Seventeen years ago, rocker David Cook won season 7 of “American Idol.” Cook was 25 years old when he beat out David Archuleta, who was just 16 at the time. After his win, Cook released his self-titled debut album, which contained the hit songs “The Time of My Life” and “Light On.”
In a new interview with People, Cook reflected on his time on Idol and the surprising number of season 7 contestants he still keeps in contact with.
David Cook Reflects on ‘American Idol’ 17 Years Later
GettyKnown for his raspy vocals and rock-star energy, David Cook wowed audiences when he competed on and won season 7 of “American Idol” in 2008.
Now, 17 years later, he spoke to People about how the competition show changed his life for the better. “My time on Idol was worthwhile and fruitful. I got a career out of it,” he shared. But even though Cook would ultimately win the show, it wasn’t an easy journey. He revealed that the experience came with long, grueling days, and sometimes lasting “16 to 20 hours.”
Still, that hard work was all worth it when he beat out David Archuleta, who was known for his bashful persona and sweetness. Cook ended up beating out Archuleta by 12 million votes.
Cook told People that while he’s grateful for the show and the career that followed, he now feels he can fully express his true personality through his music. Over time, he’s moved away from some of the singles he was best known for, like “Time of My Life” and “Come Back to Me,” though he says those songs are “always in rotation” for fans.
“I’ve got a very good relationship with my fans and they definitely communicate, which is great,” he said. “That’s one of the things that makes this fun for me, is that we try really hard to make our shows unique to each individual evening. Whether that means how we’re interacting with the audience, whether that means what songs we’re playing. So having an audience that isn’t shy about letting us know what they want to hear, that makes our job a little easier.”
Cook Still Communicates With David Archuleta ‘Now and Again’
GettySurprisingly, Cook revealed to People that he tries to keep in contact with most of the contestants of his season, including Archuleta. “I still talk to Arch every now and again. Not enough, but every now and again,” he shared.
He also said that he “talked to Carly Smithson not too long ago,” and stays connected with season 7 contestants Brooke White and Ramiele Malubay.
“It’s a unique fraternity to be a part of and something I’m really proud to be a part of. I don’t believe that there’s anything else like going through ‘American Idol.’ To be a part of that particular group is pretty rad,” he told the outlet.
In an interview with People in August, Archuleta shared that he and Cook had lost touch after he moved from Nashville to Los Angeles. However, they do try to keep in contact and will find time to “meet up” when they can.
“A few months ago, he texted me, and I was like, ‘Dude, I was just thinking about you.’ And we were just like, ‘When we’re in the same place, let’s meet up,'” Archuleta shared.
And, when it came to competing against one another on Idol, Archuleta admitted that he and Cook never viewed each other as rivals. Instead, they were both amazed by how far their journeys had taken them. “It was just wild,” he said.
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