A curious thing about 2008: This was the year that I discovered the music of both David Archuleta and MIA (née Maya Arulpragasam). Yeah, my music collection is eclectic like that, and although MIA and David are completely different from each other, they have two things in common.
1. They have a “Third World” connection (MIA, who was born in London, has parental roots in Sri Lanka. David, who was born in Miami, has parental roots in Honduras).
2. They both want to use pop music to send a global message.
In short, both are committed to using music as “inspiration” for action. But that’s where the similarities end. MIA is hardcore in her message: Coming from a war-torn country, surviving as a political refugee, and living in poverty (both in South Asia and in the UK) her message is one of political agitation, which addresses everything from terrorism to refugee status to immigrant rights to globalization. Her popular, Grammy-nominated Planes is a prime example.
David, coming from a much more sheltered life and growing up in a religious faith that still preaches missionary work and charity, has a message that is equally global and politically urgent. In contrast to MIA’s dystopic worldview of warfare and global poverty, David’s is the more optimistic and hopeful message of love, joy, peace, and charity.
Despite these differences, I was intrigued by what these two artists had to offer in their respective genres. MIA, who is every bit a lover of world pop as David, uses hip-hop, ragga, dance, and bhangra to rap about Third World realities in a way that the First World would care. David’s divine and soulful voice elevated John Lennon’s “Imagine” in a way that made a soldier cry in a war-torn country. MIA agitates, David soothes. MIA raps about the destruction of our world; David sings about its eventual rejuvenation.
I get excited about what these two distinct artists could do to the current music scene. MIA’s critically-acclaimed sophomore album, Kala, was produced around the world (so the lore goes) when she was denied a visa in the U.S. to work with Timbaland. The visa denial was presumably because her seemingly pro-PLO and Tamil Tigers lyrics (See, for example, her video ) from her debut album made her questionable in the eyes of our Homeland Security office. Her music gives us insight into what world pop music could sound like. Producing different tracks in countries like Trinidad, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Australia, MIA showcased the ultimate remix possibilities of hip hop and made the genre exciting again (at least for me).
What MIA does to hip hop, I would love for David to do with pop. His international tour this year inspired in me a vision for David to do something similar: To produce different world tracks that capture the spirit of some of his favorite countries: the Philippines, the UK, Honduras, perhaps even Uganda (in homage to his Invisible Children charity). If anyone can rejuvenate a “world” sound infused with his commitment to pop and soul, David is the one.
More than a potential “king” or “prince” of pop, perhaps he’s destined to become the Ambassador of Pop.
New note on the Children’s Streaming site -- Not streaming the Gala 🙁
That sucks…..praying for video!
You’d think they’d what some publicity for their event….
What a wasted opportunity for them…
Maybe--just maybe--Jeff will be able to video the gala and then post it
Once again, I’m wishing on a star for it to happen
I can’t stop chuckling over David’s vlog--he is soooo tired! Hopefully, he’ll be able to sleep better tonight.
tawna21 are you from Wallsburg? Just curious… I think that a few people twittered Jeff yesterday and asked him to film it for us so hopefully he will.
I loved the fairest one of them all… If only he knew that is what we think about him!
gemzone01--Springville--are you from Wallsburg?
It’s so hard to realize David is performing now and we can’t see or hear it—HELP!
Love David’s last tweet:
“Wow, in the State Department Building for the event tonight. It’s like a museum! So many cool antiques.”
Cool antiques? The furniture or the guest list? 😆
Funny Tofan! That got a pretty good laugh out loud out of me!
Tofan#156 ROTFLMAO!
I am really loving the Touch My Hand video. The song and video just gets better and better. I love how David smiles through the video!
awestruck #149…I am going to wait as well for the Canadian iTunes to come through with the Fan Pack…but, I wonder how long will it take dang it…?…Patience…just haven’t quite got that virtue..
Good evening all! I’ve been hovering around for a while, catching up on all things David
QUESTION: I know this is late, but I’ve been wondering for a while…Why is David referred to as bb? I first saw it at Snarky’s and don’t know what it stands for.
Loving the fanpack. Planning to fall asleep tonight (shortly!) to A Thousand Miles!
🙂
Rapture: I have wondered that myself, but thought of two things it might stand for…ballad boy, or baby. Don’t know which, but with Snarky’s it could be either one. LOL
rapture 161- i asked that very same question of the snarky’s girls at tribeca…
they told me “baby boy”
SB #160 Patience is not my virtue either. I’ve been out tonight, got back and checked Canadian iTunes… still not there. I’ll check again in the am.
jeffarchuleta just got back from event at the State Dept. in DC. David closed the show, sang Imagine on piano and a capella “Prayer of the children”
“Imagine” on piano and acapella “prayer of the children”?
Are you kidding me? There better be video/audio!
I tweeted jeff and begged him for video!
I have no shame!!
jeffarchuletaAnyone interested in seeing the video???
Thanks for your reply girls!
happy I didn’t realize the Snarky girls were at the TriBeCa event. Somehow I thought they were mid-country somewhere. I would like to have met them!
Goodnight, heading off to bed with 1,000 miles of smiles!
betsy Did Jeff ask: Anyone interested in seeing the video??? or are YOU asking?
Thanks for the update.
jeffarchuletaSorry, I know that was a pretty obvious question…. I’ll see what I can do….
Betsy
who has taken up Abrra’s postion as spammer
There is video!!!!!!
rapture- not THE snarky’s girls…just snarkys girls… lol
tawna21 no I am from Orem but I drove Annalisa to the soccor game and then took her home. I know she was sitting next to itto and walls so I thought you might be walls. Anyway nice to meet another Utah County Archie.
Excited that Jeff did video might just have to stay up until it is uploaded.
Hope I’m in the right place! I have been reading the posts on the pros and cons of David graduating high school. I ran across this post on another site and it rang true to me, so I thought I’d put it out there because it reflects my thoughts on the subject.
“I think that David should not worry about high school. One of the main purposes of education is to find your talents and develop them. I think he has that going on!
Another main purpose of education is is to learn to earn, certainly not the most important thing in life but it is in the top three and education gets blamed for anyone who fails to learn to earn!
I think David has this going on too, and if his singing doesn’t last the music industry would love to have him in other capacities.
It is time for everyone to face the facts that David has outdistanced anything that education can offer him. He should get on with life.
Consider this: Some students attend a christian school that is not accredited. they work hard and get a good education and when they apply for college the admissions office (pay attention now and read to the end) the admissions office says we can’t recognize your high school diploma … so take the GED test, which they pass with ease, and then take the college admission test and get in BECAUSE THEY WORKED HARD and learned.
So an unaccredited diploma does not stop the successful, and David’s lack of a diploma should not stop him. He can probably PASS THE GED TEST RIGHT NOW, and then get on with life.
He’ll be fine.” (Written by Golferguy )
David,could no doubt have passed an equivalency test with the help of a little refresher course via tutor. He probably has almost enough credits to graduate (which makes me wonder how many he needs to graduate.) My granddaughter graduated high school 6 mos early, because she had accumulated enough credits to do so. With his grades up til now, I’m sure with a little elbow grease put towards education (and a little help from school administration) this could be this could be accomplished in short order.
I am probably very late posting on this subject, sorry, as I haven’t been able to read TDC for several days.
So is there video?
djafan Jeff twittered that he has video.
OMG…. Please post tonight so I can sleep…
Thanks gemzone01!
Okay, TOfan and others, here’s my David without David ZG video (yes, I spent all evening and night putting it together -- quite therapeutic, actually, since it kept my mind off of more troubling things). Enjoy!
HG: WOW -- fabulous!
Thanks, Marlie.
Now I’m good and tired. It’s time to call it a night.
G’nite all! 🙂
Had to come out of lurkdom and compliment hellogorgeous. BRAVO!!! I hope your video gets TONS of hits on youtube!
P.S. Being creative is something David brings out in people. I hope you received your “therapy” while creating it.
HG —- Great job…. I love the views of approaching earth from space.
HG -- WOW! Now that was a visual experience -- a MUST view for full screen. Loved the psychedelic & outer space parts. This song really has tons of potential in various media -- IMAX?
You know, I heard the demo of ZG by Lim (of Jackie Boyz) last year (after the interview with Mike K). I didn’t really care for it. But once David sung it…. That’s a whole different song. I luv it!