Singer-songwriter David Archuleta will return to perform in Hodgson Concert Hall for UGA Presents on April 23 as part of the University of Georgia Performing Arts Center’s “Studio HH” concert series this spring. The singer will be joined by two musicians, playing keyboard and guitar, for his first visit back to Athens since appearing at UGA in 2018.

At just 16 years old, Archuleta rose to fame in 2008 when more than 30 million television viewers fell in love with his angelic voice on season seven of American Idol. His first single, “Crush,” debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, eventually going double platinum after selling more than 2 million digital copies worldwide.

Now residing in Nashville, Archuleta successfully began releasing music under his own indie label, Archie Music, and regularly sells out two domestic tours a year. With a total of nine studio albums under his belt, he uses his time in Music City to collaborate with other songwriters and musicians. His most recent album, Therapy Sessions, which Billboard magazine dubbed as his “most vulnerable music yet,” narrates Archuleta’s lifelong struggle with mental health.

“Whether it was fear, loss, dwelling on the past, or anxiety, there’s a constant battle going on because so much of my mind doesn’t want to budge. The songs are a sort of a back and forth within the inner dialogue I have with myself,” David says.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Archuleta was forced to postpone his touring plans for more than a year. The upcoming performance at UGA marks one of his few live performances scheduled since the start of the pandemic.

David Archuleta’s performance will take place live on Friday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m. The performance will last approximately 60 minutes and will be performed without an intermission. Physical distancing and use of face coverings will be required at all times while inside the Performing Arts Center. Capacity for in-person attendance will be significantly reduced. A list of the venue’s COVID-19 safety protocols can be found online at pac.uga.edu/safety-first. The performance will also be livestreamed and available on demand for six days online at pac.uga.edu.

Tickets for the performance cost $50 to attend in person or $15 to watch online and can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu, or by calling 706-542-4400. A limited number of discounted tickets for in-person attendance or online viewing are also available to current UGA students with a valid UGA ID (limit one ticket per student).

The concert is supported by the Performing Arts Center Concert Fund.

The UGA Performing Arts Center is located at 230 River Road in Athens. Free parking is available for this performance in the surface lot and parking deck adjacent to the building.