David Archuleta

“I like to believe that you don't need to reach a certain goal to be happy. I prefer to think that happiness is always there, and that when things don't go the way we might like them to, it's a sign from above that something even better is right around the corner.”

“Relationships are about helping motivate each other to be all that you can be.”

“I like cartoons. I like 'Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.' It's funny! It has things that kids wouldn't get. It's like, if you're mature, you get it. I like that and 'The Fairly OddParents.'”

“My whole family has been such a great support, and they're the ones who have kept me grounded and allowed me to be who I am today.”

“I made up my mind not to care so much about the destination, and simply enjoy the journey.”

“I like the pop music, but I still want to have meaning in my music.”

“All my mom's side speaks Spanish. I speak to my grandparents in Spanish. Slowly. And they're patient with me! But I do speak with them in Spanish and carry on conversations with them.”

“I really like the European carols, and I like that captivating sound that they have that isn't usually in Christmas songs.”

“What I've learned is that music affects the way you feel. A song can change someone's life.”

“Sometimes when you least expect it, the tables turn and that scary feeling that has taken hold of you for so long somehow turns into hope”

“What I find is really interesting is the Ear-Nose-Throat doctor thing, which I know would take a lot of work and education, but it's something that really interests me, because it's something that helps people who've had the same problems as me, with the whole hearing and nose congestion and problems with your voice.”

“I love Sara Bareilles. She's just so clever. I wish I were her. She's so awesome.”

“It's the boring things that mean a lot to me. I enjoy taking my sisters to eat. Or sitting watching TV with my family.”

“If not music, I think it would be pretty cool to be an ear, nose and throat doctor.”

“It's cool when people notice that you make an effort to live certain values.”

“Despite whatever commercial kind of success you might have or radio success, I don't want to do something just to get as many people as possible to listen.”

“I really wanna do a Spanish album. I have that Latin culture background. It's a part of me. I'm not the best Spanish speaker, but I have a longing to connect with that. I just think how supportive the Latin community has been, even during 'Idol.' I'd like to give back with something like that.”

“I want to figure out what kind of artist I want to be, because with the 'American Idol' process, it just works really fast. The night of the finale, they said, 'OK, here are all the label people that you're gonna work with, this is the album you're gonna make and blah, blah, blah.' So it was a pretty fast process, but it's been cool.”

“I knew people liked me on 'American Idol,' but I didn't think they'd care to come see me sing at my own show.”

“I don't think songs have to be like these super-#1-smash-hit-sounding songs, because I think it's more important that it's like, 'Hey! This is coming out of me. This is something I connect with. This is something that I like to sing.'”