Adam Lambert didn’t arrive to Queen fully formed. In fact, their first collaboration took place when he was still trying to claim victory in American Idol, the match-light moment for Lambert’s career. Fast forward six years, and he could be found fronting that same band through a well-received arena tour as they criss-crossed the globe.
Things have changed, of course. As he’s continued belting out songs inextricably linked to the late Freddie Mercury, Adam Lambert has slowly but surely been making some part of them his own. It’s an evolution that’s been praised by stalwart Queen guitarist Brian May, and celebrated by Lambert himself.
As he’s grown more comfortable within the crucible of Queen, Adam Lambert has also grown more comfortable with himself.
“I think I have crawled into the songs more,” Lambert tells Hunger TV. “I am now able to toy with the melodies more than when I started. I also find myself more connected to the lyrics, and have learned more about what inspired the band to write them. Now after four years of working together, I feel a stronger responsibility to the band, I’m closer to Brian and [Queen drummer] Roger [Taylor] and more comfortable with the intense expectations of the fans. The doubt and fear have faded and been overtaken with a deep joy.”
It helped that he’d felt a kinship with Freddie Mercury, both as a person and a performer. More than anything, however, Adam Lambert brings a fan’s passion for the work. He loves the songs, the performance, the entire experience, every bit as much as the paying customers, it seems.
That said, Adam Lambert is ready for the next step in his career, one he will be taking away from the auspices of Queen. He’s preparing a new solo project, reportedly to be titled The Original High.
“I’ve been so lucky to share the stage with these legends and reconnect with audiences all around the world. I take great pride in our sold out world tour. It has been the ultimate outlet for my love of larger than life, glam rock, pomp and circumstance,” Adam Lambert says. “Stylistically, my new solo material has moved in a different direction. I am looking forward to launching a new chapter that will explore another side to my personality. I don’t think of one taking a back seat to the other; they’ve coexisted beautifully. Our tour was a live collaboration, for which I was Queen’s grateful guest. Now that it’s over, I have my third album to release and promote.”
Not that Queen + Adam Lambert is ending. In fact, he confirms that they’ll be returning in September to headline Rock in Rio.
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Excellent, well-thought-out article. Think QAL will continue as long as the guys love doing it – would like Queen to record something with Lambert even besides the concert DVDs they may eventually issue. The snippet from Ghost Town is intriguing, as is Lambert’s description of TOH’s vibe. Really looking forward to his music.
Got to see them in LA – This tour was one of the best I have seen since the late 70s – Fantastic!!