EP REVIEW: My Only Wish - David Archuleta

Contributed by Rebecca McDevitt & Ilana Bornstein

Photo Provided by Ken Phillips Publicity Group

David Archuleta is entering his jolly pop era and honestly, we’re obsessed. My Only Wish doesn’t follow the cookie-cutter “holiday album” formula. Instead, it feels like David took festive energy, sprinkled it with pure joy, and built a sound that could genuinely be its own genre. It’s warm, upbeat, and unmistakably holiday, but in a way that makes you want to dance around your living room rather than sip cocoa by a fireplace. It’s the kind of December soundtrack you turn on when you want the season to feel brighter, not quieter.

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“Sleigh Ride” captures that energy perfectly. It’s fun, flirty, and has that cinematic sparkle without ever slipping into that “forgettable background track” space. Instead, it makes you the main character in a Christmas movie. Think bold colors, cozy sweaters, and that playful wink when David sings “Let’s take Santa’s sleigh for a ride.”

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Then there’s “Christmas In California,” which David released last month, and it fits perfectly into this new jolly pop universe. It feels like starring in your own West Coast holiday rom-com on the Santa Monica Pier, surrounded by blurred Christmas lights and twinkly-wrapped palm trees. The song is sun-soaked holiday magic. It captures that feeling of having the time of your life with the love of your life, all with a holiday breeze instead of a winter chill.

“Wish At The Top Of My List” with Jordin Sparks is exactly what David told us it would be. Soulful, rich, and full of heart. It feels like that big emotional moment in a festive movie where the two leads finally realize their feelings are mutual. Their vocals blend so naturally that it’s impossible not to smile while listening.

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The EP also includes remastered versions of “Winter in the Air” and “Christmas Every Day,” which add a fresh flair to the project. In rediscovering the holiday spirit and choosing not to take things too seriously, David rebuilt these songs to fit who he is now. It feels like he’s inviting listeners to grow with him, celebrating nostalgia while letting his current artistry shine through.

My Only Wish proves David can make holiday music feel exciting again. It’s festive, it’s fun, and it’s everything we love about him in one place.

Check out our featured interview with David Archuleta:

Catch David Archuleta at Joe's Pub in NYC for a limited run of holiday shows as well as the Peppermint Club in LA.

Tickets on sale at davidarchuleta.com