Adam Lambert 24/7 News

International pop sensation, Adam Lambert, called TMF's Joe for a natter about boats, Bowie and boys.



Where are you at the moment?

I am in Norfolk, Virginia.

How’s the tour going?

It’s good! It’s really good. The audiences have been sold out every time, every venue we’ve been at. It’s really exciting. I’m having a blast.

Cool. How do you find life on the road?

It’s good. It’s a lot of work. I mean, it is hard.

Do you ever get chance to relax?

Yeah. I had a day off yesterday. It was really great. Some of my band and my dancers rented a fishing boat and, you know there’s not a lot to do in Norfolk, Virginia so we were like, “ok, What can we do?”. So, we found this boat and cruised around Chesapeake Bay and did some fishing and, you know, why not?

Yeah, sounds fun. You’ve got a really, really passionate fan base. What’s the strangest thing one of your fans has done?

Erm, you know I get interesting gifts sometimes. Like, I get really sweet gifts but then sometimes it’s like handmade tchotchkes and you’re like “ok...thanks?”.

Do you find there’s a lot of pressure on you? Like, the whole tour is on your head?

The pressure hasn’t gotten to me. I’m fortunate for that. When I get up on stage I do realise that if I’m not feeling it...it’s all on my shoulders. I definitely step up to the plate when I hit the stage. I have to. It can be draining in that regard, but it’s hard to mind because the audiences have been so intense. They give you a lot of energy.

Do you ever miss your Broadway days?

Not yet. Part of the reason I wanted to go into this was because I wanted to be myself on stage. I wanted to be my own artist and I think that that’s been the most important part.

Is there anything in your career that you want to do, but haven’t yet had the opportunity?

I would like to do some acting work, but I haven’t yet and there isn’t anything booked. It’s something that I’m curious about. I think it’d be really cool to be in a film.

If you were to undergo a dramatic pop transformation (ala David Bowie, Madonna etc), what would you like to reinvent yourself into?

I don’t know. I guess if I wanted to do something really drastic, I’d go the complete opposite way from all the glam. You know? Do something really conservative just for the fuck of it, you know?

Yeah, just you and a piano?

Yeah. In a plain suit and no make-up...But you know what, I’ve done that before. I don’t know if it would surprise anybody. That was kind of my schtick on Idol.

Is there anyone who you’d like to collaborate with?

I’ve been really fortunate already, but I think it would be really amazing to collaborate with David Bowie. I think that would be incredible, but I think he’s pretty M.I.A.

So, I read on Wikipedia that you’re “the first openly gay mainstream pop artist to launch a career on a major label in America”. Do you feel any responsibility to represent gay people in the American mainstream?

Not really. That’s definitely been an interesting point. I feel like, I’m honoured to be a part of that community and I’m honoured to be identified as the first blah-blah-blah-blah, but I think the thing about it is the only person I’m responsible for representing is myself. I think that it’s kind of ignorant to assume that just because I am one of the few, I have to represent a whole group of people.

It’s interesting that there are so few openly gay people in the American media. You can only assume there are people who hide their sexuality. Do you think it’s hard for people to be gay in the American media?

Yeah, it’s really hard. I think there’s a reason why a lot of people in the entertainment industry are private about it. It becomes so exploited and sensationalised by the media in general. It’s all anybody wants to talk about. There is good that comes from that, because it raises visibility, it’s good for young people growing up who maybe need role models. I see that there is good that comes from it, but I also think that it can quickly overshadow the product that I have, which is music. Who I’m in bed with on my private time doesn’t mean that this is a good song or a bad song, you know what I mean?

Do you think it might affect the number of female fans you’ve got?

I actually think it’s probably picked me up more female fans. It’s a catch-22. There’s probably the girl who’s like, “Oh he’s gay, so I’m not into it” and there’s the next girl that’s like “oh, he’s gay, I like that”.

And like you say, it should really be your songs that you’re judged on.

Yeah, I think the people that are listening to my music are there because they like my music.

Are you in a relationship at the moment?

No, I’m single.

What kind of guy do you go for?

Pretty boys.

Will you be going to any pride festivals?

My schedule is like PACKED, so probably no pride festivals this year. I was really excited that I got to close gay pride in Sydney though, a couple of months back. That was really fun.

Tell me about your single, ‘Whataya Want From Me’.

Yeah. It was written by Pink, and Max Martin. It’s a great song. I think it holds a really universal message which is that moment in any sort of relationship which is, “I like you, but I’m overwhelmed and I’m vulnerable right now and it’s kind of freaking me out. I need a second”. I think it’s something we can all relate to.

What have you got coming up in the near future?

I’m on tour here in the States until September and then we go international. We go over to Asia, South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and then we do Japan and then we go over to the UK.

The second single, 'Whataya Want From Me', from Adam's debut album, For Your Entertainment is out in the UK on July 19th

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