This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Posted: 2:25 PM- Wherever he went this morning, David Archuleta was far and away the most popular teen in Utah.
From a television station near the Salt Lake City International Airport to The Gateway mall downtown, Archuleta's screaming fans were in full force, cheering on the 17-year-old to become the next "American Idol."
Thousands chanted his name at the AT&T store at the outdoor mall, and some screaming girls even cried as he walked up the steps to sign autographs. For a brief time Friday morning, Salt Lake City had its very own version of "Beatlemania."
"I'm obsessed," said 21-year-old fan, Nikki Haslam, who was waiting outside the back doors of radio station KZHT 97.1 FM, where David appeared on the morning show. "I love watching him. And these are my sisters - I pulled them out of school to come here."
The Murray High School junior is in town for a homecoming rally Friday that will be filmed by "Idol" producers for Tuesday's episode. He is one of three finalists on this season's show, along with Missouri's David Cook and Florida's Syesha Mercado.
First stop this morning was the studio of local Fox affiliate KSTU Channel 13, where he greeted his first fans of the day - some hundred or so - and sang a version of Dolly Parton's "Smokey Mountain Memories." "It's amazing to be here," he told the Fox morning anchors. "I never thought I would make it this far."
Then it was scheduled appearances on three stations, including KZHT and KEGA 101.5 FM. But when David's limousine driver got lost on the way to the first radio station (David was traveling in a long black stretch limo with a truck bed attached to the back), he had to cancel an appearance on country station KBULL 93 FM.
Finally, the teen appeared at The Gateway, where at least an estimated 2,000 fans waited in a line that wound down the second floor sidewalk of the shopping center, all hoping to catch a glimpse and chanting his name.
Janet Wayman, 14, Riverton, who has been waiting since 9 a.m., carried a sign that read: "Marry me (in four years)."
"He's cute, and he sings nice," she said. "I have newspaper pictures of him hanging on my wall." Around 10:40 a.m., David arrived in the limo as gray clouds hung overhead, popping his head through the sunroof, waving to the crowd. Thousands of fans screamed in approval.
"This is crazy," said one AT&T spokesperson at the event. AT&T Utah director of sales Marty Clark said the company held similar appearances in Missouri and Florida for Cook and Mercado and said those events "didn't come close" to the number of people who showed up for David.
After the autograph signing, David was whisked to his hotel - he is not staying at his Murray home for security reasons - for a few hours of downtime before the big event at 3 p.m. at his high school. He is scheduled to sing two songs at the school and will be given a gift basket by Murray City Mayor Dan Snarr.
The singer also is scheduled to perform the national anthem at the EnergySolutions Arena for Game 3 of the Utah Jazz-Los Angeles Lakers playoffs. That performance will not be televised.