review: devout (david archuleta biography and new music)

A lot of musical artists have added meaning to my life, but David Archuleta is higher on the list than most. His voice has consistently wowed, but the release of his biography highlighted the power of his voice in a whole new way. Devout: Losing My Faith To Find Myself is extremely important. Keep reading for a full review of Devout, both the book and the new EP.

Devout: Losing My Faith To Find Myself covers an awful lot of ground. In the book, David Archuleta speaks honestly about the difficult relationship he had with his father and several other family members. Family dynamics can be complex even in the best situations, so it was especially meaningful that he was able to write honestly about the more difficult experiences. David also wrote a lot about the pressures that he faced as his father pushed him into the music industry and the expectations that others had for him. He was very honest about the anxiety he felt and the difficulties he had trusting his own desires. In addition to everything he shared about his family dynamics, Star Search, American Idol, and being a recording artist, there was also a lot of information about the Mormon church shared. It was something that David grew up in and it was something that he relied on when he felt overwhelmed. Unfortunately, the church holds horrible views on people within the LGBTQIA2S+ community. This led to David feeling that he needed to reject his authentic self - and when he could no longer continue to do that, he contemplated taking his own life. Devout is an important read for a lot of reasons. It speaks about abuse, control, and cruelty, but it ultimately focuses on freedom. The world is better when people are loved and accepted for who they are. 

In addition to the release of the book, there were three songs included on the companion EP. Those can be heard here:

• Old And Young
• Stay
• On Purpose

Each of the Devout EP songs ties into the themes of the book in some way. Old and Young acknowledges the years spent trying to be what everyone else wanted him to be. As David has started to step out into the world in a new way, he finds that he is both old and young. There are so many experiences that he has not had out of fear...so there is a newness to life despite his age. This is something that a lot of people will be able to relate to in some manner. Stay is another emotional song on the EP and it is a call to this suffering to hold on. Since the book discusses depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, this song is especially important. I am certain that it will help a lot of people who are hurting. Thank goodness that David decided to stay. The last song on the EP is On Purpose, which is my favourite of the three. (That being said, all are incredible. This is truly his best work and that is saying something.) It is a song about making mistakes, but not hating yourself for trying new things. I especially love the lines, "I know I'm not perfect, but I'm not a bad person." Perfectionism can be draining and the simple realization that you do not need to be perfect to be worthy is powerful. This EP continues to be played on repeat in my home.

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Have you read Devout by David Archuleta? What books are on your current reading list?