The Masked Singer: David Archuleta (Macaw) finishes second again, but he’s not mad!
The moment that Macaw opened his mouth to sing Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying.” on The Masked Singer earlier this season, fans new instantly that David Archuleta was the golden voiced bird behind the mask. He triumphed in the season 9 second round of competition against several competitors, going on to compete in the quarterfinals. the semi-finals and then the finals. (Read our finale Recap)
Would the American Idol season 7 runner-up (to winner David Cook) finally win a singing competition? Alas, it was not meant to be. David once again came in second place behind the formidable Medusa, aka singer-songwriter Bishop Briggs.
The Masked Singer panel is not judging
In a post show interview, David told Billboard that initially he was afraid to be judged on a talent show again, a fact that he alluded to in his clue packages. His previous experience on American Idol in 2008 had been overwhelming at times. But David said, “The Masked Singer panel is not judging, just commenting and supporting and cheering you on. It was healing.”
During David’s finale clues, he shared that a “major injury” had “silenced” him for three months. Specifically, earlier this year, David was forced to cancel a tour due to a vocal cord injury. He needed surgery and couldn’t speak or sing for weeks. Also, coming to terms with himself as a queer man left him questioning what he should do next.
“I needed to go in a direction I haven’t been before”
“I felt like I needed to go in a direction I haven’t been before, because where I was before, I hit my limit and it almost collapsed on myself,” David told Billboard. “I hit the bottom, and what I was doing before was not working. It led to a very dark place and I decided I needed to go into a new space and re-create myself and try new things. In the process of doing that, I found a lot of happiness and light and hope.”
His second finale song, Eric Carmen’s “All by Myself” embodied his coming out journey. When his church (Latter Day Saints) insisted that as a gay man, he either marry a woman anyway, or remain celibate, David pushed back. “I don’t want to be alone. Why is this required of me when everyone else gets to have a companion?” He continued, “That song embodied my whole journey: No, I won’t be by myself. I’m letting go of that narrative of my life and allowing myself to be who I want to love.”
David was OK with second place again
As far as coming in second place again, David said, “Medusa was killing it and Bishop Briggs [Medusa] is an incredible performer. I don’t think TV does justice to how great a performer she is. She is so alive, and I got goosebumps every time she sang.” David also commented on the 3rd place finishers, Pentatonix “Between her energy and the sushi rolls (California Roll), I thought, “what reason is there for me to continue? I want to keep watching these people.”
During his Masked Singer journey, David kicked things off with a country classic, “Live Like You Were Dying,” He also sang Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph,” Elton John’s “Your Song,” and One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful.” David called the entire process liberating, fun and healing.
David’s emotional unmasking
In the end, both judges Nicole Scherzinger and Ken Jeong guessed Macaw’s identity correctly. Ken teared up, sharing that in 2008, his wife was pregnant and in the hospital on bed rest, not knowing whether her kids “would live or die,” he and his wife watched American Idol. David in particular, was a “ray of light” for his family.
David choked up sharing about his journey of self-acceptance, “If anyone else has grew up feeling that they were bad just because of who they are attracted to or who they loved, I want you to know that it is worth taking the courage to show your true colors. It’s scary. But you’re worth it. You matter. And it’s so beautiful.”
One cool aspect of the night was how David and Bishop were able to interact once they took their masks off. It was a veritable love fest up on that Masked Singer stage.
Watch David’s first performance, “Hold Back the River” by James Bay
What’s next for David: A new single “Up”
David is ready to release a new single. “Up” will be out on June 2. The album art is a nod to his colorful Macaw costume on The Masked singer!
