David Archuleta is opening up about the height of his career following his American Idol rise to fame.
In his new memoir Devout, the singer reveals he was homeless and living out of his car for a period after becoming a household name.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE while promoting the book, David explained why.
“I didn’t feel like I deserved to take care of myself. So even though I was having a lot of success in public, I was sleeping in my car a lot of times because that’s what I believed I deserved,” he admitted.
For context, David came out as queer in 2021 and has spoken openly about the shame he carried surrounding his sexuality due to beliefs instilled in him through his Mormon upbringing.
That, coupled with his controlling father — whom he claims was verbally and emotionally abusive — set the stage for deep feelings of inadequacy.
Post American Idol
After appearing on Idol, David writes that he was living with a relative in Los Angeles but chose to live in his car instead, claiming the relationship had become unhealthy and codependent.
While he had the means to afford hotel rooms, he still couldn’t shake the belief that he didn’t deserve them.
“I had concocted this belief that I didn’t deserve to treat myself well,” he writes.
“It was an act of contrition — for my wicked thoughts, for allowing myself to be manipulated by so many. I was at the height of fame, and I chose homelessness. You can have everything, but worthiness comes from within, and I had none.”
In the years since, the singer has left the Mormon Church after coming out as bisexual and says he’s now in a much healthier place mentally — and finally feeling worthy.
Devout by David Archuleta hit shelves Feb. 17 and is available wherever books are sold.
