American Idol star David Archuleta says dozens of fans stormed out of his recent show after he spoke about being LGBTQ+.
He opened up about the incident shortly after completing his Christmas tour in Utah and says it drives him on to continue to tell his story.
Back in 2021, the 31-year-old singer came out as part of the LGBTQ+ community in a lengthy Instagram post and said: “I’ve been open to myself and my close family for some years now that I am not sure about my own sexuality.
“I came out in 2014 as gay to my family. But then I had similar feelings for both genders, so maybe a spectrum of bisexual.”
Archuleta shared an email from one viewer expressing their disappointment over his decision to talk about his sexuality.
He wrote: "I am sharing something that I’ve felt I had to keep hidden nearly all my life. Because you believe your existence is unacceptable. That mindset is not healthy. So I am choosing to not hide that anymore."
Archuleta added: "If I offend others for simply saying it’s ok to be who you are and like someone even if it’s the same sex, and people walk out of a show because they are uncomfortable that I am sharing my story of self acceptance.
"The person singing those songs on stage was no different from the person at the end of the show. I am learning to love myself and encourage others to do the same."
Archuleta second behind David Cook in season 7 of "American Idol" and grew up in a strict Mormon household where he says he had to keep his sexuality a secret.
In a recent interview with Good Morning America, the Crush singer revealed that he had taken a step back from the Mormon church.
“I have taken a step away. I’ve had a faith crisis this year, so I’ve had to deconstruct everything,”
He added in his Instagram post: "Even if it’s a journey that you may not fully understand, It means the world to me that you still were willing to listen.
"No, I don’t think sharing my journey ruins any Christmas spirit unless you allow your own misconceptions to ruin it yourself."
