attention, but now I own it. ‘Crème Brulée’ is a flirty little song to mark my journey as I embrace my body and sensuality. It has been a very fun area of my life to explore.

The song is about the thrill of sex. How is your relationship with it so far?

Well, I grew up a Mormon, so sex is something that was never really talked about when I was younger. On the rare occasions it came up, it was always portrayed as something bad. But then, we were expected to magically accept that it’s a part of life as we enter adulthood; that none of us would be here if it weren’t for it. So I had to learn to be okay with it. As I got older, I started asking myself why is it so shamed. Why are we so embarrassed to talk about it?

How has misinformation shown up in your community?

A lot of my friends who grew up religious would get married and have sex, and they would feel very guilty about it. They would cry because all their life, they were told that they were not supposed to do that. So when they get married, they are suddenly expected to do it. All of a sudden it’s supposed to be a good thing. On top of that, no one taught them how to even do it. So I think it’s strange that a lot of it is taboo.

How does ‘Crème Brulée’ speak to that experience?

The song helps me realise that being in touch with your sexual side is not a bad thing. It’s normal. The more you talk about it, the less scary it becomes. The less you talk about it, the less knowledge you have of it. It is better to be educated than to be in the dark. I also think it’s important to handle your sexual feelings in a healthy way, which means staying informed about measures you can take to avoid problems like STDs.

Was there a specific turning point for you?

It’s a gradual process for me—talking to loved ones, putting myself in dating experiences, and learning to set boundaries. ‘Crème Brulée’ kind of references to that too. It’s like, “You’ve had a taste and you want more, but you’ll have to put in a bit more effort for the next round.” So for me, it has been nice. I feel hot; I feel like a baddie. But I also have my own protocol that people have to follow before they can indulge in more of David.

Ooh, might you share with us what that protocol is?

I think it is important to have an open conversation with the person you choose to be intimate with. If you decide to move forward with the relationship, it’s best to make sure that both parties are being safe so that you can avoid getting into any sticky situations. Again, these are the things that I only learned in my thirties. From where I grew up, people would just tell me that gay people get punished by God with HIV and AIDS when they have sex, and die.

The fear-mongering is wild.

There’s a lot of that, yeah. The reality is that I know people who have been out for decades, who are in relationships, who are married to a same-sex partner, and they are all fine. They take the steps that they need to be safe, healthy, and happy. I didn’t know that was possible. That is why you need to learn to take precautions and set boundaries. If you don’t want to get in a situation, talk with your partner upfront; have a conversation with them.

You have shared a lot about your struggles and personal growth—what made you want to be so open about it?

I like to talk about them because a lot of the people who cared about me didn’t know the first thing about being queer either. When I first told my mom, she said, “Honey, I love you but I love God more.” I understood what she meant because up until a week before that, I believed the same thing. But I almost took my life. I thought there was no hope for me. So I told her that I didn’t need her to accept my decision, but I did want her to respect it.

How has your relationship with her evolved since then?

She thought I was going to ‘grow out of it’, but when she saw the person I had become a year later, she decided to accept me and leave our religion. She told me, “I don’t want to be in a place where my children don’t feel loved. We are a family no matter what. So if you’re going to hell, then we’re all going to hell with you.” I was really touched by that. I even wrote a song about it, ‘Hell Together’, which I released last year.

What about your fans?

There have been some shifts and changes in my fan base, but a lot of them have stayed the same, which is amazing. They supported me when I was very religious and very much in the closet, and now that I’ve learned to embrace who I am and love myself, I’m amazed that so many of the same fans who supported me from the very beginning of my music career are still here, showing me love and standing by me.

Speaking of which, what has been the biggest change in your music since the early days of your career?

I have gotten a lot of the heaviness in my chest off by writing. So now, I want to feel confident in my body, queer identity, and humanity. I just want to enjoy life, celebrate that I’m here, and have a good time. I think that is reflected in the music as well. ‘Crème Brulée’ is kind of the beginning of my flirty era. I feel like a lot of people can see that lightness and that feeling of liberation when they tune into what I’m doing now.

How would you describe the sonic direction you’re exploring in your music right now?

I do like pop; it makes me happy. The fans are going to see a variety of elements in my music going forward. In ‘Crème Brulée’, for example, I incorporated lyrics in Spanish as a nod to my mom, who came from Honduras. So they may see that Spanglish influence in the next chapter of my musical journey. That said, I feel like I’m not really trying to prove myself this time around. I’m just settling into myself. I want the music to feel effortless.

Is there any particular artist you would love to collaborate with in the future?

Oh my gosh, there are so many great people out there. I love the pop girlies, so either one of Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, and Tori Kelly would be very fun. They are all amazing. You know who else would be really cool though? Teddy Swims. He sings with real soul and grit. It’s pop, but very soulful. I think these artists pretty much reflect what’s on my playlist right now, but I do listen to other genres like EDM. R&B, and hip-hop as well.

What can fans expect next from you?

Well, I have a new ‘Crème Brulée’ merchandise coming out that I’m very happy with. I’m already working on my next song, so everyone should keep an eye out for that. There will also be an EP, an album, and a tour. Outside of music, I have written a memoir, which will be published under the HarperCollins banner soon. So I have a lot of things in the works. Keep your eyes peeled for the announcements on my Instagram, Facebook, and X!

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