The first runner-up in American Idol 2008, David Archuleta, will be performing for the first time in Viet Nam at the Idol Music Event next month.

Idolised: David Archuleta (left) and David Cook perform together during the American Idol 2008 season. Archuleta will perform in Viet Nam next month. — File Photo

The 21-year-old pop singer and songwriter was among the youngest contestants in the seventh season of American Idol in 2008. In the final he won 44 per cent of the 97 million votes cast by the public.

In the same year he released his debut album Crush, which reached No 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album has now sold more than 750,000 copies in the US and 900,000 worldwide.

Archuleta will be performing at HCM City’s Military Zone 7 Stadium on July 22 and at the Giang Vo Exhibition Centre in Ha Noi on July 24. He is scheduled to sing between 10 and 12 songs, including the ones featured on his 2010 album The Other Side of Down, which ranked 13th in the Billboard Top 200.

Several popular Vietnamese singers, including Ho Ngoc Ha, Ho Quynh Huong, Dam Vinh Hung and first runner-up in Viet Nam Idol 2010 Van Mai Huong, will share the stage with Archuleta.

About 12,000 tickets for the performance in HCM City and 4,500 for the show in Ha Noi will be available at the end of this month.

The winner of American Idol 2008, David Cook, performed in Viet Nam at the H-Artistry music concert last Thursday.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News