“American Idol” Season 7 runner-up David Archuleta got emotional about a health scare he says left him silent for months, on Wednesday’s Season 9 finale of “The Masked Singer.”
Spoiler alert: Winner announced ahead
The 32-year-old “Crush” singer, who performed as Macaw on the Fox singing series, placed second to British entertainer Bishop Briggs, 30 — who embodied Medusa.
Archuleta sang two songs before his identity was revealed, shedding some light on his vocal cord woes.
“I didn’t think I would make it this far,” he admitted in a video package before performing Celine Dion’s “All By Myself.”
“And honestly, I didn’t even know if I’d still be singing at all. Not a lot of people know this about me, but I had a major injury last year that left me completely silent for three months.”
“I was also going through some pretty big life events, and I began to wonder if this is really for me,” he continued, seemingly alluding to coming out as queer in 2021. “But after taking time to reflect, I realized there was still a part of me in performing, and that I should keep trying, even with all the changes.”
An emotional moment between the Mormon-raised Archuleta and “Masked Singer” panelist Ken Jeong, 53, stole the show Wednesday.
When asked to give his final prediction about Macaw’s identity, the doctor-turned-comedian guessed Archuleta.
Jeong ended up sharing his special connection with the singer face-to-face.
“I just have to say, real talk,” Jeong began.
“When my wife was on bedrest in the hospital not knowing whether our kids would live or die, we would watch ‘Idol’ every week, and you were like a ray of light for my family,” he explained as he wiped away tears from his eyes.
“It’s an honor to see you in this capacity,” Jeong noted. “Thank God for you, and I love you.”
Archuleta then revealed what competing on the series meant to him.
“Being Macaw has felt liberating. Coming out felt liberating, and it is scary. I grew up very religious. It was a huge part of my life. And I believed that if I lived the way, like being queer, that I was going to be evil,” he shared.
“So I worked really hard to be anything but that … I thought, ‘Maybe it’s better if I’m not here,’” he went on.
“But I realized I can’t change this. So if anyone else has grown up, you know, feeling like they were bad just because of who they are attracted to and who they loved, I want you to know that it is worth taking the courage to show your true colors.”
“It’s scary. But you’re worth it. You matter, and it’s so beautiful,” he said to the crowd’s applause.
Archuleta has previously opened up about his coming out struggles.
In December, he said dozens of attendees ditched his Christmas show in Utah after he made an emotional 15-minute speech about his gay “journey.”
“I was thinking ending my life was better than admitting this openly,” he defended himself on social media after the incident.
“If a few dozen people walk out, but there are others staying who need to know they’re not alone in this journey, it’s worth it to me.”
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