David Archuleta Is Kicking Off His ‘Flirty’ Era With A Powerful Message For Pride

“It’s fun to finally, for the first time in my life, feel comfortable in my own skin,” said the “American Idol” veteran, who came out as queer in 2021.

After a five-year hiatus from the studio, David Archuleta is returning to the pop music scene this summer with a six-song EP, “Earthly Delights.”

The “American Idol” veteran, 34, shared a taste of his new music by unveiling the EP’s much-buzzed-about first single, “Crème Brulée,” in March. The accompanying music video finds the Utah-raised pop artist showing off a newly chiseled physique while strutting and striking poses beside a three-person dance troupe.

“Crème Brulée” gave Archuleta, who is of Spanish and Honduran heritage, a rare opportunity to incorporate Spanish lyrics into his music. “I feel a little sexier when I’m singing in Spanish,” he quipped to HuffPost.

The song also fits neatly into the inclusive, forward-thinking narrative of “Earthly Delights,” Archuleta’s first musical project since coming out as a member of the queer community in 2021.

“I wanted to just feel comfortable in my own body, and I feel like I had to go against what I was raised to believe to do that,” said Archuleta, who grew up in the Mormon church. “Being a queer person and knowing that since I was little, I was always fighting and wrestling with myself. And being a person of faith, you’re encouraged to be uncomfortable with yourself if you’re queer.”