David Archuleta celebrates George Michael’s ‘Freedom’ in new release

David Archuleta has been on an incredible journey of self-discovery, which has led him to so many new freedoms in his own life, so it’s only fitting that his latest single is a cover of one of his own idols — George Michael. Friday, Archuleta released his rendition of Michael’s Billboard Top 10 certified Gold single, “Freedom” on the 35th anniversary of the song’s release.

In “Freedom,” Archuleta delivers a soulful and electrifying reinterpretation of George’s iconic anthem that breathes new life into this timeless classic, creating a version that connects with today’s audience while paying homage to the original’s spirit of empowerment and individuality.

The track is produced by Phil Lawrence, the Grammy-winning talent behind some of the biggest hits from Bruno Mars, Adele, and CeeLo Green. Phil’s trademark touch brings a polished and dynamic edge to this reimagining of “Freedom.”

“When I came out, George’s music took on a whole new meaning for me,” Archuleta said. “I could feel him breaking out through his music that I craved to experience myself. It was like a motion helping me forward in my own journey.”

Archuleta also said he can relate to to the lyrics of the song.

The song’s lyrics, “Heaven knows I was just a young boy, didn’t know what I wanted to be,” resonated with him, he said. 

“Being in front of millions as a teenager on TV, to now having to reshape who I am and what that means for me in the public eye, and hopefully sharing that spirit of George with today’s generation,” he said.

David’s 17-year-long career journey has always been aligned with George Michael in some fashion or another. The singer-songwriter recalled performing, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” at the seventh season finale of “American Idol” as a duet with Sir Elton John, with George himself surprising the audience with a performance that same evening.

“After so many years, I went back and listened to that song and had it on repeat. Because the meaning took on so much more than when I first heard it as a closeted 17-year-old on ‘Idol,'” he said, with emotion in his voice. “It holds the combination of feeling the pain life can bring, yet a hope for the future and empowerment that I needed — to feel seen, understood and keep going today. I am grateful for the genuine expression that was always felt in George’s voice as he sang.”

In 2023, Archuleta was invited to help induct Michaels into Project Angel Food’s “Path of Angels” star dedication ceremony in Hollywood.

“George Michael shattered barriers and defied stereotypes. His honesty became a beacon of hope for countless members of our community yearning for acceptance in a society that often dictated our identities for us,” Archuleta said in his remarks.

Now, as David continues to unlock new levels of freedom with his own music and beyond, Archuleta has found an endless source of inspiration in his growing passion for dancing, raves, and festival culture.

“EDM festivals and dancing have been a new way of feeling a sense of community and togetherness that I was worried I would lose,” he says. “Feeling a oneness through music and dancing is so magical and therapeutic — it’s freeing and also creative. It has encouraged me to be more fearless and to not be afraid to express myself in more creative ways.”

Raised in Utah from age six, he first fell in love with music due to the influence of his mother (a salsa singer and dancer) and father (a jazz trumpeter). By his early teens, he’d begun writing songs of his own, and in 2008, he gained massive fame as the first runner-up on the seventh season of “American Idol.” After making his debut with his double-platinum single “Crush,” he released a steady stream of albums and built an adoring following around the world, touring in such far-flung places as Asia and the Middle East. In a truly unexpected and audacious move, Archuleta left the music business in a moment of colossal success and headed to Chile to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for two years — then returned with a profoundly renewed sense of purpose as he dove back into his music career.

As shown in his recent single “Hell Together,” Archuleta has dramatically expanded the landscape of his songwriting and devoted himself to making pop music with equal parts uncompromising emotion and exhilarating impact. 

He won the 2024 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist and landed a book deal with a HarperCollins imprint for his forthcoming memoir. “Hell Together” is currently nominated for a 2025 Queertie Best Music Video Award

Archuleta first moved toward the unfiltered truth of his new material with a revelatory writing trip to Toronto in late 2022.

“It was a really magical week where I started exploring topics I’d never discussed before in my music, like falling in love with a man and leaving my faith,” says the L.A.-based artist, who came out in 2021. “In a way, it was scary, but mostly, it was thrilling to do what would have seemed impossible to the person I used to be. I realized I don’t have to hide who I am anymore.”

Archuleta names eclectic artists such as Tracy Chapman, indie-pop singer/songwriter Maddie Zahm, and Nigerian musician Tems among his current inspirations. With more new music due out soon, he notes that uncovering his most authentic voice has involved finding self-assurance in unexpected places.

“Growing up in the church, I was taught to stand up for my beliefs and share them with the world, which is exactly what I’m trying to do with my music,” he says. “Even though I stand for something else now, I still have that same level of conviction in what I do. I believe in being bold in my vulnerability and speaking the truth of who I am so that, hopefully, people can come away from my songs feeling like they understand themselves, or others, or just life, in general, a little better than they did before.”

“Freedom” can be heard here.