David Archuleta on Coming Out, Leaving the Mormon Church & Living Authentically

David Archuleta is opening up about a journey defined by faith, shame, and self-acceptance. The ‘American Idol’ alum reflects on years of feeling unworthy and unseen, admitting that despite public success, he often felt like he didn’t deserve to be there. “I wanted to hide so bad,” he says. After coming out as a member of the LGBTQ community in 2021, David was met with an overwhelming response, particularly from closeted Mormons who saw their own struggles reflected in his story. He speaks candidly about church culture, the isolation many queer people experience and why he ultimately felt he had to step away from religion to be true to himself. That search for truth led him to write his book, ‘Devout,’ inspired in part by conversations with his friend Jeanette McCurdy about her own memoir, ‘I’m Glad My Mom Died.’ In it, he addresses alleged childhood abuse, the pressure of growing up with a demanding stage father and the shame that led him to end three engagements. Today, he’s focused on acceptance, starting with himself. “I don’t have to let other people accept me,” he says. “I can do that myself.” Subscribe to People ►► http://bit.ly/SubscribetoPeople *CONNECT* Web: 💻 https://people.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/peoplemag Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/people/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@people PEOPLE App: 📱 https://bit.ly/3H0bthA *PEOPLE* remains the trusted authority at the center of pop culture. The PEOPLE brand features a unique mix of breaking entertainment news, exclusive photos, video, unparalleled access to the red carpet, celebrities, and in-depth reporting on the most compelling newsmakers of our time. American Idol’s David Archuleta on Coming Out, Leaving the Mormon Church & Living Authentically https://www.youtube.com/user/people