David Archuleta (Photo by Jerome Ascano/NPPA Images)When David Archuleta arrived in the Philippines Sunday afternoon, he was held up for a few minutes at the NAIA Terminal 1 due to airport ground crew who posed for pictures with the "American Idol" season 7 runner-up.
Some artists may find this an unwelcome inconvenience. But for David, who is in the country for a concert at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City Monday night, July 18, the incident is only a testament to the enthusiasm and support of his Filipino fans.
"It's funny. It's usually like after when you get the luggage and stuff when the people come. I haven't even come out (of the airport) yet... It's something very unique to the Philippines," David told Yahoo! Philippines OMG! in an interview last night.
In fact, David said it's the Filipino fans that keep him coming back to the country. In 2009, he headlined a back-to-back concert with "American Idol" season 7 winner David Cook at the SM Mall of Asia open grounds. Last year, he returned to the Philippines to promote his third studio album, "The Other Side of Down."
"The Pinoy fans have just been so amazing and just so supportive and they've always been so excited and always keep asking if I can come back. Their requests have kept me coming back. They've always been great and amazing and their support and energy have always just been something I've appreciated so much," David shared.
He added, "There's something about the fans that's just so different. They're very energetic, enthusiastic. They're very dedicated. It's something that shocks and surprises me every time."
First time
Although no longer a stranger to the country, the concert tonight will be his first without a co-headliner. Does he feel pressured considered it's his first time to do a solo concert in the country with "energetic" and "enthusiastic" fans?
"I feel a little bit of pressure just because I want to do a good job. I don't want to let my fans down so I hope that I'm doing the right songs, and I'm singing, and I'm okay, my voice is warmed up and ready," he said.
Of couse, the 20-year-old singer-songwriter is also excited to perform later.
"I feel like I've been able to prepare to give a good show for everyone and give good energy to the fans. I feel like the energy from Filipino fans too will be great energy to feed out off," he said.
David said he will sing some of his more popular songs but adds that he will perform songs from his most recent "The Other Side of Down: Asian Tour Edition."
"I hope they'll enjoy those too because they're very new so they may not be familiar with them. I hope that by introducing these new songs that they'll enjoy it too," he said.
Besides the new songs, this concert will be different, David said, because he has "grown a lot since the last time as a performer."
Last chance
And how has he grown? David said he's more comfortable on stage now.
"I feel like I'm more able to feed off the energy more from the audience more than before. I mean, you always feed off the energy from the audience. But before, I think I kept most to myself just because I was still a little shy," he explained.
David also said that since the last time he was in the country, he has learned to appreciate performing for the sake of performing.
"(Before) I would get so self-conscious of thinking, 'I don't know if they still like the songs or not' or "Do they like me?' Now, I just want to make sure that every moment is meaningful and memorable to the fans and to be too," he said.
David added, "Lately every performance feels like I'm singing as if it's the last time. That's what I feel. I'm singing like it's my last chance. Because you never know when you can see these fans again. So I just want to make sure that it's good. I want to give my best because I never know when I'd get another chance to see the faces who are out in the crowd again."
After his Philippine concert, David will head to Vietnam and Malaysia for the third and fourth leg of his 2011 Asian tour.
"It'll be interesting," he said of the remaining stop of his tour. "I never know what it will be like. With the Philippines I had a better idea just because (the fans) reach out a lot."
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