David Hernandez had one of the most controversial runs on American Idol, but his journey after the singing competition series has been wholly inspiring. On the show, David's past ended up overshadowing his talent, and many fans were disappointed to see the singer's time cut short during his surprising elimination. Even though David did not become one of the winners of American Idol, his impact since the show establishes the season 7 contestant as one of the most noteworthy Idol alumni.
David Hernandez's experience began with his audition for American Idol season 7, which aired in 2008. David auditioned in San Diego, California with the song "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" by The Temptations. This was just the beginning of the judges' affection for David's talent. Since then, David continued to receive praise from the judges with his performances of "Papa Was A Rollin Stone" and Céline Dion's "It's All Coming Back To Me Now". Paula Abdul was very supportive of David's journey on the show, and she believed that he was one of the competition's best vocalists. Unfortunately, however, David became the subject of a scandal while on American Idol. It was revealed that David had worked as a stripper at a gay club in Phoenix, Arizona before auditioning for the series. David was not kicked off of the show by Fox, but he was eliminated just after making it into the Top 12.
All things considered, David Hernandez's departure from American Idol was premature as he was one of the favorites to potentially win the show. Fortunately, David's loss on the reality series was only the beginning of his path toward owning his identity and finding success in the music industry. Right after his elimination, David made appearances on several shows such as Access Hollywood, TRL, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. David also continued to show off his vocal ability with performances at American Idol's Holiday Tour in 2008 and the Declare Yourself Inaugural Ball in Washington D.C. in January 2009. In 2011, David released an EP titled "I Am Who I Am". Like LGBTQIA+ American Idol alum David Archuleta, David used his time after the singing competition to reflect on his identity and on his music. Overall, David used his songs as a platform to share his truth.
In 2016, David released a new song, "Beautiful", which was utilized as a vehicle for the star to come out as a gay man. Unlike when David's past, which was divulged during his run on American Idol, the singer-songwriter's public embrace of his LGBTQ identity was met with support and love. David has continued to release music including his album Kingdom: The Mixtape in 2018 and several singles since. David's newest song, "ily.", came out on May 21, 2021. David keeps fans updated on his Instagram, @dhernandezmusic, where he has 36,000 followers. From posts promoting his new music to recent run-ins with American Idol judge Paula Abdul, David's Instagram is an effective resource for fans to keep tabs on the proud singer in his time since competing on reality television.
Unfortunately, David Hernandez fought an uphill battle on American Idol. However, he has since made it to the other side. All controversy behind him, David is one with his identity, and his music career is going strong a dozen years after his elimination. While he might have been unfairly ousted from American Idol in season 7, David's journey as a star has no end in sight.