Tons of Interviews and Articles!

Here lots of interviews, articles and videos from the Philippines! The first one is from GMA News TV.

Two Davids conquer the Philippines without fear. IF Goliath were alive today, two stones will surely hit him on the head and he’d be twice dead.

Then again, no need for him to die like that nowadays because the two most famous Davids — surnamed Cook and Archuleta — whose impact to most people worldwide is near idolatry, are nothing but harmless and charming singers.

They are the top winners in the seventh season of “American Idol”, which is watched by billions worldwide. In this much-imitated reality TV show, Cook was the grand winner last year while Archuleta was the closest runner-up.

And they are here in the Philippines to conquer the hearts of millions of Filipino fans with a one-night-only concert at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds on May 16, which is a Saturday night.

“I’d like to try your most famous delicacy. How do you call that? Balut?” said the 26-year-old Cook, when asked by a reporter from a local daily in a press con held Thursday night what Filipino food he’d like to taste, to which Archuleta agreed. Balut is loosely defined in English as aborted duck’s egg.

It is no wonder why they are somehow familiar in things related to Filipinos. Both competed with a Filipino-American AI finalist in the person of Ramielle Malubay, who was in the Philippines in December last year to guest in a two-night show topbilled by Ogie Alcasid, winners of the very first Pinoy Idol and to visit her relatives in Quezon Province.  Malubay is also fond of balut.

“Whenever she’s talking on the phone, I’d hear her speak in a language we can’t understand but she always had this great big smile,” said Cook. In fact, he learned to speak a word in Filipino and remembered it well. “Sah-lah-mat (Thank you), did I get it right?” he asked the ever-patronizing members of the local entertainment press, composed of blushing gay male broadsheet and tabloid editors, columnists and writers.

“I remember dried mango. She’d bring dried mango and I love it,” said Archuleta, who was also intrigued, through Malubay, about Regine Velasquez. He mentioned in several earlier interviews that he wanted to meet Velasquez but as of press time, there was no confirmation if they did.

A lady writer, in an attempt to fish out information about the two Davids’ love life, asked what keeps on inspiring them the most. Cook mentioned how his family and friends have become important to him, now that he’s famous and getting richer. “I don’t know a single person who inspires me as a singer and a performer. I think it’s everything around me,” he added.

The 18-year-old Archuleta seconded the motion, mentioning how his family and friends shaped the musician in him. Like Cook, he has a self-titled album he’s also promoting in this tour. In an earlier local TV guesting, he cited how diverse his musical influences have become, starting from Nat King Cole, Kansas, Michael Jackson, the musical Les Miserables when he was a child up to Jason Miraz nowadays.

Archuleta has tried acting and has had cameo appearances in Nickelodeon’s “Carly” in an episode titled “Rock the Vote” as well as in “Hannah Montana”, doing a duet with Miley Cyrus.

Cook’s influences have been as diverse as classic R&B to rock. In AI, he can do mean versions of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” The Who’s “Baba O’ Reilly” to John Lennon’s “Imagine.” Prior to joining AI, he was already an accomplished singer-composer with an album titled Analog Heart. After his victory on AI, he’s been touring the US to promote his self-titled second album.

As for the song that defines each of them and the lives they lead, Cook thought of “Life on the fast lane” by the Eagles while Archuleta chose “These Words,” by Natasha Bedingfield. They didn’t mention if they are going to sing these but fans are expecting their winning songs like Elton John’s “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” for Archuleta and Regie Hamm’s “Time of My Life” for Cook.

The two arrived in Manila on Tuesday, May 12, in separate flights. They’ve been busy making the rounds of TV shows and malls to promote their first concert in the Philippines.

“We’re glad of the reception they are receiving now. At first, we thought the concert is like a secret,” said actor Jomari Yllana, who is co-owner of the firm behind the concert, Fearless Productions. To the surprise of many, Yllana personally called members of the press to invite them in the supposedly strict and intimate news conference.

The well-attended press con in a five-star hotel in Mandaluyong City was supposed to be held in a smaller function room but it was transferred to a bigger ballroom only a few hours before the said event so as to accommodate more requests for coverage.

Security wasn’t that tight because some loyal female fans who’ve followed the two Davids in their earlier mall tours were able to sneak in at the said venue. Then again, they didn’t do anything that would cause a commotion — for one, they didn’t even line up at the buffet table — as they behaved well and orderly, which could predict how the upcoming concert will take place.

As of press time, many are crossing their fingers if the two Davids can equal, if not surpass, the Goliath-like audience turnout — around 100,000 — of the Eraserheads Live! Reunion Concert in March 7 this year, which was held in a bigger venue called Open Grounds, the car-park-by-day concrete area located on the northern part of MOA, facing the Promenade Hall.

The Concert Ground is another open-air car-park-by-day venue on the southern end of MOA, right beside SMEX convention halls. It is where American rock band Journey, featuring Filipino singer Arnel Pineda, had a show held on March 14 also this year, gathering an estimated 50,000-strong crowd.

Then again, like the heroic Biblical character also named David, the production outfit is called Fearless.

Another from PEP (click read more for all the goods).

American Idol sensations David Cook and David Archuleta meet the local press American Idol Season 7 winner David Cook and runner-up David Archuleta faced the local press in a press conference held earlier tonight, May 14, at the Isla Ballroom of Edsa Shangri-la Hotel in Mandaluyong City. This is in connection with their much-awaited back-to-back concert, which will be held on May 16, Saturday, at SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds.

The two Davids answered questions thrown at them by the press, including PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)—from their Idol journey, to Filipino delicacies (Cook has tried eating balut while Archuleta just loves Philippine mangoes, especially the dried ones), to sneaking into a local mall (Shangri-La) and being followed by more than a hundred people, the outpouring love that they get from Filipinos, and many others.

Even though David Cook is older than David Archuleta—Cook is 26 while Archuleta has just turned 18—the two American Idol sensations are actually very good friends. This is very evident during the presscon, where they comfortably made fun of each other. But they were also very generous in giving compliments to each other. When Cook said that Archuleta is “cooler” than him, the younger David immediately countered it by saying that between the two of them, it’s very easy to tell that the older David is the “cool one.”

The audio pick-up inside the venue was so bad that we hardly understand the things the two Davids were saying in our digital recorder. But we are trying our darn best to move heaven and earth to bring to you a more detailed story. Hopefully, we will be able to post that story tomorrow, May 15.

From GMA News TV!

Archuleta as awed by fans as they are of him MANILA, Philippines – Despite his international fame, “American Idol Season 7″ runner-up David Archuleta still seems unaware of his stature.

“Why are you guys nervous? You’re making me nervous,” the 18-year-old singer-songwriter asked “SIS” hosts Carmina Villaroel and Gelli and Janice De Belen, who seemed to be as overwhelmed as the more than 800 spectators in the GMA Network Studios on Thursday.

With just a smile and an “oh gosh” for every compliment that he got from the trio, Archuleta won over the whole crowd in the studio – the way he did with the American public during his “American Idol” stint.

“It’s so neat just getting to meet kids who look up to you, it’s really cool,” he said.

He did, however, say that he never intended to be a “role model’ for his young fans – who made his first self-titled album No. 2 in the Billboard Top 100 on its first week of release.

“It’s not like I was trying to be a role model or anything, I was just being who I was thinking that it was enough to influence people,” said the international crooner.

He added that he doesn’t even consider himself an adult.

“I’m 18 but I act like I’m 14,” said Archuleta.

Musical roots

According to the “Idol” runner-up, he started singing when he was six – with the first song he ever learned coming from the musical “Les Miserables.”

“The first thing that got me into music was when I watched this tenth anniversary tape of ‘Les Miserables’ when I was six, and I couldn’t stop watching it. The first song I learned was from [it is] called ‘Castle on the Cloud’,” he said.

After this, he said the second most influential thing for him would probably his first encounter with Kelly Clarkson – the 29-year-old American singer-songwriter who was the very first American Idol.

“I think Kelly is way up there. Kelly is one of the people I admire and look up to,” he said.

But he has more idols.

“There were so many people who have had influence and impact on me. I love music,” he said.

He cited Stevie Wonder, Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Michael Jackson, Natasha Bedingfield, Natalie Cole, and Mariah Carey as some of these influences.

Archuleta did, however, pick Jackson as his favorite all-time performer.

“I still think Michael Jackson is amazing, he’s had just so many great songs throughout his career that were really inspiring to me,” he said.

His current favorite song, on the other hand, is “I’m Yours” by Mraz.

“I love Jason. Isn’t he great?” he asked the audience who were more than happy to answer “yes.”

In awe of Filipino talent

But despite always being surrounded by world-class talents, he said he was really amazed at how well Filipinos could sing.

“I can’t believe this. I mean Filipinos are so amazingly talented, goodness, you all sing so well, that’s incredible,” he said after hearing La Divas’ Jonalyn Viray, Aicelle Santos, and Maricris Garcia deliver their version of “The Long and Winding Road” – a song that earned the “American Idol” runner-up rave reviews during his stint in the show.

“That was amazing, you guys sing so beautifully. Wow!” the American singer told the trio.

While at a loss for words, he just said that he wasn’t expecting “that.”

“That was like, I wasn’t expecting that, I wasn’t expecting you’re harmonizing, I was like: Oh, so perfect, perfect harmonizing,” said Archuleta.

R&B Princess Kyla, with her version of “And I Am Telling You,” also managed to charm the international crooner.

“Goodness, oh my gosh, all these singers can sing better than I can,” the “Idol” runner-up told the “SIS” hosts.

Sugar Pop members Pocholo Bismonte and Renzo Almario, on the other hand, showed the American celebrity the great potential of young Filipino singers.

“It’s like a different vibe,” Archuleta told the two after they sang his third single “Touch My Hand.”

But when it was his turn to sing, he said he just couldn’t follow local acts like that.

“I feel dumb going after all those singers. I’m just like blown away by everyone here, this show should be about everyone here,” he said.

He did, however, still wowed the audience with his chart-topping single “Crush.”

On more Filipino things

But the Filipino talent isn’t the only thing that he seems to have taken a liking to in the Philippines.

According to Archuleta, he loves the Filipino mangoes.

“I had two of them this morning,” he said.

In addition, he was fairly intrigued by our jeepneys.

“I’ve seen a lot of those around, I wanna ride one,” he said.

Video from David on SIS.

Video from Eat Bulaga!

Here lots of interviews, articles and videos from the Philippines! The first one is from GMA News TV. Two Davids conquer the Philippines without fear. IF Goliath were alive today, two stones will surely hit him on the head and he’d be twice dead. Then again, no need for him to die like that nowadays because the two [...]

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