Seeing David Archuleta's mother watch the music video for his new song -- one he could not have written without her -- might be more emotional than the song itself.
TMZ got this exclusive clip ... showing the former "American Idol" runner-up sitting with his mom, Lupe Bartholomew, for her first viewing of the vid for, "Hell Together" -- as he tells her she's the inspiration behind the track.
Lupe visibly reacts to the images -- it features a lot of home video footage she helped pick out, scenes of David singing in a church with angelic-looking women dancing.
When David hits lyrics about not wanting to live forever without another person, Lupe starts tearing up ... partially because he pulled the sentiment from texts she sent him (more on that later).
As it ends, Lupe claps for her son and pulls him into a hug, calling the video beautiful before DA launches into an explanation of the song. Watch the clip ... it's way better coming from David, but his point is, his mom deeply influenced the work.
No doubt, Archuleta stans know part of the story -- he recently told People when he came out as queer in 2021, he didn't hear from his mom for several days and assumed they probably wouldn't speak again because of her dedication to Mormonism.
Instead, Lupe messaged him and said she too was leaving the Mormon church ... adding if David was destined for Hell, then she and the rest of the fam were coming with him.
Looks like the family's closer than ever -- and, the music video's certainly touching for the woman who influenced it.