At the age of 16, David Archuleta captured hearts as the runner-up on American Idol. But behind the charismatic performer on stage was a young man struggling to reconcile his Mormon upbringing with his queer identity. In this episode, David shares how he nearly got married to women several times, contemplated suicide, and ultimately let go of everything he’d been taught it meant to be “good.” Here are his songs:

Listen to David Archuleta's full playlist on Spotify. Find the transcript of this episode at lifeinsevensongs.com. Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at [email protected].