David Archuleta Says Making New Music Feels Like 'I'm Cleansing Myself Right Now’ (Exclusive)

Archuleta came out as queer in 2021 and left the Mormon church shortly after

David Archuleta is gearing up for a metamorphosis.

On the red carpet for the premiere of Megan Thee Stallion's documentary, In Her Words, the American Idol alum found words to describe the new music he's been putting out.

"I'm cleansing myself right now from where I was," Archuleta admitted to PEOPLE. "It was a good place where I was, but I feel like it's like a metamorphosis, you're shedding your skin. That was my caterpillar stage, and it's now time to bloom. And I feel like 'Hell Together' was kind of like my cocoon, where it's changing, and now it's like 'Hey, this was my old skin and it's time to take it off.'"

Related: David Archuleta Reveals What His Mom Texted After 'Hell Together' Came Out (Exclusive)

Archuleta also gave a hint about the direction of his forthcoming album, telling PEOPLE he's going to "channel the pop girlies, channel a little bit of my Latin roots as well."

The 33-year-old released his cathartic single, "Hell Together," in April and premiered it exclusively via PEOPLE. The song was inspired by a text he received from his mother, Lupe Bartholemew, a few days after he explained he was leaving the Church of Latter-Day Saints. The text read: "I don’t want to be somewhere where my children don’t feel welcomed, loved, and accepted … if you’re going to hell, we are all going to hell with you."

In 2021, Archuleta came out as part of the LGBTQ+ community in an Instagram post. "I came out in 2014 as gay to my family. But then I had similar feelings for both genders so maybe a spectrum of bisexual," the "Crush" singer said at the time. "Then I also have learned I don't have too much sexual desires and urges as most people, which works I guess because I have a commitment to save myself until marriage. Which people call asexual when they don't experience sexual urges."

Related: David Archuleta on Stepping Back from Mormon Faith After Coming Out as Queer: 'I Feel Liberated'

The singer, who was a devout Mormon, began to wrestle with the contradictions between his identity and the beliefs of the church. After breaking off three engagements with three different women, Archuleta realized he was suppressing his sexuality.

"I'm sure other people who've been in that situation can relate," he told PEOPLE in 2022. "People who are queer, who've tried to get married just to do the 'right' thing, it ends up not being a very good thing, and it's not very healthy for either participant of the relationship."

He eventually stepped away from the church, saying, "Once you step away, you're finally able to see the fuller picture. It's confusing because, literally, the pictures on my wall are all Christian-based pictures of Jesus and of scriptures and things. Now I'm like, 'This was my world, but now it isn't. Now what do I do?' I have no idea."