Happy New Year!
Archive
You are currently browsing the notingDavid blog archives for December, 2008.
Dec
31
Dec
30
David Time
Two of our most devoted and talented Archies have produced rich tributes to spending time with David — one looking back, and one going forward. Caseydog, that venerable word-slinger on the Northwestern beat gives us an update to his remarkable DA timeline (David will surely treasure this someday), bringing to a close the inaugural year of the Archuletor’s rise to a steady glow in our hearts.
From phemomenal phan photog Jennifer Barry comes her 2009 Calendar, just in time for the fireworks. Click here or click the calendar to see all the months and to purchase.
Timeline: The Meteoric Rise of David Archuleta
“Essence of David” Calendar by Jennifer Barry
Dec
28
Happy Birthday, David!
Thanks, Rabid, for the cool greeting. See all of R4D’s amazing work at David Deviations.
Dec
22
He Restoreth My Soul
Thanks to Brookeabcdefg for the photo.
Had someone told me a year ago that I would be offering holiday wishes to many hundreds of warm-hearted, hilarious, glorious people who have become members of an online community run by me, I would have laughed and asked, “for what possible reason?” The clairvoyant might have replied, “all because of one remarkable young man.”
I won’t demur. I have been captivated by one or two remarkable young men in my time. But none have warranted (or deserved) the level of attention and consideration I have allocated here. And as I have said before: It almost doesn’t seem like a choice. It feels more like a calling. It is also undeniable that the perpetuation of this effort would have been impossible without the incredible support and participation of the notingDavid membership. I have such great respect and affection for the people who congregate here that I hardly know what I might do to continue to deserve your company.
Gratitude must also be conveyed even, and perhaps especially, to those members who have on occasion challenged me, sometimes with great fervor, in my beliefs and practices. Having to figure out how to be inclusive without sacrificing my principles has been an education. I have a great deal more respect for the difficulties involved in the politics of inclusion, and take this moment to wish our new president much wisdom and patience in his intentions to put into practice this lofty and demanding ideal.
David may never fully realize the degree to which his existence has and will continue to affect people in profound and remarkable ways. Such is the nature–the curse and the blessing–of the artist. Despite his immense love and passion for music, for his audience and for his fans, we need always to be aware that his ability to sing for us is built on a foundation of diligence, dedication, hard work, and sometimes great difficulty and sacrifice. Things are always pretty onstage because the sweat and blood has been spilled offstage. I have alluded before to the irony that his fans are in many ways much luckier than he is, for David is the only one in the world incapable of knowing what it is to be moved by the artistry of David Archuleta.
As I was watching what has become perhaps my favorite Christmas movie, one particular scene jumped out at me like an Archugaze. It refers to an association that has been made before, but which I think is particularly resonant here. I probably won’t be posting again until January, so please accept this little presentation as my holiday gift and New Year’s wish to all of you, fellow travelers in pursuit of a guiding star.
[MEDIA=12]
Dec
22
Thanks from the Family
Received this lovely note tonight.
Just a quick note to thank all of you for your support of David and our family through this exciting yet challenging year. Thank you for the thoughtful basket that we received the other day as well. It is great to have such a strong, loyal, caring group of fans/supporters. Fans sometimes seems a bit impersonal so I hope you know we consider you guys much more than that… All of the opportunities come because people like you get what is special and unique about David. Again, thank you for all you have done, are doing and hopefully will be doing over the next phase of David’s musical journey.
All our best,
The Archuletas
Dec
21
What A Year
This was a lot of work but it was worth it. It’s really quite something to review an archive of the best of David 2008 — the sheer amount of material, the body of work from this year is quite astonishing. And what a pleasure it is to visit all the best of it — from the most heart-tugging performance moments to the most hilarious interview remarks to the smokiest photos.
Great thanks to Gail from Fans of David, Amy of Snarky Archies, and Ronald of IDF (and notingDavid) for their participation on the nominating committee.
Dec
19
D&G = Authenticity
David and Gavin Degraw in Atlanta. Photo thanks to SnarkyArchies.
I’m totally diggin’ that David got perform and hang out with Gavin Degraw. I predicted David would blog about him, and he did. These guys have a lot in common, even though their styles veer off in different directions. Gavin is more Memphis with a folk/indie-rock feel, while David inclines toward Detroit soul, but they are both firmly blues based. What I think they have most in common is an authenticity that audiences connect with in a more visceral way than some of the slicker, more manufactured pop performers. Who else on the Jingle thingy rosters could wow an audience with self accompaniment alone?
Randomality: The president of my agency mentions in a meeting yesterday that his wife and daughter attended the Jingle Ball at MSG. “Oh, what did they think?” I asked, with as much nonchalance as I could muster while perching on the edge of my seat. “They said the best ones were Katy Perry, Ne-Yo, and… who was that other one…?”
By now I’m holding my breath.
“Oh, yeah: David Archuleta.”
Yes, folks, the world is beginning to catch up.
Dec
16
The Voice
At the core of everything Archuleta is The Voice. For those of us who connected with this phenomenon early on–in some cases from the very first note of the very first audition–the sheer magnetism of the instrument was enough to dismiss every other aspect of this goofy kid’s inaugural public persona: the awkwardness, the inexplicable grinning, the almost suspicious kindness, and of course the all but unbelievable humility. And yet, these remarkable incongruences quickly became part of the charm.
Just as soon as there was an appreciation there was also a knowledge.This knowledge was perhaps confined to the early adopters, to the Original Archies, who had a distinct and tangible sense that beneath the Ivory-scrubbed exterior of a sweet, sheltered Mormon boy lied the heart of a true artist — not just an entertainer.
What these recent weeks have so thrillingly revealed is that this initial sense of depth and breadth was not a mirage. Day by day, city by city, song by song, heart by heart, David has emerged as a voice. Not just a voice for the interpretation of song, but a voice for the communication of self, and the way in which self can transcend individuality and connect with universality; the way in which self can stand as a testament to principle, without having principles define the self.
David has also without effort or preconception charmed the most allegedly cynical entertainment pundits of our time–people like Elvis Duran, Jay Leno, and even the famously intransigent Kathy Griffin. This is no accident. Neither is it an intention. It is simply the miraculous consequence of true authenticity.
David’s voice is both entirely other than who he is, and precisely at the center of his being. That makes his life an unusual one. If the past year is any indication, we are all in for a series of astonishments. Some of them will astonish David himself, because David’s deepest understanding of the world is undoubtedly through his music. And that will make for interesting evolutions indeed.
One of the wisest and most compassionate things David has ever said is that his fans are as much a part of this journey as he is. Let’s make certain that we provide enough pillows and blankets and cheers and sighs and just plain friendship. And love.
For The Voice.