In the TV5 soap Nandito Ako in which he plays a Fil-Am singer tracing his roots in the Philippines, American Idol alumnus David Archuleta delivers his dialogue in English and whoever is in the scene with him does so in Tagalog. Interestingly, they understand each other perfectly well. How do they do it?
“Before the shoot,” David told Funfare during a farewell interview a few days after he went back to the States, “they explained to me the scene and what the other actor was saying, and that’s how we understood each other.”
They did the same before David recorded the soap’s theme song of the same title, composed by now-US-based Aaron Paul del Rosario.
“So I knew the meaning of the song and I sang it straight from the heart,” said David.
* FYI, OPM means Original Pinoy Music. Lyrics and music by a Filipino artist. It could be English, Filipino (Tagalog) or other local dialects.
MYXph sat down with American Idol Season 7 runner-up David Archuleta to talk about recording an all-OPM album, meeting OPM royalties, acting, his 2-year mission, and Lea Salonga.
David Archuleta, who’s currently in the country to film a mini-series, has a jam-packed schedule. Prior to the interview, the affable singer had a late night working on a “fun Philippine project” his Filipino fans — an all OPM album!
“This is a project that came about quite suddenly. It wasn’t really planned out, but while I was here filming Nandito Ako, it just came about and came into work and we just figured it would be a great gift for the Filipinos fans to go alongside everything that has been going on.”
“Since I’ll be leaving for a couple of years, it just seems like something really fun and special to give, he added. “And the songs, I think, not just Filipinos would enjoy but fans elsewhere would really like because the songs tend to be really heartfelt, emotional, and you can really sing them, and so I think my other fans would really enjoy listening to them as well.”
When asked about the difficulties of recording the Tagalog song, Nandito Ako (originally sung by Ogie Alcasid, also included on the album), Archie said that it wasn’t as hard as he thought it would be. To prepare, he shared, “I just made sure to listen to the original version by Ogie [Alcasid] a lot. Over and over and over and over, just to make sure that I’m understanding what was being said.”
“It was great! I loved getting to meet both of them. They were so nice. It was just fun getting to hang out with them. They even sang together a little bit which was really fun. Just very good people,” he quipped. “I know that they’re both very respected names here in the Philippines, so just being able to meet them and see how simple they were…”
Apart from Ogie and Regine, he also got to work with record producers Jay Durias and Jimmy Antiporda on his OPM album! When asked for his favorite track on the album, Archie simply replied, “I like keeping surprises.” Though he did drop some hints.
Click HEREto Watch the clip below as he shares more about his upcoming all-OPM album.
SINGAPORE – In less than two months, US pop singer David Archuleta will be taking a two-year break from his music career – to serve as a missionary.
The American Idol 7 runner-up, who is a Mormon, will be based in an undisclosed country without a mobile phone and will only get to communicate with his loved ones via letters or the occasional e-mail.
He was in high spirits when he met The New Paper yesterday and even sang Billy Joel’s Just The Way You Are at the start of the interview.
Archuleta, who wanted to keep his destination a secret, said: “I know many people who met their future spouses during their mission.
“They can meet up during that time, but they cannot date as for the two years we’re supposed to be focused on our faith and serving the community.
“So if you meet someone you like, you can stay in touch and then start dating them when the mission is completed.”
During the two years, he will only be given US$400 (S$500) a month by his church. The money will be used for his housing, food and any other necessities.
Since he is also not allowed to use his own savings, Archuleta said that to save money, he would ask to stay with people in “the community” if they are willing to house him.
Missionaries, he added, go about their work in pairs, but he does not know yet who his partner is going to be.
It’s hard to imagine a young star like Archuleta making such a drastic life change, but his mind is made up.
Why now, we asked Archuleta, who told us that such mission trips are not compulsory for Mormons. His simple answer? It’s the best time.
“If I don’t do it now, there will never be another time where I can do it.
“My friends who have done it survived basically on macaroni and cheese and cup noodles. I have always respected and admired them.
“So I’m looking forward to it. When I’ve completed the mission, I’ll start thinking about going to music school.”
David Archuleta was just 16 years old when he joined iconic talent show American Idol.
Now 21, the pop star gives his thoughts on other young stars like Justin Bieber and Grayson Chance.
Click the screencaps below to watch part 1 on Razor TV (original source).
Youtube video:
American Idol four years on (David Archuleta Pt 2)
[03:49]
Having found success from the show, season seven runner-up David Archuleta gives his views on the new judges and whether the show can hold it’s own against other new talent shows.
Youtube version:
“Here I Am” in the Phillipines (David Archuleta Pt 3)
[03:53]
Nandito Ako or “Here I Am” in Tagalog is David Archuleta’s acting debut.
After 15 days of non-stop filming in The Phillipines, the singer has a new found respect for the craft of acting.
Leaving music for two years (David Archuleta Pt 4)
[04:15]
Fans of singer David Archuleta will have to wait a little longer for an album while he takes a two year leave of absence to focus on religion.
Archuleta gives hints on the direction his next album might take when he gets back.
David Archuleta answers fan questions on Today Online:
Heartthrob and American Idol alumnus David Archuleta was in town for a private showcase on behalf of StarWorld and the new American Idol season to be aired exclusively on StarWorld.
TODAY managed to squeeze some time out of Archuleta’s schedule to get him to face some fan questions before his private showcase, just weeks before he is due to enter a two-year missions trip.
In the TV5 soap Nandito Ako in which he plays a Fil-Am singer tracing his roots in the Philippines, American Idol alumnus David Archuleta delivers his dialogue in English and whoever is in the scene with him does so in Tagalog. Interestingly, they understand each other perfectly well. How do they do it?
