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Here For Your Entertainment
Adam Lambert on Post-Idol Success, the Media, & Talented Tongue
Interview by Jason Clevett
From May 2010 (Page 51)
Perma-link: http://www.gaycalgary.com/a1701 [copy]
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Adam Lambert
Image by: Warwick Saint
Adam Lambert
Image by: Warwick Saint
Adam Lambert
Image by: Warwick Saint
In the week prior to my conversation with Adam Lambert, he performed sold out shows in Richmond and Coquitlam, B.C., appeared as a guest mentor on American Idol, and performed his current single Whataya Want From Me on the results show. He was also in one of the funniest moments in Idol history with host Ryan Seacrest.
If you haven’t seen the clip yet, hunt it down. While talking about Whataya Want From Me Adam told Ryan he had to stick his tongue out to hit the high note. In response Seacrest replied “my tongue is not nearly as talented as yours.”
“That made me laugh too. That was a brilliant moment. It was not rehearsed. It is moments like that which make interviewing fun,” Lambert told GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine. The look on everyone’s face, from Lambert’s to Seacrest’s to the Glee cast seated behind them added to the hilarity. To top it off, Adam mouthed the words, “It’s true.”
“It is true!” he said, chuckling at the memory. “Whatever went through my mind was pretty clear on camera. It was like oh... ok. I thought it was funny.”
Seacrest always seemed to stumble over his words around Lambert, even when he was an idol-contestant last season. Is it possible he has a little man-crush on Lambert?
“Ryan’s great. I don’t know him personally, my only interaction is being interviewed by him either on Idol or his radio show. He is always really cool with me. I think he knows I can take a joke and he can tease me, it will all be in good fun. We have a good time.”
For someone with only a year of experience since Idol, Lambert’s advice in leading contestants through Elvis week was often spot on.
“It was really exciting to be asked, I was honored. I like helping people and trying to figure out how to make something better. It is something that I did a lot of last year when I was on the show. I became friends with a lot of my fellow contestants and wanted to help them wrap their head around their mission, which was to keep it fresh and keep it the best it can be every week. It was great to be on the show and mentor the contestants they have now. I did the best I could at trying to put myself in their shoes, where I was last year, and give them my best.”
In what has become his trademark, Lambert switched up Whataya Want From Me for the live performance.
“It was like a homecoming. I was excited to come back and see such familiar faces, it was like going back to high school the year after you graduate. It was really exciting, everyone was sweet and I was thankful to do something different with [the song] on stage - it was a great challenge.”
It was a teaser for what fans can expect from the Glam-Nation tour this summer. No Alberta dates have been announced yet. Orianthi and Idol runner up, Allison Iraheta, will open the show.
“It is a two and a half month tour so there are a lot of dates. Creatively it is under wraps right now, it is going to be very atmospheric, visual, theatrical and take the audience onto a journey to this crazy little world for an hour and a half. I am so excited to have Allison! She is like a little sister. She has such an incredible voice and is such a natural performer. From day one she was my pick to win, she is a force. It is going to be great to share the stage with her again.”
The BC shows were a warm up for the tour, which will begin rehearsals after Lambert completes a UK promotional tour.
“I really got a kick out of the diversity of the audience. I saw a lot of familiar faces of fans. I saw younger gay guys out there in makeup and fabulous clothes. I was glad to see the diversity that I should have, that people are appreciating the music from all different age groups and backgrounds, that is kind of my goal.”
Furthermore, the line “Whataya Want From Me?” seems to reflect Lambert’s relationship with the media. It seems like everything Lambert does, ends up splashed on entertainment pages. “Adam Lambert slams Susan Boyle” read some headlines; “Adam Lambert made out with Ke$ha”; “Adam Lambert stands up to pee”. ...Ok that last one wasn’t reported, but between comments being taken out of context and reactions to things like the American Music Awards performance, there seems to be a lot of press, some not so positive, about him.
“It is interesting; it has definitely taken a little bit to get used to. I am still not used to it but I am getting there. It comes with the territory. The one thing I find interesting is how sensationalized everything gets. Various media outlets will look for a way to create controversy or paint you in a certain way and that gets a little frustrating, it being painted inaccurately. Something I say being used against me or turned around is frustrating at times. Other than that I am really glad I get the attention because that is half the battle as an artist, you want people to hear you and see you, and I am thankful it is working out well.”
You can’t believe everything you read about Adam. Such is the case when I read reports of him starting a male make-up line, and brought that up to him.
“Not true. Think you’ve got a rumor there! It is something that I think could be fun and I would like to do it but it hasn’t been done. It’s one of those internet rumors that aren’t true, and there is a lot of that. Welcome to my life.”
It is a higher profile than other Idol alumni have achieved. Both winner Kris Allen and runner up Allison Iraheta are exceptionally talented and have released their own albums, but neither seems to have captured people like Lambert.
“I think the thing that is really interesting is that Idol is this great forum. It puts you on the map, it’s a platform. It really comes down to what you do with it, how you run with your opportunity after the show. What people don’t see behind the scenes is that there is so much work involved in having a career in this business. It is tireless, endless, 100% every day. That is what it takes to make it. I’m working my ass off and hopefully its showing.”
Lambert also took control of the album For Your Entertainment, to keep it 100% his own, from start to finish.
“It is definitely me. I sat down with the label at the get-go and said basically, ok let’s do everything. Let me make the most eclectic, all over the place album you’ve ever heard. They went, ok, why? I said, that’s who I am as a music lover and a performer, I don’t want to be boxed in to one thing. Luckily they went with me on it and we created an album that is a journey through genre and sound and time references. The underlying theme is that it’s me and it’s about relationships. That is the common theme throughout the album.”
While the album doesn’t have an outwardly gay theme, it doesn’t try to pretend he is something that he isn’t. Fever starts with the lyric There he goes, my baby walks so slow, sexual tic-tac-toe yeah I know we both know it isn’t time, no. The honesty of the album is certainly appreciated by his gay fans. While there have been more and more celebrity coming outs, most of them are well established or on the tail end of their careers. Lambert hopes that being an open, proud artist who happens to be gay and successful will open the doors for other young gay artists to just be themselves.
“That has been really important to me from the get-go, being who I am. What is so exciting is, for example, my song is doing really well on the radio, and sales. Hopefully it proves that it doesn’t matter what your sexual preference is, it matters how good your music is. Hopefully record labels and artists will go, oh ok you can be successful, it is just work. Everyone is afraid that it won’t sell, it will affect the product. Hopefully this sets the example that it doesn’t matter as long as the product is good. If you like the song, you like the song.”
Lambert didn’t have many “famous” gay influences when he came out, and hopes to be able to positively affect teenagers of all types.
“I am excited about being visible and proud to be who I am, publicly. I think that in itself is the important part. This is me, take it or leave it. I like who I am, hopefully you do to. I think that in itself is the best example to set for young people. It goes beyond gay; any kid that feels unattractive, unloved, unpopular, weird - all those things you feel as an adolescent. It transcends sexuality and about being proud of yourself.”
It took awhile to get Adam Lambert on the phone because he is so busy. Between phone interviews, TV appearances, concerts, tour planning, and promotional tours, how does he make time for himself?
“It comes and goes. I get my days off and have free afternoons. It is a lot of work and I feel very immersed in everything. I take time for myself whenever I can get it. I am lucky that I have great friendships and a really supportive family. Having worked for it for so many years here in Los Angeles helps me appreciate it even more because I feel I put time and effort into it over years. And now it is paying off and I can celebrate that.”
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