Adam Lambert 24/7 News

Adam Lambert is currently touring the US with his Glam Nation Tour. We recently brought you an update from Adam about the tour and now we’re bringing you a full interview where he talks about his brand new UK single Whataya Want From Me, released on July 19th.

He also talks to us about the controversy over his American Music Awards performance, his hope to perform with Pink and Christina Aguilera, and the reception he’s received from UK fans.

How are you today?

I’m good thank you.

Great to be speaking to you again.

Yeah, you too. How’s everything?

Good thanks. Last time we saw you was when you were in the UK promoting ‘For Your Entertainment’.

That was fun. I had a great time out there.

The new UK single is ‘Whataya Want From Me’. Tell us a bit about it.

It’s a song that asks some important questions. Obviously it’s definitely about those moments in a relationship where you’re not sure emotionally how to go about things; your scared, you’re intimated, you’re confused. You care about the person and you want them around but it’s just a lot to handle. It’s fear and vulnerability of your own feelings and I think we can all relate to that. The other good thing about it is that when we released it here in the States it was kind of a response to all the criticism I was getting for controversial performances I did – the AMAs (American Music Awards) – being outspoken as I have been about being gay. It was me asking ‘whataya want from me? I’m human. I’m doing the best I can’.

How do you cope with that criticism? If you were a female artist you probably wouldn’t have gotten all the criticism you have.

It was definitely difficult and challenging. I felt a little bit attacked. I think it’s just the way things are (laughs) and moving on to accept the truth of the matter really was just the next step. I was like ‘ok it is what it is’. Obviously it was a great learning experience. I know what my boundaries as an entertainer are here in the States. I know what works and now I know what doesn’t work now as well. Hopefully it’s progressed but you’ve got to know your audience and I think that’s important.

I think you’ll be fine here in the UK. We’re a bit more liberal and open-minded.

Perhaps, yeah (laughs).

‘Whataya Want From Me’ was written for you by Pink. She’s been performing it herself on tour. Have you heard her version?

Awesome! Yeah I saw a video and I loved it.

Do you think there’s any chance that the two of you may perform it together in the future?

I would love to perform it together. I think it’d be really fun. Hopefully we’ll have the opportunity at some point.

Where did the concept for the video come from?

The director Diane Martel had some ideas and I had some ideas so we kind of collaborated. I tend to be a pretty opinionated guy (laughs) when it comes to performances and videos. I’ve been lucky enough so far to work with people who are open to those ideas. She wanted to tell the story with the point of view of somebody you’re in a relationship with and the whole time you see the camera as my lover. What’s great about it is that person and the camera could be anything. It could be a lover, it could be a fan, it can be the general public – me asking the camera ‘whataya want from me? What am I supposed to do?’ – and showing that vulnerability. It shows the two worlds combining, your personal life and your public life, and what that’s like when you’re pushed into the world of celebrity and the pressures it creates and the tension it can put on a relationship.

‘Whataya Want From Me’ is very different to ‘For Your Entertainment’. Did you want to show fans a different side of you?

Yeah. My album in general is pretty diverse. I think there’s a trend right now where they all start sounding alike. In today’s market, being as saturated as it is, it’s the smart thing to do to put a bunch of tracks on that sound similar. That wasn’t for me. I wanted to do an album of music that was really eclectic. For Your Entertainment, the first single, I wanted to do the sexy, glam electro-pop for the dance floors and make a video that was fashion and edgy. Whataya Want From Me is obviously a lot more of a vulnerable, angsty, more emotionally-driven type song.

How have you found the reception to you and your music here in the UK?

So far I think it’s been great. I’m excited to see how this song does. It’s been a pretty big hit internationally – both here in the States and abroad – so I think it’ll do well I hope. Hopefully people will enjoy it. I think the recording is amazing. Max Martin produced it. You can really hear my voice and it’s a great vocal representation of what I do. I think it’s a great song.

Recently on Twitter you’ve been talking about Christina Aguilera’s new record ‘Bionic’. Is she someone you’d like to work with?

Yeah I would love the opportunity to sing with her. I think she’s incredible. No one has a voice like that.

Do you like her new album?

Yeah. I really enjoy it. I think it’s a great album. I think it’s stronger than the first single. The first single’s fun but I think there’s material on the album that really surpassed my expectations. She sings her face off (laughs). I’m sitting there listening to the first handful of tracks and I’m like ‘damn’. The vocals are nuts.

Yeah she can really belt it out…

Yeah her voice is amazing. It’s nice to hear that in a pop record. I think there’s a lot of really great pop music out now that I love but you’re not hearing a lot of real vocalists these days. You have people that can carry a tune that have really catchy fun music that’s well produced but it’s a rarity to have someone on the scene that’s really singing their face off.

It’s an interesting time for music as there are more artists coming out like yourself, Lady Gaga and Christina that can really sing. What do you think?

Yeah I do too. I’m really drawn to UK artists like Florence; she’s an example of someone who is very vocal. Hopefully it’s changing. I think there should be some emphasis put back on singing ability.

Something your fans are always asking me is about the third UK single. Will it be ‘If I Had You’?

Erm I’m not sure. Probably I would guess because that’s the next single here (in the US) and there’s a video available for it. I would guess that it will be.

Adam’s new single ‘Whatya Want From Me’ is due for release on July 19th 2010.

SOURCE: Entertainment Focus