David Archuleta is giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at how one of TV’s catchiest fictional pop songs came together. While appearing at Deadline’s Sound & Screen Television event, the former “American Idol” finalist revealed how a request from the creative team behind “Only Murders in the Building” led to the playful anthem “Wish That You Were Me.”
Funny Inspiration Behind Song
At the recent Deadline event, Archuleta talked about the funny inspiration behind his song “Wish That You Were Me.” As he states, the song was supposed to sound believable as a chart-topping smash hit, but also had to get under Mabel’s skin.
Archuleta said at the panel, “Showrunner John Hoffman reached out and said, ‘Hey, I would like for you to write a song.’ He was looking for something that was a little sassy that would rub Selena [Gomez’s] character Mabel’s nerves a little bit.”
Archuleta spoke at UCLA’s Royce Hall along with his co-writers Sophie Rose and Michael Blum. Rose had just performed the song with the backing of a full live orchestra.
On “Only Murders in the Building,” the song is said to be the latest hit song from the character Thé, who is played by Beanie Feldstein, an old friend of Mabel’s who has blown up into a pop superstar.
Make It a Hit Pop Song
Because Thé had blown up into this pop superstar, the song they wrote had to be worthy of the No. 1 most downloaded artist for 13 weeks in a row. The pressure was on.
Blum said, “We were asked to write this song that would catapult Thé to the top of the charts, so of course, we went within the pop zeitgeist in 2025. We went very disco, pop, and funk, and I think it really worked for the song.”
The trio had to turn their pop brains on to write this song for the person brought on the show to annoy Mabel.
Blum added, “This song is meant to add levity to the series and also introduce us to this ridiculous character whose only purpose is to be the bane of Mabel’s existence for the season. It was so fun to write.”
Working With Feldstein
When the trio originally wrote the song, they didn’t know who would be playing Thé. Blum said they had “heard rumblings” about it possibly being Feldstein. Because of that, they “sort of had her in mind but not really” during the writing process.
Rose added, “Once she was confirmed, I went out to New York and tracked it with her. It was the easiest session I’ve done. It was so lovely working with her. John Hoffman was there as well. It’s really the loveliest show to work on. Everybody is just so amazing.”
Of course, “Only Murders in the Building” is a show on Hulu that follows three strangers (Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Gomez) who happen to share an obsession with true crime. The trio suddenly finds themselves wrapped up in one.
A death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building. They think it’s murder, so what better way to investigate it than to start a podcast? That’s what they do, and it’s a hit.
The show is a hit, too, as “Only Murders” has received 56 Emmy Award nominations across its four seasons. They have won seven times, including Outstanding Original Music & Lyrics and Outstanding Guest Actor for Nathan Lane.
