David Archuleta | Photo: Instagram/@davidarchie
“American Idol” star David Archuleta has once more expressed admiration for Filipinos’ vocal range as he sang the Tagalog song “Nandito Ako,” originally sung by Ogie Alcasid.
In a video shared by Hollywood TV correspondent Yong Chavez on Instagram, the “Crush” singer charmed as he sang a few lines of “Nandito Ako” and remarked that Filipinos know how to sing, even applauding the Filipino reporter’s voice who was interviewing him.
“Of course, everyone now knows that Filipinos can sing,” he said.
The American pop singer has been vocal about his appreciation for Filipinos given that he has a huge fan base in the country after his stint in “American Idol.”
“Filipinos love to sing. They’re very supportive of American Idol and pop singers in general,” he said in a TikTok video in 2021 as he recalled his experience in the Philippines.
Also in the past, the award-winning singer remarked that he felt an instant connection with the Filipinos. “I just feel a very special bond with the Filipinos. I feel like the Filipino people are very sincere. They’re very honest about their emotions and what is important to them. I feel like I relate a lot to that and so I just always felt that connection with them,” he expressed in 2018 during a media conference.
Over the years, Archuleta has visited the Philippines many times to hold concerts and guest appearances. He also starred in a local series called “Nandito Ako” in 2012 and released an album called “Forevermore,” which was his first original Filipino music (OPM) album, composed of several covers of Filipino songs.
In 2010, Hollywood host-actress Ellen DeGeneres also acknowledged that the Philippines is the home of great singers, saying, “I’ve learned two things about TV. It’s always easier with vodka, and some of the best singers are from the Philippines.”
The Philippines has produced internationally known singers including Lea Salonga, Charice Pempengco now known as Jake Zyrus, and Arnel Pineda, among others.