OZAP interview with Adam Lambert
Filed Under (interview,Worldwide News ) by Admin on Friday, December 10, 2010
Posted at : Friday, December 10, 2010
Alreference's English translation of the OZAP.com article entitled 'Adam Lambert : "Je ne veux pas que ma sexualité fasse de l'ombre à ma musique"' by Charles Decant, 10 December 2010.
Adam Lambert: I don't want my sexuality to overshadow my music.
You might not know his name or his face, but you probably know his song. For two months now, "Whataya Want From Me", the first Adam Lambert single released here, plays on repeat on airwaves and has remained for several weeks in the top 20 digital sales in our country. Penned by Pink, the track is one of the many pieces written by prestigious authors and producers on the first opus of this American Idol 2009 finalist, who is one of the rare contestants of this TV singing contest to have succeeded outside the American borders.
On the occasion of the physical release of his album, "For Your Entertainment", in our country, Adam Lambert has given an interview to Ozap. He talks about this first eclectic album, his homosexuality which has been much talked about in the media on the other side of the Atlantic, and the polemy that ensued his performance at the American Music Awards last year, in which he kissed a musician on stage. Adam Lambert also comments on Christina Aguilera's flop, the comparisons with Lady Gaga, the critics about Kesha, and answers questions, including surprising ones, from Internet users.
"We live in the playlist generation"
Your first album is very eclectic. Did you, at some point, tell yourself that it was a risky bet to not position yourself as an artist?
Yes, I thought about it for a while, but I wanted to do something different. I had enough of albums which are all the same. It really bugs me. We live in the "playlist generation", people create their own music mixes. And it was also very important for me to respond to my fans' expectations who, after American Idol, were very varied. There were grandmothers and teenage girls, boys, fathers, etc. So I wanted to make an album that had something for everyone, because I didn't know how it would be received.
How did the song selection go? How did you manage to get Lady Gaga, Pink, Max Martin and Dr Luke on your first album?
Gaga, Pink, Dr Luke and Sam Sparrow are people that I asked my record label to put me in contact with. For all the others, it's my label who proposed them to me, telling me "There, we have this demo, would you like to listen to it?". So we listened to a lot of demos and I was asking myself each time if I could picture myself singing them or not, and if the answer was yes, then we modified them anyways. I was often changing the arrangements, we worked a lot on everything, actually.
It was a real luxury for a first album...
Yes! And there were lots of tracks that we didn't use. I worked with RedOne, Lady Gaga's producer. We worked on two tracks but they were not as good as the others, so they didn't make it on the album. It's as simple as that.
And what are you planning for your next album?
I already have some ideas. I think that it will be in the same spirit as "Whataya Want From Me", it will clearly be pop/rock.
Is it the success of this song that is pushing you to be less eclectic than on your first album?
Yes.
You wanted to try a bit of everything and see what would work?
Everything worked out and I like everything that I recorded, but yes, that's about it. I didn't know, I had never done this before. And I didn't have much time, I could't go at it slowly with a single, then an EP, then maybe another single. We didn't have time to do research to find out what was expected of me. And there is so much publicity that comes with American Idol, it's almost as if we were working in reverse and that we had to respond to the expectations of the audience, instead of a new artist that is presented to the public for the first time. It's quite a challenge. But now that the album is released, I can see to what songs the audience is the most receptive, and clearly, "Whataya Want From Me" is the biggest hit of this album, it's a song that people really like. People like this sound with my voice, so I will explore this avenue in more depth. There will be a lot of guitar, that's a given.
"The 2010 American Idol contestants were a bit boring"
This eclectic approach goes somewhat against the advice of the judges on talent shows such as Idol. The contestants have to market themselves within the show itself, to put themselves in a box and say "I'm an R&B singer" or "I'm a country singer". Is this frustrating?
I didn't get the impression that they actually said that in my case, and I was lucky. They understood what I was trying to do, I think. Sometimes, I was really pushing the limits and as a result, they didn't always subscribe to it but hey... One can't please everybody! But I was always very comfortable on stage because I had worked hard on the song choice, the arrangements, the outfit and everything else, so I was confident.
You're not conscious of the fact that you are one of the contestants that changed this show?
I don't think that I changed anything...
Is that a false sense of modesty?
No seriously! I created a lot of buzz, there have been a lot of positive reviews, but I didn't change the show.
But you changed what the judges and the public is expecting of a singing contest TV show contestant...
Maybe, yes. But in an indirect manner. David Cook, the previous year, inspired me. He really raised the bar. I liked the fact that he was really smart in the choice of his covers, his rearrangements. But as far as season 2010 is concerned, the problem, in my opinion, is that candidates were just a bit boring. It has nothing to do with me. Honestly, I think that none of them was particularly outstanding.
You are one of the rare American Idol alumni, and even rarer losers, to have succeeded outside of the United States. What makes the difference?
I'm an alien! (laughs) I think that the care that I put in my image and that my influences are in fact more international. There are influences from British rock, from European electro, the slightly androgynous side also, the glam side, it's not really American. Asian people, for example, love my look. The RCA management saw potential in foreign markets, that's what happened. And I'm delighted to have had this opportunity to do a European tour. I saw younger people, trendier than what I used to see in the U.S.
"Media only talks about my sexuality"
The media has talked a lot about your sexuality last year...
And it still does! (laughs) It doesn't change. It's all the media talk about when they talk about me: gay, gay, gay, gay, gay... Maybe there are other things to say about me, no? It becomes repetitive.
Maybe it will get better with your next album.
Yes, maybe! This album allowed me to introduce myself to the public and the media, to show them what I do. So if I have the opportunity to continue in this business, it won't be necessary to talk about it anymore, because it will already have been talked about. What else can they say?
But you are also very special. There are no other artists like you on the international scene. A young gay solo singer who does commercial pop for all audiences...
It's true that this is what makes things difficult. There is no model to follow. It's a challenge, and it's actually exciting, but there is no pre-determined path and I'm feeling my way a bit. It's not always the simplest or the less risky thing to do, but it's exciting.
Do you find that it's simpler outside the United States? That interviews are less centered around that?
It remains one of the main topics of conversation, wherever I go. But it's OK, it doesn't bother me. When I'm abroad, people mostly ask me why they talk about it so much in the U.S.! And it's normal, because there are very few openly gay artists. I just don't want it to overshadow my music, and this can be the case because of the media, who have a tendency to sensationalize the issue.
"I like to kiss dudes on stage!"
And one has to say that you aren't doing anything to stop it, on the contrary...
Yes, it's true that I'm playing it up. I show it on stage, in the clips. And it's true that some of my critics could tell me: "I don't care about the fact that you're gay, but I don't want to see it". It's very American, all of it. The way I see it, I don't understand why this could pose a problem if they already know that I'm gay... If someone really has a problem with it, then in my opinion it's just pure and simple ignorance. But the good news is that the next generation will be much more open to all of this, so we're going in the right direction. But it's true that I'm complicated and a bit contradictory. I don't want my sexuality to overshadow my music, yet I play it up. But it's mostly to send a message now. I will continue to do what I do, no matter what people think.
Your appearance on several TV shows has been cancelled last year after the American Music Awards "scandal", where you kissed a musician during your performance. Do you think that all publicity is good? If you could go back in time, would you change anything?
No, I don't think that I would change anything. It happened, it's done, and it was... a learning experience. But the fact that there was a double standard was particularly obvious, and as a result it's almost laughable because in the end, my critics have proven themselves that I was right. They thought I did it for the shock value, but honestly it wasn't that deep. I had an urge, I just kissed a musician. I'm a very sexual person, but people didn't know about it from American Idol, which is a family show. And me, I'm not always general audience. And I think that the best aspect of an artist's life is to be true to oneself, and people know how to make a difference between an artist who is honest and someone who's a totally fabricated character. Sometimes, characters do work very well. Lady Gaga is a carefully crafted character, and it suits her very well. Me, I'm Adam and I'm only myself. Take it or leave it. Good and bad. What I did was me. I like to kiss dudes on stage! (laughs).
"When there's a cause that you can support, you shouldn't pass up the opportunity."
Talking about marketing, we recently noticed a large number of pop songs on the same theme: being different, tolerance, etc. I'm thinking about Kesha's "We R Who We R", Katy Perry's "Firework" or Pink's "Raise Your Glass". These are positive messages, and you also talk about these same things in concert when you talk to your fans, but this is starting to really look like a very cynical trend...
I see what you're saying. It's a trend, that's true. But having met these three singers, and being a singer myself, pop is so commercial that when there's a cause that you can support in an honest manner and when you can influence people to make their life better, I don't think you should pass up the opportunity. It's very exciting to be able to do something meaningful, beneficial. Even if it's only a simple pop song, there's an intent behind it, which is to help people to better accept who they are. It's a fairly noble endeavor, no matter who it's coming from.
You have more than 800.000 followers on Twitter. How do you use this account and how does Twitter help you as an artist?
What I like the most is that I can talk directly about everything. If there's a rumor, I can address it. If I need advice on a city that I don't know, same thing. If I want to thank my fans, I do it on Twitter. Sometimes, I use it for my personal life as well, to talk to other artists. I can also share pictures. I love it, and fans know that it's really me. It's not an agent, the record label or someone else. It's me, and it's instantaneous.
"There are a lot of singers who don't really reach the notes that we hear on their albums."
I used my Twitter account to ask people if they had questions for you, and I never had that many replies. The questions were sometimes quite surprising, so I chose a few of them.
OK, shoot!
What artist would you bring back from the dead?
Michael Jackson... Freddie Mercury...
What do you think of Michael Jackson's posthumous album and about the fact that we don't even know if it's really him singing...
I didn't hear anything and I must admit that I'm not really in the loop. Is it about the voice that wouldn't be his? It's possible... You know, nowadays in studio, you can do a lot of things. There are a lot of singers that don't really reach the notes that we hear on their albums...
This is the most bizarre question that I received (and by far the most bizarre that I've ever asked)... If you could choose between a unicorn and a rainbow-colored cat as a pet, which one would you choose?
Neither. A dog!
You don't like cats?
No, I hate cats! And a unicorn, in my opinion, is very high maintenance! It takes a lot of space, it poops everywhere, you need hay to feed it, and I have no idea what kind of hay they eat! So no, I would get a dog.
"My favorite song of the year? 'Be Good to Me' by Sia."
What song released this year would you have liked to sing yourself?
(Silence) There's a song that Sia wrote, called "Be Good to Me", which I love. She's incredible. She's the one who wrote "You Lost Me" for Christina Aguilera for the "Bionic" alcum. I find this song splendid, both the vocals and the production.
Furthermore, on stage, you do a version of "Soaked", which Matthew Bellamy wrote for you, which is reminiscent of this song.
Yes, for the tour, we removed the percussions and the electric guitar to give it a more symphonic atmosphere.
If I tell you that on stage, you are a blend between Pink and Chritina Aguilera...
Thank you! This is a wonderful compliment. I have a lot of respect for both of them and I think that they haven't been around for ten years without a reason. So thank you, I really appreciate it.
"It's so petty and mean all the time in the pop world."
What do you think about all that has happened around Christina Aguilera's album "Bionic", which was almost dead before it was even released?
Yes, that's about it. I have always been a fan of hers, and even if I think that it wasn't her best album, there were some good songs. I really don't know what happened actually. I think that we give too much power to bloggers. But it's only my opinion.
Some say that she was in a way responsible for her own flop by criticizing Lady Gaga... And she even said in an interview that she had no idea who she was...
Yes, it's true that it wasn't the best thing to say. But at the same time, when some people compared the two clips (Christina Aguilera's "Not Myself Tonight" and Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance", editor's note), it was really a stretch. A lot of people do similar things. If you looked at a music video by Beyoncé Knowles and one by Rihanna, I think that you could also find moments that are similar. And then Gaga, as original and genius as she is, has also borrowed from others. She is very inspired by Madonna. And she admits it. And when you watch the "Alejandro" music video, it's Madonna! It's very tiring to always hear "this person copied this other person". Calm down! Nobody copies anyone. Trends exist, and we can see something in another artist, find it great and get inspired by it. Why would it be a bad thing? It's so petty and mean all the time in the pop world. Relax! You like the song? Then it's all that matters. People keep bad mouthing Kesha for example. She's the nicest girl in the world.
It's true that we get the impression that her personality is not getting across... That there really are a lot of very negative opinions about her...
One must also ask the question, at a certain point, if you were to receive that much negativity, how would you react? And I'm not only talking about her, but about this kind of attacks, it hurts people. And she's very sensitive, so I'm sure that it's hurting her.
But she's stubbornly locks herself within that persona... At the same time, if she stopped, she might be accused of being opportunistic...
That's what you have to do! You have to remain true to yourself, follow your instinct. That's what I did, but I was still attacked a lot in the past year. In the end, I think that people are very hard on celebrities, really. Me, I was this dude in Los Angeles, I was a bit bored, I wanted new opportunities, I went to an audition for a TV show, I did my best every week, I finished in second place, I was able to make an album, I can dress as I want, I do my own thing. And I feel like asking people, but fuck, what would you do if you were in my shoes? I try to make music that people like, I travel...
But to come back to Kesha in particular, she has this image of the bad girl that brushes her teeth with whisky and dresses with clothes that she finds in the trash... It seems so artificial and so marketing...
Yes, maybe a little. But again, it's another example of something that people are taking much too seriously. She doesn't take herself seriously, so why do people do? She's the opposite of Gaga. Gaga is very dramatic, serious, very invested in her character and quite dark. Kesha, on the other side, she says "We don't give a damn, we want to party", and I think that it's important in music, to be able to let go, to escape. That's part of what pop is all about.
SOURCE
(Translated by @alreference)
Adam Lambert: I don't want my sexuality to overshadow my music.
You might not know his name or his face, but you probably know his song. For two months now, "Whataya Want From Me", the first Adam Lambert single released here, plays on repeat on airwaves and has remained for several weeks in the top 20 digital sales in our country. Penned by Pink, the track is one of the many pieces written by prestigious authors and producers on the first opus of this American Idol 2009 finalist, who is one of the rare contestants of this TV singing contest to have succeeded outside the American borders.
On the occasion of the physical release of his album, "For Your Entertainment", in our country, Adam Lambert has given an interview to Ozap. He talks about this first eclectic album, his homosexuality which has been much talked about in the media on the other side of the Atlantic, and the polemy that ensued his performance at the American Music Awards last year, in which he kissed a musician on stage. Adam Lambert also comments on Christina Aguilera's flop, the comparisons with Lady Gaga, the critics about Kesha, and answers questions, including surprising ones, from Internet users.
"We live in the playlist generation"
Your first album is very eclectic. Did you, at some point, tell yourself that it was a risky bet to not position yourself as an artist?
Yes, I thought about it for a while, but I wanted to do something different. I had enough of albums which are all the same. It really bugs me. We live in the "playlist generation", people create their own music mixes. And it was also very important for me to respond to my fans' expectations who, after American Idol, were very varied. There were grandmothers and teenage girls, boys, fathers, etc. So I wanted to make an album that had something for everyone, because I didn't know how it would be received.
How did the song selection go? How did you manage to get Lady Gaga, Pink, Max Martin and Dr Luke on your first album?
Gaga, Pink, Dr Luke and Sam Sparrow are people that I asked my record label to put me in contact with. For all the others, it's my label who proposed them to me, telling me "There, we have this demo, would you like to listen to it?". So we listened to a lot of demos and I was asking myself each time if I could picture myself singing them or not, and if the answer was yes, then we modified them anyways. I was often changing the arrangements, we worked a lot on everything, actually.
It was a real luxury for a first album...
Yes! And there were lots of tracks that we didn't use. I worked with RedOne, Lady Gaga's producer. We worked on two tracks but they were not as good as the others, so they didn't make it on the album. It's as simple as that.
And what are you planning for your next album?
I already have some ideas. I think that it will be in the same spirit as "Whataya Want From Me", it will clearly be pop/rock.
Is it the success of this song that is pushing you to be less eclectic than on your first album?
Yes.
You wanted to try a bit of everything and see what would work?
Everything worked out and I like everything that I recorded, but yes, that's about it. I didn't know, I had never done this before. And I didn't have much time, I could't go at it slowly with a single, then an EP, then maybe another single. We didn't have time to do research to find out what was expected of me. And there is so much publicity that comes with American Idol, it's almost as if we were working in reverse and that we had to respond to the expectations of the audience, instead of a new artist that is presented to the public for the first time. It's quite a challenge. But now that the album is released, I can see to what songs the audience is the most receptive, and clearly, "Whataya Want From Me" is the biggest hit of this album, it's a song that people really like. People like this sound with my voice, so I will explore this avenue in more depth. There will be a lot of guitar, that's a given.
"The 2010 American Idol contestants were a bit boring"
This eclectic approach goes somewhat against the advice of the judges on talent shows such as Idol. The contestants have to market themselves within the show itself, to put themselves in a box and say "I'm an R&B singer" or "I'm a country singer". Is this frustrating?
I didn't get the impression that they actually said that in my case, and I was lucky. They understood what I was trying to do, I think. Sometimes, I was really pushing the limits and as a result, they didn't always subscribe to it but hey... One can't please everybody! But I was always very comfortable on stage because I had worked hard on the song choice, the arrangements, the outfit and everything else, so I was confident.
You're not conscious of the fact that you are one of the contestants that changed this show?
I don't think that I changed anything...
Is that a false sense of modesty?
No seriously! I created a lot of buzz, there have been a lot of positive reviews, but I didn't change the show.
But you changed what the judges and the public is expecting of a singing contest TV show contestant...
Maybe, yes. But in an indirect manner. David Cook, the previous year, inspired me. He really raised the bar. I liked the fact that he was really smart in the choice of his covers, his rearrangements. But as far as season 2010 is concerned, the problem, in my opinion, is that candidates were just a bit boring. It has nothing to do with me. Honestly, I think that none of them was particularly outstanding.
You are one of the rare American Idol alumni, and even rarer losers, to have succeeded outside of the United States. What makes the difference?
I'm an alien! (laughs) I think that the care that I put in my image and that my influences are in fact more international. There are influences from British rock, from European electro, the slightly androgynous side also, the glam side, it's not really American. Asian people, for example, love my look. The RCA management saw potential in foreign markets, that's what happened. And I'm delighted to have had this opportunity to do a European tour. I saw younger people, trendier than what I used to see in the U.S.
"Media only talks about my sexuality"
The media has talked a lot about your sexuality last year...
And it still does! (laughs) It doesn't change. It's all the media talk about when they talk about me: gay, gay, gay, gay, gay... Maybe there are other things to say about me, no? It becomes repetitive.
Maybe it will get better with your next album.
Yes, maybe! This album allowed me to introduce myself to the public and the media, to show them what I do. So if I have the opportunity to continue in this business, it won't be necessary to talk about it anymore, because it will already have been talked about. What else can they say?
But you are also very special. There are no other artists like you on the international scene. A young gay solo singer who does commercial pop for all audiences...
It's true that this is what makes things difficult. There is no model to follow. It's a challenge, and it's actually exciting, but there is no pre-determined path and I'm feeling my way a bit. It's not always the simplest or the less risky thing to do, but it's exciting.
Do you find that it's simpler outside the United States? That interviews are less centered around that?
It remains one of the main topics of conversation, wherever I go. But it's OK, it doesn't bother me. When I'm abroad, people mostly ask me why they talk about it so much in the U.S.! And it's normal, because there are very few openly gay artists. I just don't want it to overshadow my music, and this can be the case because of the media, who have a tendency to sensationalize the issue.
"I like to kiss dudes on stage!"
And one has to say that you aren't doing anything to stop it, on the contrary...
Yes, it's true that I'm playing it up. I show it on stage, in the clips. And it's true that some of my critics could tell me: "I don't care about the fact that you're gay, but I don't want to see it". It's very American, all of it. The way I see it, I don't understand why this could pose a problem if they already know that I'm gay... If someone really has a problem with it, then in my opinion it's just pure and simple ignorance. But the good news is that the next generation will be much more open to all of this, so we're going in the right direction. But it's true that I'm complicated and a bit contradictory. I don't want my sexuality to overshadow my music, yet I play it up. But it's mostly to send a message now. I will continue to do what I do, no matter what people think.
Your appearance on several TV shows has been cancelled last year after the American Music Awards "scandal", where you kissed a musician during your performance. Do you think that all publicity is good? If you could go back in time, would you change anything?
No, I don't think that I would change anything. It happened, it's done, and it was... a learning experience. But the fact that there was a double standard was particularly obvious, and as a result it's almost laughable because in the end, my critics have proven themselves that I was right. They thought I did it for the shock value, but honestly it wasn't that deep. I had an urge, I just kissed a musician. I'm a very sexual person, but people didn't know about it from American Idol, which is a family show. And me, I'm not always general audience. And I think that the best aspect of an artist's life is to be true to oneself, and people know how to make a difference between an artist who is honest and someone who's a totally fabricated character. Sometimes, characters do work very well. Lady Gaga is a carefully crafted character, and it suits her very well. Me, I'm Adam and I'm only myself. Take it or leave it. Good and bad. What I did was me. I like to kiss dudes on stage! (laughs).
"When there's a cause that you can support, you shouldn't pass up the opportunity."
Talking about marketing, we recently noticed a large number of pop songs on the same theme: being different, tolerance, etc. I'm thinking about Kesha's "We R Who We R", Katy Perry's "Firework" or Pink's "Raise Your Glass". These are positive messages, and you also talk about these same things in concert when you talk to your fans, but this is starting to really look like a very cynical trend...
I see what you're saying. It's a trend, that's true. But having met these three singers, and being a singer myself, pop is so commercial that when there's a cause that you can support in an honest manner and when you can influence people to make their life better, I don't think you should pass up the opportunity. It's very exciting to be able to do something meaningful, beneficial. Even if it's only a simple pop song, there's an intent behind it, which is to help people to better accept who they are. It's a fairly noble endeavor, no matter who it's coming from.
You have more than 800.000 followers on Twitter. How do you use this account and how does Twitter help you as an artist?
What I like the most is that I can talk directly about everything. If there's a rumor, I can address it. If I need advice on a city that I don't know, same thing. If I want to thank my fans, I do it on Twitter. Sometimes, I use it for my personal life as well, to talk to other artists. I can also share pictures. I love it, and fans know that it's really me. It's not an agent, the record label or someone else. It's me, and it's instantaneous.
"There are a lot of singers who don't really reach the notes that we hear on their albums."
I used my Twitter account to ask people if they had questions for you, and I never had that many replies. The questions were sometimes quite surprising, so I chose a few of them.
OK, shoot!
What artist would you bring back from the dead?
Michael Jackson... Freddie Mercury...
What do you think of Michael Jackson's posthumous album and about the fact that we don't even know if it's really him singing...
I didn't hear anything and I must admit that I'm not really in the loop. Is it about the voice that wouldn't be his? It's possible... You know, nowadays in studio, you can do a lot of things. There are a lot of singers that don't really reach the notes that we hear on their albums...
This is the most bizarre question that I received (and by far the most bizarre that I've ever asked)... If you could choose between a unicorn and a rainbow-colored cat as a pet, which one would you choose?
Neither. A dog!
You don't like cats?
No, I hate cats! And a unicorn, in my opinion, is very high maintenance! It takes a lot of space, it poops everywhere, you need hay to feed it, and I have no idea what kind of hay they eat! So no, I would get a dog.
"My favorite song of the year? 'Be Good to Me' by Sia."
What song released this year would you have liked to sing yourself?
(Silence) There's a song that Sia wrote, called "Be Good to Me", which I love. She's incredible. She's the one who wrote "You Lost Me" for Christina Aguilera for the "Bionic" alcum. I find this song splendid, both the vocals and the production.
Furthermore, on stage, you do a version of "Soaked", which Matthew Bellamy wrote for you, which is reminiscent of this song.
Yes, for the tour, we removed the percussions and the electric guitar to give it a more symphonic atmosphere.
If I tell you that on stage, you are a blend between Pink and Chritina Aguilera...
Thank you! This is a wonderful compliment. I have a lot of respect for both of them and I think that they haven't been around for ten years without a reason. So thank you, I really appreciate it.
"It's so petty and mean all the time in the pop world."
What do you think about all that has happened around Christina Aguilera's album "Bionic", which was almost dead before it was even released?
Yes, that's about it. I have always been a fan of hers, and even if I think that it wasn't her best album, there were some good songs. I really don't know what happened actually. I think that we give too much power to bloggers. But it's only my opinion.
Some say that she was in a way responsible for her own flop by criticizing Lady Gaga... And she even said in an interview that she had no idea who she was...
Yes, it's true that it wasn't the best thing to say. But at the same time, when some people compared the two clips (Christina Aguilera's "Not Myself Tonight" and Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance", editor's note), it was really a stretch. A lot of people do similar things. If you looked at a music video by Beyoncé Knowles and one by Rihanna, I think that you could also find moments that are similar. And then Gaga, as original and genius as she is, has also borrowed from others. She is very inspired by Madonna. And she admits it. And when you watch the "Alejandro" music video, it's Madonna! It's very tiring to always hear "this person copied this other person". Calm down! Nobody copies anyone. Trends exist, and we can see something in another artist, find it great and get inspired by it. Why would it be a bad thing? It's so petty and mean all the time in the pop world. Relax! You like the song? Then it's all that matters. People keep bad mouthing Kesha for example. She's the nicest girl in the world.
It's true that we get the impression that her personality is not getting across... That there really are a lot of very negative opinions about her...
One must also ask the question, at a certain point, if you were to receive that much negativity, how would you react? And I'm not only talking about her, but about this kind of attacks, it hurts people. And she's very sensitive, so I'm sure that it's hurting her.
But she's stubbornly locks herself within that persona... At the same time, if she stopped, she might be accused of being opportunistic...
That's what you have to do! You have to remain true to yourself, follow your instinct. That's what I did, but I was still attacked a lot in the past year. In the end, I think that people are very hard on celebrities, really. Me, I was this dude in Los Angeles, I was a bit bored, I wanted new opportunities, I went to an audition for a TV show, I did my best every week, I finished in second place, I was able to make an album, I can dress as I want, I do my own thing. And I feel like asking people, but fuck, what would you do if you were in my shoes? I try to make music that people like, I travel...
But to come back to Kesha in particular, she has this image of the bad girl that brushes her teeth with whisky and dresses with clothes that she finds in the trash... It seems so artificial and so marketing...
Yes, maybe a little. But again, it's another example of something that people are taking much too seriously. She doesn't take herself seriously, so why do people do? She's the opposite of Gaga. Gaga is very dramatic, serious, very invested in her character and quite dark. Kesha, on the other side, she says "We don't give a damn, we want to party", and I think that it's important in music, to be able to let go, to escape. That's part of what pop is all about.
SOURCE
(Translated by @alreference)
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69 comments:
Hey baby: Hope you haven't offended your fans who are cat lovers!!!!
That was a very interesting interview. I think this is one of the best of this year because it shows us a more mature Adam. The way he sees himself in the music industry is the best I´ve heard from him. He´s definitively a wise man.
What a ridiculous comment. He's not running for president!
I think it would be much more offensive to answer questions in a politically correct manner to foster more popularity for yourself like so many other artists do. Adam Lambert is Adam. He speaks the truth which is refreshing. He didn't say he hates cats and wants to kill them! He just prefers dogs. Also, the question that was asked was very bizarre in the first place. Adam, continue being yourself- that's why we love you!
nancdruuu2
ACTUALLY anon @9:39-HATE is a strong word and sometimes a filter on "some" comments would be OK by me hmmmmmm like younger and trendier audience in Europe. In Europe, Aus. NZ, Canada, Asia, etc. we are exposed to different music,fashion/style,but as fans of Adam Lambert we ALL no matter what style,age or gender share a love of ADAM's STYLE, VOICE, SEXINESS. That is what it is about. These interviews are a must,but the endless goofy question must be frustrating-when fatigue plays on an entertainer like Adam that has been on the road for over 100 shows{btw- HE HAS A PRETTY KITTY
A good interview, a lot to take in! First of all I read somewhere that Adam & Neil are allergic to cats. I'm not fond of cats either, love smaller dogs. I do believe Adam did change AI after he left that season because we expected somewhat of the same level of excellence in talent & showmanship & none of them can even come close. It changed our expectations. And Adam said, he is sometimes complicated & contradicts himself... kind of like what he said earlier "I don't give a fuck & at the end of the day I do give a fuck"‼ :)
Hey, i have 2 cats! I'm not going to get upset because Adam said "I hate cats!" Eber said that he and Neil are allergic to them. They would make his eyes itch and his nose run and ruin his eyeliner. Doubt that he'll meet any of our feline friends! lol Love his honesty and consideration to other artists. Not a petty bone in his body and a big reason why I respect him so much.He doesn't feel the need to put down other artists. funbunn40
Great questions and introduction. The french have my nature. I prefer cats to children. I've had cats that just came to me, when I left the door open. I was allergic to cats for some time, but got rid of it. I'm more allergic to dogs now.
I love cats, but not everyone does. Adam loves to speak what is on his mind and that isn't a bad thing. It's great that he tries to see things in a positive light. His hair is sexy with the bangs in his face.
He loves to give/get whole lotta of love and dogs give unconditional whole lotta of love than cats. Great interview!
Hey, guys, will you please shut up? Icon (my cat) is around|! He doesn't need to know about this «I hate cats» crap, he (Icon) is still loving sweet Adam, specially when he sings Soaked! It's enough for him (Icon) to keep in mind that sweet Adam «prefer» DOGS! Maybe to exercise with them those high notes tha his (sweet Adam's) voice hits and only dogs can hear... Arf, arf!
Fan4fun
Best interview ever, and you tweeps focus on cats. WTF
This is a very good interview. I know more about Adam how he see the music industry. Love him to defend Kesha, hope he has some real friends in the industry. Best lines " Don't give a F**K what other people think. I like to kiss dudes on stage." That's why I love him so much, so talented but always stay true to be himself.
Come on peeps, the "cat" thing only take up a few words of the whole interview. In their generation, "hate" means "dislike".
Knew that comment would get fluffed-up responses. They just ask the stupidest questions in some interviews - UNICORNS or CATS?? How ridiculous!! They got just what they deserved - a "shit" remark!! The only person on Earth who should care if Adam likes cats is the person with whom he may want to live who may have one!! If there were serious allergies in his family, what experience would he ever have of the feline kind? AAAACHOOOOO!! Besides, he doesn't have time to keep a plant alive right now - let alone a pet. I think it is admirable that he is so aware that relationships of any kind deserve time and effort and focus that would suffer with the kind of life he has chosen for now. But it's in him, you can see that. Look how he melted over those puppies at the GLAD awards. Usually people who don't like cats have just never had one choose them to love. People don't realize that the personality of cats may be a lot like themselves and that is scarey. Look at Adam - mysterious, beautiful, aloof, intelligent, regal, uncompromising, irresistably soft, selective - like a CAT!!
I am dedicating these rambling comments to my big, 20 pound tuxedo cat named ENZO. I brought him home from the Humane Society 5 yrs ago when I went there to search for a Golden Retriever pup....and I thank the Universe every day that he has never left my side and that I had the wisdom to recognize love when it hit me between the eyes.
I always wondered what has happened with his collaboration with RedOne. So they recorded tracks and they decided not to put them on the album. Hopefully they will resurface on the 2nd album. If they're not that good maybe they can make changes and put them on the 2nd album. I like RedOne. I think he is a brilliant producer.
Man, chill out about the cats already! There's so much more to this interview than Adam prefers dogs to cats. How about: 1)What he's learned about music his fans want to hear since releasing FYE; 2)How being gay isn't such a stigma in Europe as it is in US; 3) How collaborating artists were selected for FYE; 4) His perception of how public views other pop artists. This interview presents another example of Adam's honesty, maturity and understanding of the music industry. Invite you to go back and reread.
He definitely worked with great artists and producers on FYE album. That's why to this day I'm not tired of listening to this album. Especially, the UK version of it (if you don't have it buy it). I wished it was also nominated for Grammys. Good thing two of its producers got nominations nod.
I think Adam will push boundaries until or hopefully everybody gets him. He really means it when he sings 'Sure Fire Winners'. He is gonna take us to the top to the brink of what we believe. That's shows that he is a true artist. As in this interview he said there is no one like him in today's world. If you check out all the well known artists they truly challenged everything at their time. Van Gogh is a very good example of it. He didn't compromised his artistic talent to what was hip or in at his time.
Oh! I love Van Gogh. Imagine Adam's concert incorporated with Van Gogh theme. The loneliness, the sadness and the rebelliousness, I can't imagine how thrill will I be if it happen.
Anon 11:23 a.m.
Totally agree!!!!
This interview, with its incredibly intelligent and probing new questions, took Adam down a more open and revealing set of answers. That "learning experience" comment that I've heard more than once is very telling. And his comments on the music industry and media in regards to himself as well as OTHER artists, with their "image" choices, inspirations, critics, successes AND failures showed such insight. Remarkable business savvy with a touch of healthy cynicism.
I could have just killed the interviewer for interrupting Adam and switching back to Kesha at the end. He seemed to have dropped his guard at this point, ready to pour out some frustrations about celebrity pressures, fan expectations, the media, pettiness...oh well, lost opportunity there. Nevertheless, I gained more insight from this FABULOUS interview than most others and then drop to the comments......CATS versus DOGS!!!! Are you kidding me??????
Hate cats? How can anyone hate cats? Not like them, yes. This is the first time I've known Adam to hate. I thought Adam was about love. Aren't animals included?
Stop spreading this particular word. We all know Adam does not really meant that if you follow him the last two years. Grow up!!!
12:52 p.m. again.
See comment @1:14 p.m. I rest my case.
I feel sorry for all the loving fans out there who name their cat after Adam.
THIS tweep's cat loves SOAKED. Adam reminds me of a cat when he moves - oh yes very good interview too
People writing comments about cats and dogs are as pathetic as the question was asked by the interviewer. He told Adam that he asked us, his fans, for questions and he got some pathetic questions one of them being this cat, dog, unicorn question. People get smart and read this few times until you understand what it really means. Don't take shits out of context on this great interview.
to Annon@ 1:14pm, you have every right to express your opinion. Comment only this out of a great piece of the whole interview . I understand why Adam sometimes want to move out US. Too much ignorance, I bet the Eutopean won't even care the cat/dog issue here.
@12:51 obviously you didn't read this. Adam said he is true to himself as an artist and he is Adam. I don't think he'll do any Van Gogh theme on his shows. I used Van Gogh as an example of an artist (father of impressionist) who was true to his craft. He didn't budge in what was hip at his time. He created new art. As Adam being Adam I think a lot of people don't get him and he'll entertain us and push boundaries until we understand who he is as an artist. Get with it people read this as many times until you understand him.
Interesting how some of you, anon posters of course, get to decide what comments of Adam are worthy of response and which ones arent! Talk about the height of arrogance! Calling peeps ignorant because they talked about the cat answer? MORE CAT TALK COMING YOUR WAY!!!!!! Coloforadam, love your rescue story. I used to only love dogs until I spent time around cats and they are magnificant creatures too. Adam doesnt like Chihuahuas and I have several but who cares. He has a right to his likes/dislikes and glad he's not hesitant in voicing his opinion. LOVE ADAM !!!!!!! Adamluv
You guys should stop listening to your local news when constantly every hour of the day they talk about somewhere an animal was rescued. No real news what so ever. I tell you animals have more rights than humans!
If people love cats/dogs as their own family members, there will no animals rescue stories, Just saying.
Perhaps, my friends, something was lost in translation. Still can't understand why in the hell someone would read this interview and come away with only the one comments about cats. We should all know the internet by now to know that many many things happen with articles are written, much less translated. It doesn't matter. I know a ton of people who hate cats. Doesn't mean they want to abolish them. It just means they don't want to be around them. I'm a dog person, so I'm with Adam on this. I've had cats, and they're OK as long as someone else owns them.
The interview is amazing. He is so candid pointing out how he contradicts himself doing m/m on stage but hating people talking about his gayness. I have wondered that myself. I've often said chill it on stage Adam if you don't like what you are hearing in the media. He is who he is, and I love him.
Adamluv,
I don't think the anon posters are being arrogant or calling anyone ignorant. I think it bothers them that out of all Adam's intelligent, thoughtful and honest answers in this long interview, the one that gets the most attention is his answer to the silly fan question. Frankly, it reminds me a little of the media we complain about, making much too much of one little comment and ignoring all the rest.
TXSparkler
Wow, Adam actually said 'poop'?? Why couldn't this have been a video so I could see it come out of his mouth?? XD
cupcakes_7
There's more to a singer than the voice. I think a singer has to have the all around package. Stage presence is very important and alot of Idol contestants didn't have that. Adam brought the whold package to the Idol stage and world stage.
CATS ARE SO PRECIOUS AND MAKE WONDERFUL PETS! I AM GLAD HE DOESN'T HAVE A PET SNAKE! I AM PETRIFIED OF SNAKES!!!
ADAM SHOULD PET A PUSSYCAT! I BET HE WOULD LOVE IT!!! SHOULD I BE CENSORED? I THINK NOT!!! GREAT INTERVIEW!!!!
At last...he finally admits that he contradicts himself. I've never understood his complaints about the media being stuck on the "gay" thing when he does everything he can on stage to play it up. Either you want them to talk about it all the time, or you want them to talk about your music. Which is it???
amen
I have to admit, I knew this would blow up about the cat answer. I think we were just surprized to learn this whereas we thought we knew everything about Adam. I for one, just signed up for vet school yesterday because I love animals and mostly cats (I have 4) so I was surprized because in a small way Adam inspired me to follow my dreams. I'm 50 and my job just closed, so decided to start a new profession and the cat thing comes up. Still love adam and everything about him, but we certainly don't have that in common and I know there are millions of cat glamily out there. It's all O.K lol
Sorry, that I bring up the subject about cats again, but there are serious cat haters. I don't mean Adam, but they are mostly men. In Europe it originates from the middle ages and the witch hunts.
I think the kissing on stage is for all the ladies who fantasize about being with him. He wants women to wonder what it would be like to kiss his freckled lips. He loves being the object of desire and plays the part while on stage. He even allows Brooke to have a little playtime with him onstage. It gets the ladies off. Rock is made to be raunchy or what's the point?
Oh no! I named my cat after Adam.
he plays the bisexual card onstage. Tommy and Brooke get alot of his attention during his live shows. He can bring sexuality to the stage and still deliver incredible vocals everyime. True Rockstar!
ADAM IS ROCK GOD! HE DESERVES A GRAMMY!!!
He wants to kiss men ON STAGE.
He didn´t think he changed AI. I think he did. For me he changed Idol in Sweden too. It was the finale tonight and I didn´t care. Boring, boring, boring! There was one girl that had a glimpse of Adam spirit, but she was voted off. I just sit and wait for someone to surprise me, to do something different and it never happens. I want to be pierced by those mindblowing glory notes and see that priceless smile and endless thankyous. Many interviewers have said that Adam "ruined" AI and he always denies it of course, humble as he is. But he did, and I´m glad he did. How would we know him otherwise?
Eva
I have 20 cats. (They're all outdoor cats ok). That response didn't bother me one bit. He doesn't like cats, so what. Some people don't. I do. Love you Adam.
There is only one Adam in the world otherwise AI will not wait for so many years to find one true star. How many people can sing like him with different types of songs in such powerful voice. At least I don't see any in the mainstream nowadays. I believe he brings a lot of music lovers back to the pop genre whom had given up hopes on those autotunes. Good music still exists but you need to know where to find them. With Adam on the mainstream, he provides a better choice for many people who love real music.
AMA performance was a bisexual performance. He grabbed the crotch of a female and kissed a male. He wants to appeal to both genders. He even admitted to bisexual curiosity. He is curious about the female anatomy. He credits women for his success. I think Adam is just pure SEX off and on the stage. He is all about the Entertainment.
I wonder if Adam realizes how many crazy cat ladies he has that are fans?? Me included.
Great interview. I think Adam is finally being given the chance to be a little more "adult' and be serious once in awhile, and can express his opinions and feelings. Not his "pc" always-- trying -to -be -cheerful answers that he felt he needed to give in the past. Obviously the very public media attacks hurt him more than he has let on (of course they did..), and here we get a little hint of that...and I don't care if he doesn't like cats!
I'm sure he is not worried about his fan base being cat or dog lovers, lol how silly. i have two cats that stay outside, adam doesn't live with us. who cares? so funny ppl.
I thought this was an Adam site, not the SPCA fan line!
!!MEOW!!
(sorry - couldn't resist)
Now wait a minute...we go on about Adam's hair, clothes, nail polish and eye liner (how shallow is all that? and i'm totally guilty of it too - HA!) so it seems totally normal to me that people would go off about something as mundane as whether or not he likes cats. In fact, this thread just cracked me up!! Seems in keeping with our obsession to know every litle nuance about Adam's life, important or not. And why is no one upset that he doesn't seem to care for unicorns? I could actually picture Adam, sprawled naked, covered in glitter, with long, flowing hair, on the back of a unicorn...so I was sad he didn't fufill my fantasy, on that one! ;) Adam - you're way too practical (I don't know what kind of hay unicorns eat - HA HA!!!).
However, I agree with many of the posts that said this was one of Adam's most introspective and openly candid interviews...and that's saying alot about someone who's always introspecitve and candid. It's like he REALLY let the wall come down on this one and exposed his true feelings a little more...didn't sugar coat things (which I never thought he did, until reading this interview, in comparison). I LOVED this interview. It really showed how much Adam has learned in the last year of living as a public figure, and seeing how the media machine really works. He's a little more media-savvy, perhaps wary, now.
- Adam Fix
Anon December 10, 2010 9:28 AM What is wrong with you? Adam is Adam. You are the one who offended first and you forget that everybody have their preference. Even if your spouse or mother or father hate cat , you should respect people preference. Who cares if you and others love cats? All we and the world cares is : what Adam likes and does not like. We want to hear him speaking about himself ! If you don't interest in knowing about Adam and what he likes and who he trully is then don't listen to his music , don't read any article about him and esp. don't come to any Adamfan sites. You just ruin my good time reading about ADam! REMEMBER FOLKS, RESPECT ADAM and EVERYONE IN THIS WORLD ! Share what we have in common in this adam fan site...don't ruin other people's good times ! I always enjoy this fan site and thank you for anyone who contributes to this site every day.
Adam's dad tweeted just a couple of weeks ago that Adam and Neil are both highly alergic to cats as I am. His 'hate' word probably stems from his physical reaction to being around cats. My eyes and nose literally become a waterfall-I know I know TMI! LOL! It also would have a lot to do with how his parents talked or reacted to cats.
daydreamin
@2.53
I have 2 pet snakes...and a cat. Love snakes...hate dogs!
Love Adam more though..
HK fan
@ HK fan
I have a cat and a sexotic singing bird to pet everyday!!! Do you pet your snakes? Lol
Fan4fun
Sooooo DON'T hate on Kesha because she is really nice,but DO hate on cats. What if Kesha has a cat? Do we go back to hating on her. I'm confused. Or is it that most of these interviews or just plain bullshit! SERIOUSLY
who cares whether gay or not? I am so over people picking at that. Is it so unreal. He could be doing ANYTHING and it wouldnt matter, what matters is his music. His personal business is his own... Leave him alone. He is him and that is erotic enough. Why does anyone think they would have sex with him anyway. Freddie was gay and probably died because of the homophobic tendancies. We lost an incredible artist. If we could save him now the world would. I dont mean save him from who he was but society should have been concentrating on his music instead of his sexual preference. Adam you are amazing gay or straight. Luv to luv ya. Come back down under soon. We luv u here xxoo
To Adam Fix: "Meow" back at cha!!!
Oh yah, to further digress - I forgot to mention one other distinct feline trait that Adam also possesses - a silly, imaginative sense of fun and absolute refusal to take the world too seriously!!!
@fan4fun,
they do get held but not as often as they should be...they actually feel really nice, not slimy like people think, cool and smooth.
HK fan
See I bet you all thought all gays loved cats! See how we profile? Naughty Naughty! Could it be Adam just doesn't like cats! Why do we care! At least he is honest and I for one find that refreshing! He just doesn't say what you want to hear. How we know maybe as a child maybe he got sick or got scratched...you will never know. I know people who like pit bulls and deem them harmless. I for one are scared of them. All opinions. Adam said alot of good things however all the focus is on cats...just like the gay thing why? why? why? to much stirring the pot of negative thinking my oh my!
I wonder if Adam would like a GAY cat? How 'bout a gay PURPLE cat? What about a unicorn that brushes it's teeth with whiskey? Would he still like a dog that was straight? (...snicker!...)
Sorry, this thread is just so ridiculous that I couldn't resist. ;)
- Adam Fix
HK Fan - you have snakes? That's so rad! Ha, ha! Are they actually yours, or your son's? I agree - snakes feel cool. I don't know why people think they're slimy...is it because they kind of look like giant earthworms?
- Adam Fix
thank you for this
Adam Fix, you are such a hoot! Thank you for the smiles on this thread!
Coloforadam, love your insights/comments!
:)
Sweetie
My Cat was shocked.He actlly thought that Adam is cat!
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