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Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself
Our take
David Archuleta narrates the years between reality TV stardom and coming out, with no interest in a tell-all about other people. He writes about growing up devout in a faith that treated his attraction to men as something broken. A controlling father made his career harder, not easier. Reviewers keep calling it emotionally raw and unusually generous toward the people who hurt him, rather than bitter. A pop star memoir this specific about leaving a high-control religion to live openly queer is still rare on the celebrity memoir shelf.
Content notes: this memoir covers suicidal ideation, emotional abuse from a parent, and religious rejection of queerness in detail, so go in prepared. Music runs through the book as both craft and coping mechanism, from teenage stardom through a long silence after. It also touches on reality television and the specific pressures of being packaged for a young audience while hiding a core part of yourself. The tone stays more reflective than angry, even when describing real harm.
Publisher's description
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NATIONAL BESTSELLER A raw and powerful coming-out story from the beloved American Idol finalist traces David Archuleta’s journey from closeted Mormon teen to global pop star to openly queer man, revealing the hidden pressures of fame, the weight of religious expectations, and the courage it takes to live authentically. At just seventeen, David Archuleta rose to national fame as the runner-up on American Idol season seven, captivating millions with his angelic voice. Behind the scenes, however, he was struggling with a truth he feared would destroy everything: he was attracted to men—and a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In Devout, David takes you inside his deeply personal journey as a closeted Mormon teen turned international pop star, torn between faith, fame, and identity. From dealing with the pressures of being on a hit television show to a domineering father who controlled every aspect of his career—even being banned from the show’s set—David reveals the emotional abuse and inner turmoil that he says plagued his childhood. This searing memoir reflects on David’s ventures with American Idol, a tour with Demi Lovato, and a two year sabbatical as a missionary in South America, charting his path through heartbreak, estrangement, three engagements, thoughts of suicide, and finally, his courageous decision to leave the Mormon Church in order to live authentically as a queer man. Featuring never-before-seen photos, Devout is a must-read for fans of pop culture, American Idol, and anyone deconstructing their religious upbringing, or who’s ever wrestled with who they are versus who they’re told to be.
- First published
- 2026
Available formats
- Print — 288 pages · ISBN 9781668222508
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