Exclusive Interview: David Archuleta's 'Crush' tops charts

“All my friends keep saying, ‘You should try to hook up with Shawn Johnson,’” confessed “American Idol” runner-up David Archuleta with a giggle.

It was 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, and Archuleta had managed to squeeze in a quick chat between signing autographs and walking a press line in Tampa, Fla. 

Our topic of conversation –- Archuleta’s real-life crushes – was prompted by the outlandish success of his first single, “Crush.” Not only was it the top-selling digital download of the week, but “Crush” also hit No. 2 on the U.S. pop singles chart today; the best chart debut in 18 months, according to Billboard. 

So, I just had to ask: Does Archuleta have a “Crush” of his own? “I’m just afraid to mention anything now,” confessed Archuleta.  And he’s right to be afraid.  Recently, after one of Archuleta’s female friends attended his show, she received a deluge of hate mail from Archuleta’s fans. “They said, ‘You’re not good enough for him, and you’re ugly,” Archuleta said, shuddering.  “You can see why people want to keep things to themselves.”  Despite the fact that his rabid fans harassed his guest, however, Archuleta continued to defend them. “They’re just really protective,” he concluded.

It was one of Archuleta’s loyal fans, in fact, who first informed him of his chart-topping success. “She told me and I was like, ‘Are you serious?’ ” Archuleta recalled.  He never dreamed his first single would debut at No. 2.  “I was like, maybe it will get to the top 40. I just can’t believe it.”

The single came about somewhat serendipitously. “It was actually the first song that the label played for us to listen to,” Archuleta said. “They played just a rough demo of it, and I was just like, ‘wow.’ ” After singing so many mature ballads on “American Idol,” Archuleta was drawn to “Crush” for its youthful edge. Above all, Archuleta wanted to avoid coming off as too adult; or, as he put it, as “some cheesy version of Josh Groban.”

In his upcoming album, too, Archuleta is looking for a young sound. So far, he knows the album will be pop-based, and that it will hit stores in late fall. “We only have a month and a half to work on it!” he said. “We're just looking for the best songs we can find in the shortest amount of time.” Plus, since he’s still on the “American Idol” tour, Archuleta is recording the entire album in his nonexistent free time. “I used to have days off, but now when I have a day off, I have to just work on the album,” he said. Somehow, however, he isn’t stressed about his grueling schedule. “I don't feel overwhelmed or anything. I’m finally living my dream.”

Archuleta couldn’t reveal much about his music video for “Crush,” except to say that it involved –- you guessed it –- a “crush.” “I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it,” Archuleta said of the video shoot, adding, “I can’t wait to see how the end product comes out!” One of the reasons Archuleta enjoyed shooting the video so much may have been his affection for the actress playing his crush.  “She’s really funny. Like, she acted a lot like me,” Archuleta said, laughing. Note to Archie’s small-screen crush: Expect hate mail.

-- Stephanie Lysaght

Comments

[Thank-the-fans]

Thank the fans of Archuleta for making him number 1. There are still multiple copies of Crush to be given away and are just sitting on their computers collecting dust. If you bought multiple copies, search the Internet for Archuleta Gifting Campaign so you can give your copies away. Also, there is an Radio Request Airplay Campaign going on, too - make sure this is done. The rabid fans can do it all for Archuleta. The song does not even have to be that great and the fans can make it hit number 1. They are that rabid.

[Candice]

I love David so much and I love his new single Crush and I love his voice! I just love everything about him!

[Dogzman]

WHOA! WHO IS THE REAL LIFE CRUSH! HMMMMMM

[Rachael]

"David wanted to avoid coming off as too adult; or, as he put it, as “some cheesy version of Josh Groban.”"

David is so smart that he knows how to go about his music for the time being. Although I love any songs of the cheesy version of Josh Groban, David is so young and should sing what he wants to sing. His older fans can wait until he gets older and sings more mature songs. To be honest, I can listen to his ballads all day long. I love his emotional songs. But since I love David, I want him to be happy and enjoy his youth. What a young man. He is so adorable and so right whatever he does and says. I hope his young girl fans won't hate his crush on the video. LOL.

[Lynn]

This is so sad that someone (thank-the-fans) has to come up with hateful things to say about David, who is a very good singer and deserves to be respected. If you don't care for his singing you don't have to comment or be jealous. Just be mature enough to realize everyone has different tastes. As my mom taught me when I wanted to say negative things about others I was jealous of or felt I needed to puff myself up or maybe in this case someone else, she said "keep your thoughts to yourself". I continue to teach my own children this today. Too many today have been brought up to be disrespectful and to do and say whatever they feel, no matter if it hurts others. In this case, David Archuleta has enough respect for himself to let things like this disturb him. Especially since he has already received much criticism already and still risen to the top of everything he does. He is truly a talented singer, that much has already been established on American Idol and from professionals all around. If you don't like his music , don't bash those who do like him.. just keep your thoughts to yourself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lola]

omg I cant believe ppl do that!
that is so mean!
send hate mail!?....
come on ppl!

[metbabe]

david you should definetely hookup with shawn johnson she is a cutie and so are you. she is humble and so are you. i say go for it and listen to your friends

[Ashley]

Aww, he is a sweetie. Defending his fans even after they sent those horrible things to his friend. That's sad and just plain out rude and hateful that some fans have to resort to that. Poor thing(both the girl and David). Lol, he's not gonna have any female friends left after a while. PERFECT ending line, by the way.

And Crush is a very radio-friendly, deserving, fun song. I'm glad he made his debut with it. And there's no possible way that just his fans got it all the way to #2 just by buying loads of copies with minimal airplay. No way. Other casual buyers had to get it too.

I'm so excited for him! Love him to death. Keep making music, David!

[Megan]

OMIGOSH

when i saw shawn johnson on the balance beam i thought of David...coincidence?

[matt]

Commenting from (Thank-the-fans) I don't see how buying several downloads or gifting of itunes is any different than voting 500 times on American Idol for the same contestant. They are both legal as far as I know, and they both allow fans the opportunity to buy or vote as many times as they desire. American Idol sure benefited from this, and itunes and Amazon and others benefit also. So why the gripe about fans or such buying their little hearts out for an artist they care about and love. If all artists had support like this, huh? That's what it's like in a free democracy. Now, go to China or many far away countries and that's where they don't allow the free market to work and discourage any participation of these types. I say, some one is a bit peeved that their choice didn't do as well. They all get their turns and it seems to me let the winners be respected for the efforts of their fans! When your preference gets their turn , wouldn't you like to have respect for them also? What goes around comes around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lighten up thank-the-fans!

[Viennamay]

The Billboard collects data from US digital download only. How about Canada? My friends and my family and relatives and I downloaded
from Itune Canada and last week "Crush" was number 1 at Itune Canada. Billboard should also collect data from outside US. Because David is a World Idol and many from outside US, like Canada, did their purchases from Itune Canada. David should be in number 1 if the collection of data was not confined to US alone. As far as I am concerned, Crush is number 1, not Disturbia.

[peanut]

Crush is the perfect 1st song for the young and amazingly talented David. His album will be fantastic!

[TARA]

Ouch, they make it sound like it was a thing most of his fans did to send hate mail! And like we're all waiting to do it again...that's unfair. You know that's so not true.

That's horrible to do and I sure hope the girls and DAVID know that that's a verrryyyy small minority who would even consider that!

[Fran]

David, Congrats on your accomplishment, I have gifted 13 copies and Bought one for myslef and I have a lot more people I plan to guft. Shawn Johnson is gorgeous, gracious and huble jsut like you, you guys would make a great couple. Hopefully she isn't dating somebody already. The girl in the video is also beautiful so most important find someone who treats thmeselves well and then you well.

[i-love-the-fans]

Fans make the success of an artist! Thanks to the fans of David Archuleta!!! They made his debut single number 1!!! David deserves every bit of this success because he is very talented, very humble and always grateful of his fans!!! I love David Archuleta and i love his fans!!!

[cruzceleste]

Most of his fanbase were commenting last week how cute Shawn Johnson and David will look together, they totally should hook up LOL... I don´t like it but is not only Archie´s friend or crush who have recieve or will receive hate mail... Michael J Fox´s wife received hate mail and death menace around 20 years ago.... some of Cook fanbase don´t like his girlfriend... I know is not right, is sad and wrong but I think most of celebrities have to live with that kind of situation, and is that the reason why they try to live their life as private as posible to protect the people they love...

I think is really mature of David to se the bright side of this situation... Thanks for the article...

[Jenni]

Do you really think fans can do this? I go to different forums and let me tell ya. There are only a handful of peple who actually blog. There might be hundreds of fansites, but it's all the same people whofloat around.These peple cannot buy 166000 copies of the single.

The gifting campaign they have probably give out a few hundreds copies and mostly to International fans who cannot buy it form Itunes. Itunes won't let you do it if the credit cards isn't US bank issued. Young fans who don't own credit cards will not be able to buy it and eventually download illegally.That's the purpose of gifting - spreading the love.

Most importantly, Billboard counts multiple sales as 1. Go ahead and buy hundreds, Itunes and Sony will make money, but it will count it as 1. They know it when people cheat.

And the song was #1 for the whole week. The fans only bought it the first day which was August 12. If the song only appeals to his rabid fans, it would have dropped the next day, not a week later.

Yeah, haters, the truth hurts, doesn't it!

[Xena]

David Archuleta is no longer confined to the dictates of American Idol, and he is at last free to demonstrate his versatility as a singer and a performer. The show had him pigeonholed as a balladeer, but "Crush" is a midtempo pop-rock song with R&B flavor. Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. The success of "Crush" is phenomenal when you consider that it has not yet been released for radio in most parts of the country. I'd just like to point out that the gifting campaign referred to by a very bitter "Thank-the-fans" was not accurately portrayed in his/her comment. Copies of "Crush" are not sitting collecting dust on computers. Instead gifts are emailed directly by iTunes to the recipients, most of whom live abroad and cannot download directly from the iTunes website because of it. David is very popular internationally, and these fans want the opportunity to own "Crush" too.

[emily]

wow, that's terrible about his friend. If they were real fans they wouldn't have treated his friends that way. But I know I might just be al little curious *and maybe a little bit jelious cough cough haha* about the whole real life crush thing..but he is 17, and he deserves to have at least a litttle bit of a personal life. (but awwww shawn johnson, i'm with his friends on that one..she and david would be adorable together..but ahh there i go all crazy controling fan..sry it's a little tough sometimes..haha) so i'll leave it at, adoring fans=great.. fanatic fans=good.. crazy fangirls=ok..crazy rabid controling rude fans= not so good....so lets just try to be adoring fans, because we all know that OUR(haha) DAVID deserves the BEST!!!! :)

BTW: GO DAVID Archuleta!!!! GO "CRUSH"!!!!!! #2 WHOOT WHOOT :)

[Kathy]

Some people need to learn that sour grapes are always going to taste like sour grapes. Get over it.

David chose an age-appropriate song that most can relate to, and he sang it beautifully. The chorus to "Crush" is so addictive. I LOVE the song. I can't wait to hear what else he has chosen -- and I'd be willing to bet that the album will be filled with songs that many will enjoy.