Adam Lambert, the singer and actor who rose to fame as runner-up on the eighth season of American Idol in 2009, has opened up about his career, including his controversial 2009 kiss, his relationship with Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor, and his evolving sense of self. In a reflective interview, Lambert, now 43, discussed his early years, the challenges of fame, and how he has found calm in his 40s.
From Headshots to American Idol
Lambert, born in Indianapolis in 1982, recalled his first professional headshot at age 12, when he would drive from San Diego to Los Angeles for auditions with his mother and brother. 'That guy in the plaid shirt never booked a single job. My brother did, though. He was a far cuter, more photogenic kid than I was,' Lambert said. He described himself as talkative and friendly, connecting better with adults than children, and obsessed with theatre and show business.
His self-belief began to wane during puberty, as middle school introduced social expectations and tribal segregation. 'Was I cool or not cool? Was I a skater or a surfer? I wasn’t anything, and I didn’t like that it was so rigid,' he recalled. After failing to get into high-end musical theatre schools due to grades, he worked in theatre and became a singer on a cruise ship at 19. He later joined the first national tour of Wicked in 2005 but left after six months to pursue rock stardom.
The American Idol Gamble
Lambert auditioned for American Idol in 2009, singing Bohemian Rhapsody with jet-black hair and a side parting. 'It was a huge risk, but thank God it panned out,' he said. Each week, he was excited to perform but terrified of being analysed by millions. He would read message boards obsessively, a ritual he called 'masochistic.'
After Idol, Lambert struggled with impostor syndrome, worried that his success might be a 'flash in the pan.' The day before his first solo single was released, he performed at the American Music Awards, where he kissed a male dancer on stage. The controversy that followed was a 'total double standard,' Lambert said. 'Behind the scenes, the label freaked out. They felt it was a little too premature for me to be embroiled in something like that.' Many radio stations and industry figures deemed him too risky, especially coming from family-friendly Idol.
Joining Queen
Lambert first met Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor on American Idol, performing We Are the Champions. Off stage, their rapport felt natural. When an opportunity arose to perform with them at the European Music Awards, Lambert was excited but apprehensive. 'People were going to be protective of Queen and their memory of Freddie,' he said. 'Despite my apprehensiveness, it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.'
In early performances, he overcompensated vocally, trying to prove himself. 'Some thought what we were doing was cool and others considered it sacrilege. Even though it hurt, it kept me humble and made me want to get better so the Queen audience would accept me,' he said.
Finding Peace in His 40s
Lambert, who made his Broadway debut in 2024 as the Emcee in Cabaret and starred as Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar in 2025, said he feels more calm now. 'For most of my career I have been so wrapped up in my own worth – my confidence depended on the reception to the work I was doing. The commercial success of a piece of music doesn’t control my self-esteem as much as it used to,' he said. He added that he is 'starting to care less about what people think' and feels like he is returning to the pure joy of creativity he had as a child.
