12:30 pm ET
Nov 12, 2009
Music
Adam Lambert on His New Album “For Your Entertainment,” Working with Lady Gaga,
and His Appeal to Women
Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood might want to watch their backs. Adam Lambert,
the Season 8 “American Idol” runner-up, is poised to become one of the reality
show’s biggest break-out stars. The glamtastic rocker released “Time for Miracles,”
the closing credits song for this Friday’s disaster porn epic “2012.” And his first
solo album, “For Your Entertainment,” drops Nov. 23, one day after he’s scheduled
to perform at the American Music Awards. Lambert talked to Speakeasy about his
music, his fans and why he’s so appealing to women.
The Wall Street Journal: On your Twitter feed, you said Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance”
video “melted my brain.”
Oh my god, I love it. It’s so out there. She’s so brave in her artistic freedom;
she’s an inspiration.
She actually contributed a song — “Fever” — to your new album.
Yeah, I really wanted to work with her; she’s just one of my favorites right now.
She had an old demo — I think she said she got signed with that demo to her first
label deal — and then she never produced it and got it done. I think that it’s a
really catchy melody; the lyrics are really fun and silly. Overall, I really
enjoyed the process of recording with her. She was on the other side of that
glass, just egging me on. She was constantly like, ‘Go crazier! Go higher!
Go louder!”
If and when you make a music video for “Fever,” would she cameo?
I’d love it. Of course I’d ask her. We’ll see if she’d actually want to do it.
She has a lot on her plate right now.
You seem so at ease with fame. What do you attribute that to?
I think it helps that that I’ve lived in L.A. for the last eight years and I’m a
little older. I’m 27, seen a lot of s—, met a lot of people. I’ve certainly been
on the sidelines of paparazzi barrages, like, I’ve been out at a club with
various reality show acquaintances and they get that kind of attention. So
I’ve been near it, which helps me not to be thrown off by it. My M.O. is just
do what you do and don’t feel like you have to make apologies for it. I’m sure
there will come a point when I have to apologize for something, but not yet.
A lot of big stars go out of their way to hide the fact that they’re gay, but
you’re happily out and women still throw thongs at you — what do you think
you’re doing differently?
I think it’s a testament to just owning yourself, owning your stuff, and just
being comfortable in your skin. It took me some time to get to that point and
the timing of “Idol” was appropriate because [that's] when I realized, you
know what? I love myself and I am a good person.
What do you think your appeal to women is?
I’m not sure — to be honest, that’s one of the more surprising elements about
this whole thing. I’m like, really? I honestly don’t know — maybe it’s because,
whatever the sexuality thing, I’m a friendly person, and maybe there’s a safety
thing involved, in that I’m not threatening.
How much say did you have in creating your album cover?
That was pretty much my call. When we got to the point of doing the photo shoot,
I just wanted to go super androgynous glam, kind of campy and outlandish. I love
imagery like that — that’s why I love the Lady Gaga video. It’s just funny,
because the second a guy starts doing things out of the box, people get all
freaked out. But women do it all the time, so it’s an interesting double standard.
Bowie seems to have been an obvious inspiration.
Yup, Bowie, Jagger, Boy George, Prince, and Michael Jackson — all those guys
who would put make up on and look glamorous. Some of the Michael Jackson covers
are amazing, like “Dangerous,” where it’s just his eyes and the entire thing is
just super frosted and touched up and perfect. And pictures of Bowie back in the
day, like the “Hunky Dory” cover where he’s just pretty and in soft focus. I
love that look and think it’s cool that not a lot of guy are doing it, so that’s
how I’m going to style myself. It’s part of my persona and has been consistently.
That’s why I find it so funny that people were surprised by the cover. I mean,
didn’t you see me onstage with KISS and the glitter boots and the rhinestones
around my eyes [on "Idol"]?
Still, do you ever feel trapped in any way by the glam image?
No, I don’t feel trapped. I’m the one who put on those clothes; it’s my own making.
I feel like when I want to, I can change it up like I did on the show. I try not to
get trapped in any one musical or visual style at all. I mean, that’s part of what
I was really trying to do on “Idol” — change it up week to week, like variety tray.
A veggie platter, if you will.
Were you upset when tracks of your album were leaked online earlier this month?
To be honest, yeah. I would have rather it not been, but that’s how you sell a CD
on the internet. It’s hard, because people jump to conclusions based on 30 seconds,
and I don’t know how fair that is. It is what it is.
Which song pushed you the furthest vocally?
“Sure Fire Winners” is pretty vocally acrobatic. It’s crazy — but they all kind
of go crazy. Artistically, I think the Linda Perry song was a departure for me
because it was a little out of my obvious comfort zone — vocally, it sits in this
falsetto space, and lyrically, if you really listen to it, it’s complicated. The
lyrics contradict themselves, which was done on purpose — Linda and I really
talked about it.
There are two different interpretations: one is that it’s about two members of a
relationship, and what’s going on in their heads when they’re with each other.
One partner is loving every moment and in bliss, while the other person is feeling
empty and not satistfied. The other way to look at it is that it’s about one person,
going back and forth about a relationship in their head. Like one day, we feel
like we love this person to death, the next, what the hell. It’s emotionally
complicated, which makes it special.
Speaking of “Sure Fire Winners,” it sounds like an homage to “We are the Champions.”
Is it?
It wasn’t intentional, and I didn’t write that song. But yeah, that’s totally the
vibe. I don’t know if the writers did that on purpose or not. But it is like a
“we rock” kind of anthem.
How closely do you follow the forums on your site and read what people tweet at you?
I breeze through Twitter — I look at the mentions, the pictures, the videos. But
I try not to get too wrapped up in message boards because it’s crazy. When the
fans are supportive, that’s super positive. On the flip side, when message boards
are filled with negativity, I find it sad that people have nothing better to do
than hate on others online. It’s not a good vibe.
Have you heard Kris Allen’s album?
I haven’t heard his album, but love his single. I’ll be one of the first to get a
copy, I’m sure.
Are you going to return to “American Idol” to perform during the new season?
If they want me to perform, I’d love to.
Would you have liked to see Ellen DeGeneres as a judge?
No, I wouldn’t change my experience at all. I love Paula and think she’s amazing.
She was one of the first believers [in me], if you know what I mean. She really had
my back. As for Simon, he really has nothing to do with me at this point. I mean,
he’s a judge. He is also a producer, but he’s not the automatic “Idol” producer.
He’s producing Leona Lewis, but that’s his project. Going back to the Internet
thing, it amused me how people can be so misinformed. When I read certain things,
I just want to tell them, you have no idea what you’re talking about. It’s an
endless source of entertainment for me.
Check out the music video for “Time for Miracles” below:
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