Adam Lambert Finally Feels Like a Grown-Ass Man
With his latest album, The Original High, in stores now, the American Idol star talks about his new sound, his new life, and the end of an era.
BY Dan Hyman
In 2009, when he finished as runner-up on the eighth season of then-pop-culture-juggernaut American Idol, it appeared as if we had Adam Lambert completely figured out.
Here he was, a shrill-screaming, classic-rock-loving singing dynamo
with a definite flair for the dramatic. We were wrong: No, he certainly
hasn't lost his balls-to-the-wall performance chops, but in the years
since Lambert has without questions expanded his musical palette.
"Coming off of Idol, I'd gotten slotted into the classic-rock
position," Lambert says via phone as he prepares to release his third
full-length album, The Original High (out today).
"This album, I think, reflects the soundtrack to my actual life." For
his latest LP, he re-teamed with pop-production gurus Max Martin and
Shellback, with whom he'd collaborated on arguably his biggest singles
to date, "Whataya Want From Me" and "If I Had You."
For Lambert, it's a welcome and much-needed change. "This is the kind
of music I listen to when I'm going out, when I'm on the treadmill, when
I'm driving in the car," the singer, who recently toured with Queen,
tells Details in a lengthy conversation. "It feels the most representative of me."
DETAILS: At points on your new album you seem a bit more vocally restrained than normal.
Adam Lambert: Yeah, I sat down with Max Martin and Shellback when I had my first meeting about this project, and I had this demo [for "Original High"] that I had worked on on my own with some guys and that was one of the things they really responded to. I played it for them and they really loved it. It was an early version of the song. They said, "We're getting a different color of your voice right now that we're not used to hearing, and we really like it. That's a really cool sound from you, and it's surprising, and it pulls you in instead of pushing you away." And we just talked about it a bit, and they said we should go down that route: "I think you'll pull in some new listeners and some new fans with that type of energy." And I was like, "Well, that's what I want!"
DETAILS: Given that you had a history with Marin and Shellback, how was it to work with them again?
Adam Lambert: That was one of the cool things about that meeting I had where we started this whole thing. It had been three or four years since we'd worked together. Both him and Shellback gave me my two hit songs, really, so it felt like the right thing to come back to.
DETAILS: What are your thoughts on the current state of pop music? It's certainly changed since you broke out in 2009.
Adam Lambert: I definitely think when Max and Shellback are the two executive producers of the album, it's naturally going to be geared toward the radio. That's what they're really, really good at. They understand that. That's one of their specialties. So I knew that was going to come with the deal and it was going to be really exciting. I think all the albums I've done, I feel like there were singles that were set aside in hopes that they would connect on the radio. That's always kind of been the idea. And then, of course, there were songs on all the albums that were not meant to be radio tracks but just meant to be interesting, really experimental tracks. As for the current state of pop? I actually think it's in a really good place right now because it's super diverse. People are dictating what's on the radio more than ever. There's still program directors, and they're still very influential as to what gets put on these playlists, but the radio guys are looking at Shazam and Spotify and iTunes, all of these streaming services and YouTube and Vevo—all of this stuff—in order to understand what people want. And I don't think they used to have as many tools as they have now. So it's all happening quicker and in real time as well. So with Shazam, you can see how well a song is catching on while it's catching on. So a radio station can look at that and go, "Oh. Okay. People like this. I'm going to put it on my station."
DETAILS: It also has to be a nice way for artists to get instant feedback.
Adam Lambert: It's great. What it does is it gives the power to the people that you make the music for. Because ultimately, you're making music for the audience.
DETAILS: At points on your new album you seem a bit more vocally restrained than normal.
Adam Lambert: Yeah, I sat down with Max Martin and Shellback when I had my first meeting about this project, and I had this demo [for "Original High"] that I had worked on on my own with some guys and that was one of the things they really responded to. I played it for them and they really loved it. It was an early version of the song. They said, "We're getting a different color of your voice right now that we're not used to hearing, and we really like it. That's a really cool sound from you, and it's surprising, and it pulls you in instead of pushing you away." And we just talked about it a bit, and they said we should go down that route: "I think you'll pull in some new listeners and some new fans with that type of energy." And I was like, "Well, that's what I want!"
DETAILS: Given that you had a history with Marin and Shellback, how was it to work with them again?
Adam Lambert: That was one of the cool things about that meeting I had where we started this whole thing. It had been three or four years since we'd worked together. Both him and Shellback gave me my two hit songs, really, so it felt like the right thing to come back to.
DETAILS: What are your thoughts on the current state of pop music? It's certainly changed since you broke out in 2009.
Adam Lambert: I definitely think when Max and Shellback are the two executive producers of the album, it's naturally going to be geared toward the radio. That's what they're really, really good at. They understand that. That's one of their specialties. So I knew that was going to come with the deal and it was going to be really exciting. I think all the albums I've done, I feel like there were singles that were set aside in hopes that they would connect on the radio. That's always kind of been the idea. And then, of course, there were songs on all the albums that were not meant to be radio tracks but just meant to be interesting, really experimental tracks. As for the current state of pop? I actually think it's in a really good place right now because it's super diverse. People are dictating what's on the radio more than ever. There's still program directors, and they're still very influential as to what gets put on these playlists, but the radio guys are looking at Shazam and Spotify and iTunes, all of these streaming services and YouTube and Vevo—all of this stuff—in order to understand what people want. And I don't think they used to have as many tools as they have now. So it's all happening quicker and in real time as well. So with Shazam, you can see how well a song is catching on while it's catching on. So a radio station can look at that and go, "Oh. Okay. People like this. I'm going to put it on my station."
DETAILS: It also has to be a nice way for artists to get instant feedback.
Adam Lambert: It's great. What it does is it gives the power to the people that you make the music for. Because ultimately, you're making music for the audience.
DETAILS: "The Original
High" is a lyrically intriguing song. I know it's largely about your
experience in L.A., but I was taken by its seeming message about how
short attention spans we all have nowadays.
Adam Lambert: That's one of the reasons why that song resonated so much with Max and Shellback and me. I was really excited about it, because of how we were able to put that all into words. I was feeling that the circle of friends that I run around with, I was noticing that same feeling, and I just didn't know how to sum it up. It kept coming up in conversation: this whole concept of "Why do I feel this way? Why am I feeling unsatisfied even though I'm doing all the things I want to do?" I was still sort of longing for something, and I can't put my finger on where it was or what it might be. And it's something that I've noticed in a lot of different people. Putting into the context of the instant-gratification element is a really good point. The way we satisfy our needs now is changing. It is so instant with technology and it's so disposable. It makes real connections harder to find and harder to hold on to. "The Original High" is about a lot of different things, but it's really all about desire and longing and craving.
DETAILS: I couldn't help but laugh when you referred to yourself as a "grown-ass man" in "There I Said It."
Adam Lambert: [Laughs] It's funny you say that: For the first time in my life, over the last year or two, I feel like I'm a fucking grown-up! I definitely have a little dash of Peter Pan syndrome somewhere, where I always have a childlike attitude towards things. But I bought my first house this year, I have a business, I've done a lot for myself, and I've done a lot for my career. And all of a sudden, I'm realizing: "You know what? I'm a grown-ass man! I will not be talked to a certain way. I will not be treated a certain way." Having self-respect is part of that, too. And I've had my ups and downs with that my whole life.
DETAILS: Has this newfound confidence translated to being more outspoken when creating music?
Adam Lambert: I think the more and more clout you have, the more you actually get listened to. [Laughs] I think that's a big part of it. But I think it's also how you handle it that changes, too. I've always been really outspoken and opinionated, so I'm not as surprised or worked up over the little things now as I used to be. I've definitely gotten a little more grounded on a personal level and in my career, and I think that affects things, too, as you go through the process of putting out an album. And the other thing that's been different this time is that right as I was about to put out my last album, I changed management very quickly. They were just getting into the swing of things and getting to know me when we put the album out, so there was a learning curve there. And upon releasing this new album, I signed with a new label and all that, so I really got a clean slate with this new album. I think I got to go into it with a lot more knowledge and experience under my belt. I'm not just saying this: I would have been a bit lost without them. They've done a whole lot for me. I'm definitely a creative person in every way shape and form, so when it comes to certain business things and certain organizational things and time management and all that, I'm a little bit eccentric. So they've been incredible in helping make all my ideas come to fruition.
DETAILS: A thoroughline I've noticed in all of your music is your use of vivid imagery in your lyrics. "Evil in the Night" on this album ("My life flashed before my eyes/ Razor-blade lips and daggers up in your eyes") comes to mind.
Adam Lambert: I'm super-visual. So if I can get a visual by listening to something, I'm usually really happy. In fact, the real challenge of this album was to dig deeper into the emotional side—to the heart and not the visual. Visual stuff, I got. [Laughs] So yeah, if you can paint the picture, that's the kind of song I usually gravitate towards.
DETAILS: I found the song "Lucy," on which you collaborated with Queen guitarist Brian May, to be an interesting choice. It has almost a hip-hop rhythm to it.
Adam Lambert: The way it worked out was that the demo of that song had already been recorded. I was looking at all the songs, and there was some guitar in the demo, and I thought, It definitely needs something. Being on the road with Brian [for the Queen tour], in the back of my head the entire time I was thinking, God, I would really love to ask him to be a part of my album. I think that would be really cool. So I played him the song, and he was like, "Oh, I have some ideas!" I was like, "Okay! Let's schedule some time." [Laughs] But yeah, the song really has a bit of a hip-hop beat. I think people will be really excited to hear Brian play on top of a beat like that.
DETAILS: And was I correct in hearing you reference David Bowie in the song with that "Diamonds Dogs" shout-out?
Adam Lambert: Oh yeah. There's a little nod to Bowie, for sure.
DETAILS: You mentioned touring with Brian and Queen: I imagine being part of a spectacle like that gave you even more confidence in your solo career. Not that you probably needed much.
Adam Lambert: I think I actually did need some confidence. So that came along at a great time. I did need a little wind in my sails, and it gave me a ton. It hit me like a hurricane, actually. [Laughs] I have to say: They are the nicest guys in the world. They were so welcoming to me and collaborative, and when we put together this concert, my ideas were heard and it was a team effort. It was really beautiful, and it kind of reminded me why I wanted to get into this all in the first place. Putting a show together, getting on stage, singing songs that people love, making people happy, getting to do a show that literally would run the entire gamut. It went from zero to 60. Queen's catalog spans over different decades and different colors and different genres. It was like a dream gig for me. And it was a big honor. Also, getting to be in front of audience members that might not otherwise know me or take a listen to what I do was really exciting. It was kind of like a new chance to reestablish myself.
DETAILS: What are your thoughts on the recent announcement that next season will be American Idol's last.
Adam Lambert: I think they had a great run, and I'm very thankful for the show. It launched me and put me on the map. I don't think I would be where I'm at today without Idol. All good things come to an end. That's just how things are. The show came about at a time when the country really needed it. We just had 9/11 happen, and simultaneously the music industry was not in a very good place either. And I think the show shook things up and brought people together. Families would literally gather around the television rooting for something, supporting the idea that dreams come true and that you can be from anywhere in the county and you can have a dream that does come true. It gave people hope and it brought people together. At the time, that's what we needed.
Adam Lambert: That's one of the reasons why that song resonated so much with Max and Shellback and me. I was really excited about it, because of how we were able to put that all into words. I was feeling that the circle of friends that I run around with, I was noticing that same feeling, and I just didn't know how to sum it up. It kept coming up in conversation: this whole concept of "Why do I feel this way? Why am I feeling unsatisfied even though I'm doing all the things I want to do?" I was still sort of longing for something, and I can't put my finger on where it was or what it might be. And it's something that I've noticed in a lot of different people. Putting into the context of the instant-gratification element is a really good point. The way we satisfy our needs now is changing. It is so instant with technology and it's so disposable. It makes real connections harder to find and harder to hold on to. "The Original High" is about a lot of different things, but it's really all about desire and longing and craving.
DETAILS: I couldn't help but laugh when you referred to yourself as a "grown-ass man" in "There I Said It."
Adam Lambert: [Laughs] It's funny you say that: For the first time in my life, over the last year or two, I feel like I'm a fucking grown-up! I definitely have a little dash of Peter Pan syndrome somewhere, where I always have a childlike attitude towards things. But I bought my first house this year, I have a business, I've done a lot for myself, and I've done a lot for my career. And all of a sudden, I'm realizing: "You know what? I'm a grown-ass man! I will not be talked to a certain way. I will not be treated a certain way." Having self-respect is part of that, too. And I've had my ups and downs with that my whole life.
DETAILS: Has this newfound confidence translated to being more outspoken when creating music?
Adam Lambert: I think the more and more clout you have, the more you actually get listened to. [Laughs] I think that's a big part of it. But I think it's also how you handle it that changes, too. I've always been really outspoken and opinionated, so I'm not as surprised or worked up over the little things now as I used to be. I've definitely gotten a little more grounded on a personal level and in my career, and I think that affects things, too, as you go through the process of putting out an album. And the other thing that's been different this time is that right as I was about to put out my last album, I changed management very quickly. They were just getting into the swing of things and getting to know me when we put the album out, so there was a learning curve there. And upon releasing this new album, I signed with a new label and all that, so I really got a clean slate with this new album. I think I got to go into it with a lot more knowledge and experience under my belt. I'm not just saying this: I would have been a bit lost without them. They've done a whole lot for me. I'm definitely a creative person in every way shape and form, so when it comes to certain business things and certain organizational things and time management and all that, I'm a little bit eccentric. So they've been incredible in helping make all my ideas come to fruition.
DETAILS: A thoroughline I've noticed in all of your music is your use of vivid imagery in your lyrics. "Evil in the Night" on this album ("My life flashed before my eyes/ Razor-blade lips and daggers up in your eyes") comes to mind.
Adam Lambert: I'm super-visual. So if I can get a visual by listening to something, I'm usually really happy. In fact, the real challenge of this album was to dig deeper into the emotional side—to the heart and not the visual. Visual stuff, I got. [Laughs] So yeah, if you can paint the picture, that's the kind of song I usually gravitate towards.
DETAILS: I found the song "Lucy," on which you collaborated with Queen guitarist Brian May, to be an interesting choice. It has almost a hip-hop rhythm to it.
Adam Lambert: The way it worked out was that the demo of that song had already been recorded. I was looking at all the songs, and there was some guitar in the demo, and I thought, It definitely needs something. Being on the road with Brian [for the Queen tour], in the back of my head the entire time I was thinking, God, I would really love to ask him to be a part of my album. I think that would be really cool. So I played him the song, and he was like, "Oh, I have some ideas!" I was like, "Okay! Let's schedule some time." [Laughs] But yeah, the song really has a bit of a hip-hop beat. I think people will be really excited to hear Brian play on top of a beat like that.
DETAILS: And was I correct in hearing you reference David Bowie in the song with that "Diamonds Dogs" shout-out?
Adam Lambert: Oh yeah. There's a little nod to Bowie, for sure.
DETAILS: You mentioned touring with Brian and Queen: I imagine being part of a spectacle like that gave you even more confidence in your solo career. Not that you probably needed much.
Adam Lambert: I think I actually did need some confidence. So that came along at a great time. I did need a little wind in my sails, and it gave me a ton. It hit me like a hurricane, actually. [Laughs] I have to say: They are the nicest guys in the world. They were so welcoming to me and collaborative, and when we put together this concert, my ideas were heard and it was a team effort. It was really beautiful, and it kind of reminded me why I wanted to get into this all in the first place. Putting a show together, getting on stage, singing songs that people love, making people happy, getting to do a show that literally would run the entire gamut. It went from zero to 60. Queen's catalog spans over different decades and different colors and different genres. It was like a dream gig for me. And it was a big honor. Also, getting to be in front of audience members that might not otherwise know me or take a listen to what I do was really exciting. It was kind of like a new chance to reestablish myself.
DETAILS: What are your thoughts on the recent announcement that next season will be American Idol's last.
Adam Lambert: I think they had a great run, and I'm very thankful for the show. It launched me and put me on the map. I don't think I would be where I'm at today without Idol. All good things come to an end. That's just how things are. The show came about at a time when the country really needed it. We just had 9/11 happen, and simultaneously the music industry was not in a very good place either. And I think the show shook things up and brought people together. Families would literally gather around the television rooting for something, supporting the idea that dreams come true and that you can be from anywhere in the county and you can have a dream that does come true. It gave people hope and it brought people together. At the time, that's what we needed.
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