Idol’s season 7 runner-up discusses his desire to make a debut album that’s a little closer to Sarah Bareilles than, say, Dan Fogelberg, and also reveals his ongoing obsession with Billboard’s international charts. Enjoy!
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Comments (1-30) of 119 Add your comment
Slezak, great interview…did you you get the opportunity to apologize to this kid for how bad you have treated him all season? Come on…. you have to admit after meeting him you can take back some of your nasty comments. He seems like a really nice guy who could have represented well. I am happy with the outcome of idol, but I don’t think this David would have ruined the show if he won, like so many were saying. We are all winners this season because the top two seam to be real standout guys both musically and in character….I hope it stays that way
I love me some David Cook and was rooting for him all season, but Archie is so damn adorable. You just want to put him your pocket.
I’m surprised by how much more I like Archie after seeing this 3 part interview…he’s adorable!
Keep em coming – the only happy part of my days have been watching Archie. What a neat kid.
I like this kid he is so adorable . I like how he talks about be 17 and really wanting to do young modern type music . He got slammed too much when he did sing younger styles on the show . I really look forward to what he does on his album .
Kudos to you, Michael. A very very nice interview. Very good questions asked. I don’t believe you hate Archie. You have shown the best of him: a lovely, adorable and down-to-earth young man. Yes, you’ve posted difficult questions but you’ve given him a chance to explain what he thought about it. So, yes, I am talking about you, people, don’t keep on saying Michael hates Archie or he insults him. He didn’t in this inteview.
Come to think of it. I truly think NOT winning is the best Archie can ever have. If he won, he would be doing that rainbow song, need to tell those same old stories again and again and those hectic schedules (remember Cook has barely slept in the first 48 hours). I personally think that this adorable pure boy should not need to go through this to do his music. He needs space and time to grow up. And I am glad he would be given, at least, more space and time than David Cook.
I’m so glad Archie didn’t win because I think he will do way better with less pressure on him. This interview made me love him so much more.
Wow, he does have a personality and he’s quite funny! I like him now, where I didn’t like him at all before.
Re: “Longer”
Archie got screwed!
OMG – Archuleta has a real personality! I don’t blame Slezak at all for his opinions during the season. I couldn’t stand the kid and thought everything he did came off feeling forced and scared. In this interview, he is calm, mature, and actually a little witty (at least with the “magic rainbow” thing). Thanks, Slezak, for doing a real interview (not the fluff we get from talk shows) and giving David a chance to show his personality.
Hey, you know what would be great? If a few hundred more lunatics could get on here and attack Slezak for not loving Archuleta’s singing and bash him as two-faced for being polite during the interview. That would make a lot of sense and really raise the level of discoure on this blog. Keep it up, everyone!
Before the Archuleta crazies get a chance to hijack the thread, I just wanted to get in and say thank you, Slezak, It’s truly been a joy reading your recaps all season-your writing is always sharp and funny, and a night of AI never feels complete without your take. Still the best AI coverage on the internet–we appreciate you so freakin’ much
. See you next year.
I can see Archie making a John Mayer type of album. See, he’s not going to take the Josh Groban route like everyone thought he would. I’d love him to do an R&B/Soulful album but it suits his voice. He proved it when he sang with OneRepublic.
I’m done trashing Slezak, I did it last time. I still don’t like him, but this isn’t about him anymore, it’s about Archie.
if you dont like slezak, why do you read this blog! go away haters!
he wrote his opinions and was very profesional on the interview. make sure to show Archie’s character and cute personality while addresing all of our questions.
Good job Slezak!!!
This was an interesting interview. It proves once again how amazing Archuleta is. And for all those people who said he was all fake..well go listen to this interview and the other millions he has had since the end of the show. That’s really who he is. He’s humble, sweet, funny and very talented.
I say you go apologize to him Slezak, after all the trash talking.
Michael was able to contain the bile in his mouth long enough for this interview. Kudos (j/k) Thanks for all the Idolatry goodness btw. Archuleta’s a nice kid, I still think his singing style is too boring for my taste but he could be the next Josh Groban. Nothing to sneeze at, that guy has sold a ton of records.
Why were the producers such jerks to Archie? Why did they pick that song for a 17 yr-old kid to sing? He did a great job with it, but still. I don’t blame him for trying “With You” at all just to mix it up. I would love to hear his contemporary version of “Longer”. Can’t wait for his CD release.
Yeah, I am one of those Archuleto crazies and proud of it. Why on earth would I want to be a fan of someone else when here is this simply adorable boy with a voice of gold,and more talent than I have seen since Kelly Clarkson won Season I, ready and waiting to set the world on fire. I just hope that TPTB don’t foist some of the trash like they did on Bo Bice and other runners-up for his debut album.
Gosh Slezak, I have hated you all season for the way you’ve treated this terrific kid but I have to admit that this was a great interview. Almost makes up for you being such a huge jerk. Almost. How does it feel to be so dramatically outclassed by the 17 year old kid you worked hard to destroy all season?
I just want to add one more thing. TO those of you who are passionately defending Slezak, there is a lesson to be learned here. What goes around, comes around. He went out of his way to bash Archie. Why would anyone expect that it wouldn’t then become his turn to be bashed?
Slezak, even though you where not fair with Archie in an earlier season I will still give you a credit for doing a good interview. Archie is so professional and answer the question so well.. Good Job, Slezak.
great interview. and i have been a MAJOR archuleta fan all season & it’s only gotten more intense since the season stopped & the withdrawal symptoms began. i did not appreciate your archie-bashing before but i will agree that he never came off as this articulate. he’s always been humble & sweet but you can definitely see his smarts/personality shine through now that the pressure off. the “magic rainbow” joke really humanizes him, in the sense that he can grasp the concept of how he’s pegged & why people would think that, & laugh at himself. people who can do that — laugh at themselves & keep a positive attitude — are role models for people of all ages. this kid will be around for a long, long time & will change lives. i really do believe that.
as for you Sleezak, i realize you were just doing your job & trying to turn heads. now that your recaps are over – you should just admit that you were wrong about archey:) don’t let a 17 yr old be the bigger man!
I love Archie. he is the American idol of my heart. I cant wait to buy his album. He is so cute!
My, My I love this fella..David Archuleta ….this 3 part interview is the BEST ever !!! I am so impressed with this guy. He is just completely lovable!! I am a HUGE fan…but gosh can he be any more adorable.?I am so thrilled to see him talking so openly ..he is so amazingly talented, humble and gracious. MY heavens it is too much…… I will not comment on Slezak….it was a great interview and I thank him for that, I was less than pleased with your depiction of my boy all season but I am so thankful for this wonderful interview. Come on Michael you felt the love….how hot is Archie…please !!!!!!
I have enjoyed Idolatry so much this season and I’ll really miss it. You all deserve a break for all the hard work that you put into producing 3-4 funny, insightful, and always entertaining videos per week. The interviews with David Archuleta (my favorite performer this season) were a treat to view. I appreciate getting an opportunity to see sides of him that I didn’t see during the show. I love the quality of his voice and look forward to downloading his record when it comes out.
It’s gratifying (I guess) to see all the haters come around to our way of seeing Archie, but those of us who did see him for who he is right away are not in the least bit surprised by this interview. Yes, he has developed a somewhat more polished approach to these things (without losing any of his sincerity), but to us, this is “just David.” As for the the other guy, I don’t think there is enough therapy in the world. Shame on EW for giving this pathetic bully a pulpit. And what exactly is your g-d obsession with Archie’s flubbed lyrics? I swear you mention it so often I imagine you saying it to the coffee vendor in the morning: “Yes, the usual, please. And you know that Archuleta flubbed his lyrics, right?” Is that the extent of your musical knowledge? Is that the most you have to offer the world in the way of a review of 12 weeks of painstaking work and talent and effort? Never mind the fact that two other finalists flubbed lyrics–or forgot them altogether–let’s just attack Archie.
I saw some interview with Simon Cowell where he said something like, you should hope Cook wins, because interviewing Archuleta will be like pulling teeth…I thought he was spot on, but boy, am I surprised today. I wasn’t an Archie fan but he garnered my sympathy for his apparent misery all season – I’m so glad to see/hear him happy and well-adjusted and complicated like a normal person. This interview is a cringe-inducing reminder that there’s no such thing as reality on TV, even on a so-called reality show.
Great interview!! I just love this kid!! It is great to see him spread his wings! Good job Michael. You gave America an opportunity to see the real Archie. He is talented and adorable!
This proves how much talent this young man has at 17 years of age. Even forgetting a line or two did not not stop him from delivery a powerful performance. Like Seacrest said on Larry King Live (when David Archuleta is on stage he is a master at his craft, a powerhouse). He does not just sing, he tells a story and makes you feel every word he is singing. And THAT my friends not everyone has the ability to do. He is a musical prodigy (per Mr, Webber). He has already been projected to be the next John Mayer. I strongly believe because of David Archuleta the American Idol CDs will be out sooner than previous seasons. People like myself can’t wait to get their hands on his 1st CD. So lets all sit back and enjoy this nice, humble, gracious, talented young man’s AMAZING voice.