Adam Lambert

Adam Mitchel Lambert (born January 29, 1982) is an American singer and songwriter. Since 2009, he has sold over 3 million albums and 5 million singles worldwide. Lambert is known for his dynamic vocal performances that fuse his theatrical training with modern and classic genres.

Lambert rose to fame in 2009 after finishing as runner-up on the eighth season of ''American Idol''. Later that year, he released his debut album '' For Your Entertainment'', which debuted at number three on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200. The album spawned several singles, including " Whataya Want from Me", for which he received a Grammy nomination for "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance".

In 2012, Lambert released his second studio album ''Trespassing''. The album premiered at number one on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200, making him the first openly gay artist to top the album charts. In 2015, Lambert released his third album ''The Original High'', which debuted at number three on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 and produced the single "Ghost Town".

Alongside his solo career, Lambert has collaborated with rock band Queen as lead vocalist for Queen + Adam Lambert since 2011, including several worldwide tours from 2014 to 2022. Their first album, '' Live Around the World'', released in October 2020, and debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart.

In late 2019, Lambert founded the non-profit Feel Something Foundation, anchoring his ongoing philanthropy, LGBTQ+ and human rights activism. Its particular focus is support for organizations and projects that directly and disproportionately impact the LGBTQ+ community, including education and the arts, mental health, suicide prevention and homelessness.

Early life and family

Lambert was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on January 29, 1982, to mother Leila, a dental hygienist; and father Eber Lambert, a program manager for Novatel Wireless. His father is of partial Norwegian descent and his mother is Jewish, with roots in Romania. Lambert was raised in his mother's religion. He has a younger brother, Neil. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to San Diego, California.

Lambert began performing with Metropolitan Educational Theatre network (now MET2) from the age of nine. A few years later, he began more intense acting and vocal coaching, continuing to perform with both MET2 and what was to become the Broadway Bound Youth Theatre Foundation, as he moved through Mesa Verde Middle School and then Mount Carmel High School. There, he became heavily involved with theater and choir, performed vocals with the school's jazz band, and competed in the local Air Bands competitions. He also appeared in local professional productions such as '' Hello, Dolly!'', '' Camelot'', '' The Music Man'', '' Grease'', ''Chess'' and ''Peter Pan'', at venues such as The Starlight, The Lyceum and others.

After graduating from high school in 2000, he attended California State University, Fullerton. His major was musical theater, but left after five weeks to move to Los Angeles: "I just decided that what I really wanted to do was try to work in the real entertainment world. Life is all about taking risks to get what you want."

Career

2001–2008: Career beginnings

At 19, Lambert got his first professional job, performing on a cruise ship for ten months with Anita Mann Productions. Afterwards, he performed in light opera in Orange County, California. By 21, he was signed with a manager and cast in a European tour of '' Hair''. In 2004, he appeared in the Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) production of '' Brigadoon'' and a Pasadena Playhouse production of ''110 in the Shade'', before being cast in the role of Joshua in '' The Ten Commandments: The Musical'' at the Kodak Theatre alongside Val Kilmer. He came to the attention of the casting director for ''Wicked'', and was hired as the understudy for the role of Fiyero and an ensemble member in the first national touring production of the musical from 2005, and the Los Angeles production from 2007. He finished performances with the musical in 2008.

During this same period, Lambert briefly fronted underground rock band The Citizen Vein with Steve Sidelnyk, Tommy Victor and Monte Pittman. He also worked as a demo singer and a session musician; a compilation of his 2005 recordings were released in 2009 on the album '' Take One''.

2009: ''American Idol''

Lambert auditioned for the eighth season of ''American Idol'' in San Francisco, California by singing "Rock with You" and "Bohemian Rhapsody". Advancing to Hollywood week, he performed " What's Up" and " Believe" solo, and " Some Kind of Wonderful" in the group effort. Simon Cowell voiced some concern about his theatricality, but Randy Jackson found it "current". He advanced easily to the top 36 performing " (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction".

In the first week of live shows, his rendition of Michael Jackson's "Black or White" was praised by all four judges. For Country week, he sang a sitar-infused version of " Ring of Fire". His Motown night acoustic version of The Miracles' "The Tracks of My Tears" drew praise from judges and a standing ovation from Smokey Robinson, the week's mentor. Advancing to the top 8, he sang the 2001 Michael Andrews and Gary Jules arrangement of "Mad World". Because the show exceeded its time slot, only Cowell gave a critique, which he did by giving Lambert a standing ovation, the only one he bestowed during his decade-long run as an ''American Idol'' judge.

After Lambert sang " If I Can't Have You", delivering what DioGuardi called his "most memorable performance", Cowell described his vocals as "immaculate". For the top 3 show, he performed " One" before Cowell declared, "If you are not in the final next week, it will be one of the biggest upsets"; and continued with "Cryin'" before Abdul affirmed, "we'll be seeing you next week and many years after that".

In March 2009, photos of Lambert kissing another man while dressed in drag at Burning Man surfaced online. Highlighted as controversial, they were displayed by conservative commentators on ''The O'Reilly Factor'', who called them "embarrassing" and questioned if the images would have an effect on the program. Fox restricted press access to Lambert and to his family following the outing. Despite conservative backlash, outlets such as the New York Times and ABC news speculated that Lambert would be too popular to lose the competition. Upon the announcement of Lambert as runner-up, ''American Idol'' pundits, gay bloggers, and LGBT news outlets reassessed these claims, noting that his queerness may have alienated conservative viewers.

Lambert performed three solos in the finale, a reprise of "Mad World", followed by the 1960s civil rights anthem " A Change Is Gonna Come", to tremendously positive judge reaction. After his performance of the mandatory winner's single, " No Boundaries" Cowell summed up Lambert's journey: "Over the entire season, you've been one of the best, most original contestants we've ever had on the show. The hope and whole idea of a show like this is to find a worldwide star, and I truly believe we've found that in you".

Upon winning the competition, Kris Allen stated: "Adam deserved this", later explaining he thought Lambert deserved to win as much as he did, and that Lambert "was the most consistent person all year. He was seriously one of the most gifted performers that I've ever met". Lambert's version of the winner's single was released alongside Allen's. ''The Los Angeles Times'' later ranked Lambert fifth in its list of the top 120 American Idol contestants, selected from the first nine seasons of the show, above Allen.

* Due to the judges using their one save to save Matt Giraud, the Top 7 remained intact for another week.

Lambert performed "Mad World" on ''The Early Show'' and '' Live with Regis and Kelly''. He began the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009 in July and that summer was also the recipient of two awards: the Young Hollywood Award for Artist of the Year and the Teen Choice Award for Male Reality/Variety Star.

2009–2011: ''For Your Entertainment'' and touring

'' For Your Entertainment'', Lambert's first studio album, was released on November 23, 2009. Debuting at number three on the ''Billboard'' 200 and selling 198,000 copies in the US its first week, the album saw Lambert in collaboration with producers such as Rob Cavallo, Dr. Luke and Max Martin. Album writers included Matthew Bellamy, Ryan Tedder, Rivers Cuomo, Justin Hawkins, P!nk, Linda Perry and Lady Gaga. At Metacritic, the album received a score of 71, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". '' Spin'' said the album is "perhaps the strongest, most flavorful batch of tunes to reach an ''AI'' vet, and Lambert's polymorphous vocal skills unite dancefloor strut and hard-rock pomp in a convincing glam package". ''Rolling Stone'', however, gave it a more mixed review: "The songs sound great but feel strangely stuffy— tseems like a disc that was overthought. Next time, the hugely talented Lambert should make sure he's going straight for the gut."

Its Claude Kelly and Dr. Luke-produced lead single " For Your Entertainment" preceded the album's release but was not as successful as its second single " Whataya Want from Me" which impacted on charts worldwide, became his highest-peaking single (at number 10) on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 53rd awards ceremony. Another notable single was " Time for Miracles", the ending theme for the disaster movie ''2012''. , ''For Your Entertainment'' has sold nearly 2 million copies worldwide and was certified gold in the US in June 2010.

On November 22, Lambert performed " For Your Entertainment" at the '' American Music Awards of 2009''. The controversial performance, which was the night's finale, showed Lambert kissing a male bassist and grabbing the crotch of another. In response, the Parents Television Council, a conservative decency group urged viewers to complain to the FCC and launched a formal complaint—though the performance aired "outside the FCC's usual 6am-10pm time frame prohibiting the broadcast of indecent material".

ABC received about 1,500 telephoned complaints and canceled Lambert's performance of November 25 on '' Good Morning America'', his upcoming performance on '' Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', and removed him from consideration for ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve''. Discussing the incident in a ''Rolling Stone'' interview, Lambert stated: "Female performers have been doing this for years—pushing the envelope about sexuality—and the minute a man does it, everybody freaks out. We're in 2009—it's time to take risks, be a little more brave, time to open people's eyes and if it offends them, then maybe I'm not for them. My goal was not to piss people off, it was to promote freedom of expression and artistic freedom."

Lambert returned to the AMAs two years later as a presenter, and was warmly received. Rejecting claims that the singer was banned from the show in 2009, Executive Producer Larry Klein said that he's anticipating future Lambert performances: "Adam Lambert is a friend of ours, he's talented and I like everything about him." Lambert's performance was included in Billboard's list of "Top Ten American Music Awards Moments" on the eve of its 40th anniversary, in November 2012.

In the months leading to his album release, Lambert appeared on the cover of magazines such as ''Entertainment Weekly'' in May 2009, ''Rolling Stone'' in June 2009 and '' Details'' in November 2009. His ''Rolling Stone'' cover story became the magazine's best selling issue of the year. He appeared on the cover of '' Out'' magazine in their 2009 "Out 100" issue, sparking controversy as ''Out'' publisher issued him an open letter questioning the "gayness" of his image. In April, he became one of People Magazine's Most Beautiful People 2010.

He was chosen for ''Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009'', and interviewed on the show of December 10. In late 2009, he performed on the '' Late Show with David Letterman'', '' The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien'', the season finale of ''So You Think You Can Dance'','' The Jay Leno Show'' and ''The Oprah Winfrey Show''. He performed his first official solo concert, which sold-out, at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California.

In April 2010, Lambert returned to ''American Idol'' as the first former contestant to mentor during an Elvis Presley themed week, where he also performed. In June, he appeared on Canada's MuchMusic Video Awards to receive the UR Fav International Video award for " Whataya Want from Me".

In early June 2010, Lambert embarked on his debut headlining ''Glam Nation Tour'', playing in the United States, Europe and Asia for 113 shows, nearly all of them sold out. The Indianapolis show was filmed for Lambert's first video release '' Glam Nation Live'', a 13-track CD with DVD. The concert, which MTV called "out of this world", and his subsequent video release, were well-received, with Entertainment Weekly saying it "sizzles" with the energy that Lambert's vocals bring in a live concert setting. ''Glam Nation Live'' debuted at number one on the SoundScan Music Video chart and landed at number 12 on '' Billboard''s 2011 year-end music video sales chart. This followed the release of his first extended play, '' Acoustic Live!'', consisting of acoustic versions of songs recorded live in various countries. The EP garnered excellent reviews and was called "electrifying" by the New York Daily News.

In August, he was profiled in an hour-long documentary for VH1's ''Behind the Music'' series; and later in the year mentored for a second time on The Hub TV Network's '' Majors & Minors'', coaching singing contestants who were children. In November 2011, Lambert joined Queen as the lead singer at the MTV Europe Music Awards, where the band was honored with the Global Icon Award and they performed a medley of classic hits.

2012–2013: ''Trespassing''

Lambert changed management from 19 Entertainment to Direct Management Group in August 2011. The title track of his second studio album, ''Trespassing'', was co-written with Pharrell Williams; while the album's lead single, "Better Than I Know Myself", a collaboration with Dr. Luke and Claude Kelly, was released digitally on December 20, 2011.

''Trespassing'' was released on May 15, 2012, to positive reviews. On May 23, the album debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 77,000 copies. and at number three in United Kingdom's midweek chart.

His second single "Never Close Our Eyes", written by Bruno Mars and produced by Dr. Luke, was released digitally on April 17, to positive reviews. Lambert returned to ''American Idol'' for his third consecutive year on the results show that preceded Idol's final week. The performance of May 17 of "Never Close Our Eyes" was touted for its vibrant energy and dazzle, as well as for the powerhouse vocals that had become his signature.

Throughout the spring and summer of 2012, Lambert performed across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, appearing in festivals, on radio and television, and in concert, including one of several headlining spots at Summer Sonic Festival 2012. In September, he appeared on the finale of ''The Voice of China'', the country's most popular program.

Lambert joined Queen for a six concert date collaboration, kicking off with a two-hour extravaganza under the auspices of the UEFA in Kyiv on June 30, the eve of the Euro 2012 Football Championship. Viewed live by hundreds of thousands in Ukraine's main square, the performance was touted for the strength of Lambert's showmanship, vocal excellence and interpretative skill, which confidently balanced old and new. Almost uniformly, reviews noted Lambert's vocals, his "sizzle" and "electrifying" presence; along with the synergy of the collaboration, which Brian May called "organic".

Lambert's third single, "Trespassing", was released as part of an eight track EP of remixes that included a radio edit of the original song. Entitled ''Trespassing Remixes'', it became available to radio and digital outlets in October, with hard copies sold from his official website only. "Trespassing" debuted at number one on the '' Billboard'' Hot Dance Singles Sales chart, giving Lambert his tenth number one ''Billboard'' entry.

On October 23, Lambert acted and performed two songs from ''Trespassing'' in the Halloween special of the television series ''Pretty Little Liars''.

Lambert appeared for the first time in South Africa in November, headlining arena concerts in Cape Town and Johannesburg. South Africa's '' The Sunday Times'' called Lambert's Johannesburg performance "epic" and "electrifying", stating: "His voice is stunning and his entertainment factor is through the roof." Later that month he was in Hong Kong delivering a "powerful performance" at the 2012 Mnet Asian Music Awards (2012 MAMA.)

The album ''Trespassing'' was rewarded in year end lists and polls, among them best album of the year at ''Rolling Stone'', number three at Billboard for "Favorite 200 No.1" albums, and number eight on ''People'' magazine's list of "Top Ten Music" in its year end issue. Queen + Adam Lambert was named best live act of 2012 at Gigwise, and one of '' Classic Rock'' magazine's top events of the year.

Lambert left 19 Recordings when his contract expired, but remained with RCA Records. On February 17, the newly dubbed "We Are Glamily Tour" kicked off in Seoul, with seventeen stops throughout Asia and Europe. His first solo concert in Hong Kong on March 5 was noted for the live debut of two songs, " Time for Miracles" and a cover of " Shout", called "stunning" and vocally impressive.

Lambert won the "Favorite International Artist" category at the STAR TV 17th Chinese Music Awards held in Macau in April, also performing two songs from ''Trespassing''. Lambert also appeared as a guest judge during auditions on ''Chinese Idol''.

On May 11, Lambert for his album ''Trespassing'' along with Frank Ocean for Channel Orange were co-recipients of the award for Outstanding Music Artist at the 24th GLAAD Media Awards. He returned to ''American Idol'' on May 16 for the fourth consecutive year, performing a duet with Angie Miller on the twelfth season finale of ''American Idol'', where Miller was a finalist in the top three. The pair tackled the song "Titanium".

In a letter sent to ''The Hollywood Reporter'' on July 12, Lambert revealed that he would be leaving RCA due to "creative differences" centering most directly on his next release. With RCA "pushing" for a covers album, Lambert stated: "my heart is simply not in doing a covers album ... I am already deep into writing new material with some very talented colleagues for a brand new album, and I can't tell you how excited I am to share this new sound and direction. This music is where my heart is".

Lambert unveiled a collaboration with Nile Rodgers and DJ-producer Avicii when the three appeared onstage together for the track's US debut at an August benefit concert on Long Island. The song, entitled "Lay Me Down", released on Avicii's debut album '' TRUE'' on September 17 in the US, though it had already begun climbing charts worldwide. It received wide acclaim in previews, and landed at number one on a compilation of ''Rolling Stone''s favorite songs, albums and videos.

Lambert and Queen made their first live concert appearance in the United States, closing the night on September 20, at the 2013 iHeartRadio Music Festival at the MGM Grand Arena. Reviews for the performance were stellar, with ''Rolling Stone'' stating that they dominated night one, also calling them most anticipated act of the evening, with Lambert "astound ngthe audience". ''Billboard'' was equally laudatory, remarking on the "magnetic power" of the vocals, adding that Lambert "oozed charisma".

Lambert made his debut on the fifth season of '' Glee'' on November 7, playing the role of Elliot "Starchild" Gilbert in what became a multi-episode arc. His rendition of Lady Gaga's "Marry the Night" was released prior to air date, garnering publicity and positive reviews. Accolades for Lambert's debut spotlighted his powerful vocals and dynamic presence. His remake of "Marry the Night" impacted '' Billboard'' the following week, debuting at number 39 on the Pop Digital Songs chart.

Lambert was in attendance to receive two awards at China's Huading Music Awards, Best International Male Vocalist and the Fan Choice Award, on December 18 in Shanghai. Lambert tied at number three on ''Forbes'' annual list of top earning American Idols, due to his live performances and other endeavors.

2014–2018: ''The Original High'' and Queen + Adam Lambert

In February 2014, Lambert returned to ''American Idol'', where he was a guest mentor during Randy Jackson's two-night "Boot Camp" workshop. He was a guest judge on the season 6 premiere of ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' the following week. ''Glee'' returned on February 25 with the episode " Frenemies" featuring Lambert in a performance of The Darkness's "I Believe in a Thing Called Love".

On May 27, 2014, a compilation album ''The Very Best of Adam Lambert'' was released by Sony Legacy's ''Playlist'' series, featuring recordings from Lambert's two studio albums along with studio recordings from ''American Idol'' and ''Glee''. It debuted on the ''Billboard'' Top Internet Albums chart at number 14.

Lambert started touring with Roger Taylor and Brian May of Queen in June 2014, with 35 dates in North America, Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. It was a critical and commercial success, as reviews highlighted the musical virtuosity of May and Taylor, alongside Lambert's impressive vocal dexterity, charisma and affinity with Queen's repertoire – all augmented by the elaborate spectacle of the production. In 2015, a second leg of eleven countries and 26 dates in Europe and the UK was performed. On November 4, Queen + Adam Lambert was named Band of the Year at the 10th annual Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards.

Following a much reviewed "soaring" performance on the UK's ''X Factor'', Lambert and Queen presented an exclusive New Year's Eve concert in London at Central Hall Westminster, Queen + Adam Lambert Rock Big Ben Live. The praised concert was called "pitch-perfect". In January, Queen + Adam Lambert appeared on the cover of '' Classic Rock'' magazine; he was applauded in the cover story by Taylor and May, who called him "a gift from god". In September, Queen and Lambert headlined Rock in Rio's "30 Years Celebration" in Brazil, as part of a six date South American tour. The tour was a critical success; and their Rock in Rio performance was the seven-day festival's most popular, based on ticket sales.

On January 15, 2015, Lambert became the first former contestant to appear as a guest judge on ''American Idol'' at the fourteenth season's New York City auditions, filling in for Keith Urban. That same day, Lambert revealed in a ''Billboard'' interview that he signed to Warner Bros. Records within twenty-four hours after announcing his departure from RCA. He further stated that his upcoming studio release, scheduled for early summer with a single out in April, would be executive produced by the Swedish songwriter-producers Max Martin and Shellback.

Promotion for the new album, ''The Original High'', began with a series of magazine cover stories, television appearances and teasers of the lead single, "Ghost Town", prior to its release on April 21, 2015. Also notable was "Ghost Town"'s performance at the 2015 Logo Trailblazer Honors; and its performance in early August on Australia's ''The Voice''. '' Spin'' named it one of 2015's best songs so far; and ''The New York Times'' stated it "was perhaps his best single to date." "Ghost Town" entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 73, and charted on the ''Billboard'' Adult Top 40. It reached 100 million Spotify streams in early December 2015 and was certified gold in the US on January 15, 2016.

''The Original High'' debuted at number three on the ''Billboard'' 200 selling 42,000 albums and moving 47,000 total units, including track and streaming equivalent albums. Lambert garnered his first top ten album in the United Kingdom, with a number eight debut on the UK Albums Chart. As with "Ghost Town", reviews were largely positive. The Original High Tour commenced in January 2016 with six dates in Australia and New Zealand and seven dates in Japan.

On August 29, Lambert received the award for Best Foreign Artist at the 2015 Eska Music Awards held in Szczecin, Poland. On the 30th, he made his first UK festival appearance, performing a set at Fusion Festival 2015 in Birmingham.

In early October, Lambert released " Another Lonely Night". It debuted live as the new single at 538LIVE XXL at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, and a few days later on '' X Factor Australia''. Twenty dates were then added to "The Original High Tour" to include thirteen European countries; "RedFest DXB", a two-day music festival, in Dubai; and two dates in China. The tour commenced at No. Celebrate2016 in The Float at Marina Bay, Singapore on December 31, 2015. In November, an online petition supported by conservative groups was launched to remove Lambert from the Singapore program, citing his controversial performance at the AMA's in 2009, and active support for LGBT rights. He was not removed from the headlining spot, but it was reiterated that his performance would conform to strict broadcast regulations.

Throughout the fall, Lambert continued appearances in the US, Europe and Asia. Notable performances included ''Today'', '' Swedish Idol'', ''The Voice of Poland'' and BBC One's '' Strictly Come Dancing'', as a musical guest. After participating in a '' Billboard'' news conference in Beijing announcing the inclusion of China in its music charts, he was the guest performer at Alibaba's Singles' Day event. On December 2, he performed at the CMT "Artists of the Year" special to honor Little Big Town and their controversial song " Girl Crush" in a duet with Leona Lewis. The performance was nominated for "Performance of the Year" at the 2016 CMT Music Awards.

Lambert received several year end accolades, among them a number one in ''Forbes'' yearly earnings ranking of ''American Idol'' contestants; and the top spot in ''Rolling Stone''s "The Ten Best Albums of 2015" readers' poll, with the publication noting his "vocals are as massive as his performances." In January 2016, twenty-three US dates were added to "The Original High Tour", bringing it to 56 dates worldwide. In mid-January, Lambert partnered with Oreo to launch a diversity focused global ad campaign, "Open Up", featuring his vocals in an animated spot. In February, he featured in the finale tribute to David Bowie at Clive Davis and The Recording Academy's pre- Grammy event. In March, he debuted "Welcome to the Show" in the final fifteenth season of ''American Idol.'' The next week, the DJ produced Steve Aoki and Felix Jaehn track "Can't Go Home" debuted, with Lambert as the featured vocalist.

In May 2016, Lambert became the new face of Macy's lifestyle brand, I.N.C. International Concepts, and a participant in its "American Icons" summer campaign.

Queen + Adam Lambert headlined Rock in Rio Lisbon, Sweden Rock Festival, Isle of Wight Festival, and twelve more European festivals and shows in May and June 2016. In September, they headlined the 2016 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, performed one date in Tel Aviv, three dates in Tokyo, and one each in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Taipei as part of an Asia Tour. In June, Lambert joined the judging panel for the eighth season of '' The X Factor Australia''.

Lambert released his first independent, self-produced music video in July to accompany "Welcome to the Show". He performed Faith on the season finale of ABC's ''Greatest Hits'' in August. Lambert is featured on the single "Broken", released in August by DJ/producers Tritonal in collaboration with producer Jenaux.

In October, Lambert co-starred in the television remake of '' The Rocky Horror Picture Show.'' ''The X Factor Australia'' wrapped its 2016 season in November, with a member of Lambert's team declared the winner. In December, he performed a duet with finalist Saara Aalto on '' The X Factor UK'' finale, and presented the award for British Artist of the Year on the BBC Music Awards 2016 live telecast. Lambert featured on the soundtrack album of DreamWorks Animation's '' Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie'' with "Think", released in June 2017.

Queen + Adam Lambert commenced a worldwide arena tour on June 23, 2017, in Glendale, Arizona consisting of dates in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The group appeared on '' The Late Late Show with James Corden'' with Lambert and Corden having a sing-off to be the Queen frontman. Lambert and Queen performed a mini-concert on '' Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', with a four-song set list that included the debut of a new track from Lambert entitled "Two Fux". Early reviews for the shows were strongly positive, highlighting both the synergy of the collaboration, which '' Billboard'' stated was perhaps the most "serendipitous fusion of two established recording acts" since Fleetwood Mac; and the emergence of something new, moving the band forward.

"Two Fux" was released to digital retailers on June 30, with reviews that were similarly positive: Yahoo! Music called it "a delightfully attitudinal rock 'n' roll waltz" exhibiting a highly confident "almost superhuman" Lambert. '' Esquire'' stated the song was "effervescent, and a showcase for the nosebleed-inducing heights his falsetto can scale; it also serves as the conflation of Queen's influence and Lambert's own experiences and perspective". "Two Fux" is included in the Queen + Adam Lambert live show set list.

Lambert appeared as guest judge and musical coach on an episode of the third season of '' RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars.'' Due to its success, the Queen + Adam Lambert tour announced a fourth leg to commence June 7 in Lisbon, ending July 8 in Dublin. In March, ''Billboard'' reported that Queen + Adam Lambert topped their "Hot Tours" recap, with their Australian shows.

In May, Lambert teamed up with Melissa Etheridge to open the 29th GLAAD Media Awards with a "ripping" performance of "I'm the Only One". Days later, he appeared on ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'', announcing a 10-date Las Vegas residency for Queen+Adam Lambert in September 2018, at the Park Theater at Park MGM. The new production, titled "The Crown Jewels", was well received. Lambert changed management to Philymack.

Lambert was a guest judge in the "Judges' Houses" segment of ''The X Factor'' in October. He performed the duet "As Long As You're Mine" with Ledisi on NBC's '' A Very Wicked Halloween,'' commemorating ''Wicked''s fifteen years on Broadway. The performance was lauded for its brilliant harmonies and "impressive vocal riffs", and later released on ''Wicked: The 15th Anniversary Special Edition'' album. On December 2, he appeared on the results show of '' Strictly Come Dancing''s Musicals Week, singing "We Are the Champions", from ''We Will Rock You.'' On the same date, he performed live at the Kennedy Center Honors in support of honoree Cher, singing "I Got You Babe" with Cyndi Lauper and an orchestral ballad version of " Believe", called an "event high point" by ''The Washington Post''. Following the ceremony's broadcast on December 26, Lambert's performance was widely praised.

2019–present: ''Velvet'' and Queen + Adam Lambert

Lambert appeared with James Corden on '' The Late Late Show'' on January 20, 2019, for an NFL themed episode, singing a parody of "Don't Stop Me Now". On February 17, he performed a well-reviewed "rocking" version of "Blue Suede Shoes" on NBC's ''Elvis All-Star Tribute'', a recreation of Elvis Presley's '' '68 Comeback Special''.

Lambert voiced the character Emperor Maximus and sung original songs for '' Playmobil: The Movie'', a combination animated live-action film released in 2019. On December 3, Queen and Adam Lambert announced a 23 date arena and stadium tour with a brand new production for North America. The Rhapsody Tour added additional dates in NYC and LA; at 25 dates the tour ran from July 10 through August 23, 2019.

Lambert released the song "Feel Something" on February 22, called an "achingly yearning ballad" by ''Rolling Stone'' that "showcases isacrobatic vocal range". Co-written with Benedict Cork, Josh Cumbee and produced by Cumbee and Afshin Salmani, it was the first track revealed from the singer's then-upcoming fourth studio album, which was released through the independent label Empire. Calling the song "a gift" to fans and the launch of a new era prior to his official first single, Lambert explained via Instagram the process by which he emerged from a dark period of second-guessing, compromise and disillusionment - with "Feel Something" the emotional starting point for his new work. Days later he released a "captivating" live studio performance of "Feel Something", whose beauty and soothing tone capture the song's intent.

On February 24, 2019, Lambert and Queen were the first rock band to open the Oscars with an "explosive" performance of two classic Queen songs that earned a standing ovation. The following day, they announced a two-hour documentary, ''The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story,'' depicting the journey of their ongoing collaboration. The film aired on ABC in April, offering rare behind-the-scenes concert footage and new interviews. Roger Taylor appeared on '' Good Morning America'' the same morning, calling the collaboration with Lambert "magical", and an example of "fate unfolding". On April 28, Lambert guest mentored ''American Idol'' top 8 finalists on a Queen-themed night, and was praised for actionable advice that elevated performances.

In April 2019, ''The Rhapsody Tour'' expanded to include seven stadium dates in Australia and three in New Zealand, slated for February 2020; four shows in Japan and two in South Korea, for January 2020; and 26 shows in Europe including a ten show residency at The O2 Arena in London.

On May 15, 2019, Lambert released " New Eyes", the lead single from his fourth studio album '' Velvet'', co-written with Paris Carney and produced by Jamie Sierota. The "effortlessly cool, sleek" song fuses modern and classic rock, while its video reflects the song's lyrics and '70s-inspired aesthetic. Directed by Miles & AJ, the video was the first part of a short film that accompanied the lead-up to the album release. Lambert returned to ''American Idol'' for its May 19 season finale to perform "New Eyes" and a duet with a contestant. On May 31, he performed the track on ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' and again on June 24 on the finals of '' The Voice Australia''.

Lambert released The Monarch-produced track "Comin in Hot" on June 26, along with the second video installment of the short film supporting ''Velvet''. The video was called "bewitching" and "mesmerizing", and the song said to extend the '70s rock-driven sound of the album's first single. Lambert revealed that ''Velvet'' would be released in two parts, with ''Side A'' slated for September 2019. "Comin In Hot" saw its broadcast debut on June 28 when Lambert performed a five-song set and was interviewed on ''Good Morning America'' Summer Concert Series, in celebration of Pride month and WorldPride NYC 2019.

On September 4, Lambert released the single and video for "Superpower", appearing on '' Velvet: Side A'', the first half of his fourth studio album. The Tommy English produced song was co-written by Lambert, English and Ilsey Juber, with video direction by Millient Hailes. Its weighty baseline and "smooth falsettos" reflect the '70s rock, funk-heavy core of the multi-genre album, which was released on September 27. '' Billboard'' called the 6 track EP his "best work yet", exuding confidence and raw vocal power. His proficiency and artistry across genres was also noted. He performed "Superpower" live on October 2 on ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'', and for Halloween week of BBC One's '' Strictly Come Dancing''. On the 12th, he delivered a "show-stopping" performance of "Superpower" on '' The Talk''. On October 15, a live black-and-white video version of the track "Closer to You" from ''Velvet: Side A'' was released, lauded as "a vocal masterclass". Its broadcast debut on '' The Late Late Show with James Corden'' was highly praised, characterized as "scaling the song's heights with pop operatic virtuosity."

On September 28, Lambert with Queen headlined the 2019 Global Citizen Festival in New York City's Central Park. Dedicated to mobilizing world governments to eradicate extreme poverty and address climate change, the festival posted its best ratings yet: with 60,000 in attendance and nearly 21 million views worldwide, it generated close to $1 billion in pledges.

In November, Lambert released a cover of "Please Come Home for Christmas" for the ''Spotify Singles: Holiday Collection''. He was among several performers at the Avicii tribute concert at Friends Arena in Stockholm on December 5, to support suicide prevention and promote mental health awareness. On December 6, Lambert released a cover of Cher's " Believe" based on his 2018 performance at the Kennedy Center Honors. He performed the song as a duet with Katie Kadan on the December 17 finale of the seventeenth season of ''The Voice''. On December 22, he performed on the CBS ''A Home for the Holidays'' Christmas special to raise awareness about adoption and the foster care system. Lambert gave four well received solo concerts throughout December to promote ''Velvet: Side A''.

In January 2020, Lambert was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award in the Outstanding Music Artist category for ''Velvet: Side A''. Lambert opened the 31st GLAAD Media Awards with a special performance on March 19 in New York City. On February 16 in Sydney, Lambert with Queen performed at the Fire Fight Australia concert to raise funds for relief from Australia's bushfires and replicated Queen's 1985 Live Aid set in its entirety.

On February 4, 2020, Lambert released the retro-funk track "Roses" featuring Nile Rodgers. The Velvet Tour begins on August 3 at Manchester Pride, followed by London's SSE Arena Wembley and seven more shows across Europe. The tour was preceded by a mini-residence of five shows at The Venetian Theatre at The Venetian Las Vegas in April.

Lambert with Queen united virtually on April 30 to release "You Are the Champions", a reimagining of "We Are the Champions", on streaming and download services, with proceeds going to the World Health Organization's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. In May, Lambert was part of a 3-day livestream event called "Stronger Than You Think", a conversation to address mental health issues affecting teens and young adults, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In June, he appeared on '' The Late Late Show with James Corden'' to discuss his support and experience of the Black Lives Matter movement, and gave an acoustic performance of "On the Moon" from ''Velvet''. Lambert participated in the GRAMMY Museum's virtual ''Programs at Home'', with an in-depth interview and acoustic four song set.

In July, in support of Joe Biden's presidential bid, he performed "Ready to Run" at Biden's live-streaming fundraiser "Celebration for Change".

Queen with Lambert released their first album on October 2, 2020, ''Queen + Adam Live Around the World''. Debuting at number one on the UK's Official Albums Chart, it was followed by a concert film of the same name on January 29, 2021, with tour footage and streaming or purchase access. The group announced that their United Kingdom and European tour would be postponed a second time to 2022 with multiple shows subsequently added.

In November, '' Moonbase 8'' debuted, with Lambert in a non-musical guest acting role. Lambert sang " Starman" for the three hour livestream event, "A Bowie Celebration", on what would have been Bowie's 74th birthday. He played the role of "Emile" in '' Ratatouille the Musical'', a first of its kind collaboration between TikTok and the theater community. What emerged was a full Broadway-style musical, streamed on January 1, raising two million dollars for The Actors Fund, and scoring a Drama League Award nomination in an expanded digital category. Lambert sang on the concept recording of ''Cinderella'', "rocking out" in his Prince Charming solo. The album was released in July, and debuted at number one on the UK Official Compilations Chart, later garnering a 2022 Grammy nomination.

Lambert, through his Feel Something Foundation in partnership with Pride Live, curated and headlined a three-day festival, the annual June Stonewall Day global celebration, to boost and preserve the legacy of the Stonewall riots and LGBTQ activism. He appeared on '' The Kelly Clarkson Show'' on January 26, and discussed the possibility of developing his own beauty brand. In March 2021, Lambert revealed that he was writing a Broadway-style rock and roll stage musical in collaboration with other songwriters. Set in the 1970s, the work will be about a real person; and represents his intent to expand into other creative spaces like acting and producing.

Lambert sang "These Are Your Rights", an "anthemic power ballad," for the episode "The Bill of Rights" in the Netflix streaming series '' We the People'' released on July fourth. The program won the Emmy Award in the Outstanding Short Form Program category from the inaugural Children's and Family Emmy Awards presented in December. In September, he participated in Global Citizen Live, a worldwide 24-hour broadcast and livestream event to defeat poverty and address the global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In May he appeared as a guest judge on the second season of ''Legendary.'' Lambert appeared on ''The Ellen Show'' in advance of his role as a judge on the reality competition '' Clash of the Cover Bands'', that debuted in October.

He voiced the devil in a second animated program, '' A Tale Dark & Grimm'', that also debuted in fall 2021, and has received nominations from both the Emmy Awards and the Children's and Family Emmy Awards. He returned to Las Vegas for six solo shows, including a live stream component, at The Venetian Theatre at The Venetian Las Vegas in October. In November, Lambert performed on the prime time television special, '' The Queen Family Singalong''.
On ''The Kelly Clarkson Show'', he performed the duet he recorded with Darren Criss for Criss' holiday album, a jazzy big band cover of the classic "(Everybody's Waitin' for) The Man with the Bag"; a music video of the track was released the following day. Lambert performed two songs to close the 2021 ITV Palooza event; and appears as a judge on the new ITV talent show ''Starstruck,'' that debuted on February 12. In April 2022, ITV announced that ''Starstruck'' would be returning for a second season with the same judging panel.

Lambert performed on the second annual global livestream event, "Rise Up With The Arts", which went live on World Theater Day, March 27, but extended on demand through April 23 due to popularity. In response to the crisis in Ukraine, funds raised were designated for Save the Children's emergency appeal for Ukraine, as well as to support the theater community and the charity "icandance." Lambert headlined the April 30 show of SunFest music festival in West Palm Beach, Florida; later he announced four more Florida solo shows plus one in Georgia, unofficially dubbing the dates the "Say Gay" tour in response to Florida's recently enacted "Don't Say Gay" bill.

Queen and Lambert began the highly praised UK and European leg of The Rhapsody Tour on May 27, with 2 consecutive shows at Belfast's SSE Arena; also included were ten sold-out shows at The O2 Arena in London, and a global live stream release of the third O2 show entitled 'Rhapsody over London', available July 24 and on demand until July 31. The thirty-seven date tour concluded on July 25 with 2 shows in Finland. On June 4, they opened the Platinum Party at the Palace with a three-song set outside Buckingham Palace, in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee.

It was announced in June that Lambert would appear in the Sophia Coppola produced film ''Fairyland'', that will debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2023. He returned to Las Vegas in October for the Halloween themed concert series "The Witch Hunt", consisting of three shows at the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas; five California dates were subsequently added to the mini tour that concluded with a livestreamed show at the Hollywood Palladium on October 30.In October, it was announced that Lambert would return to Warner Music Group with global representation on its UK based EastWest Records. Ahead of new music, his first single release on the label was a cover of Noel Coward's Mad About the Boy that will feature in a documentary about Coward arriving in 2023. Lambert debuted the track with an "amazing" live performance on BBC One's '' Strictly Come Dancing''.Also in October he performed two duets with Jennifer Hudson, including the aria Nessun dorma, on '' The Jennifer Hudson Show''.

In December, Lambert announced a new album slated for release on February 24th, 2023. "High Drama" is a genre-spanning collection of reimagined cover songs that he flips to embrace his own sensibilities. It arrived with the release of the video and song Ordinary world, called 'haunting' in its sound. The song debuted with a performance that "stunned" on the 2022 season finale of ''The Voice'' that Lambert dedicated to victims of the November shootings at the LGBTQ+ Club Q. Lambert will be a judge on ITV's Christmas special, ''Britain Get Singing'', a televised celebrity singing competition in support of mental health. He will perform on '' The National Lottery's Big Bash'', a televised end of year party special held at Ovo Arena Wembley on December 6.On December 17, he will perform on '' The Jonathan Ross Show'' 's Christmas episode.

Artistry

Voice

Critics, celebrities and colleagues have been outspoken in their praise for Lambert's vocal command. Kathie Bretches-Urban, co-founder of Metropolitan Educational Theatre Network (now MET2) where Lambert performed as a youth, said "He has invested his entire life in music and performing ... He'd just come out onstage, and it popped". Record producer Rob Cavallo once described Lambert as having an unlimited range and able to sing every note on a guitar from the lowest to the highest. In a March 2012 interview, rock artist Meat Loaf rated Lambert's voice in the company of only two others, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin, based on "that jet pack quality to their voice that just lets it take off."

In 2011, when he took the stage at the MTV Europe Music Awards, honoree Queen guitarist Brian May noted that Lambert's voice has "sensitivity, depth, maturity, and awesome range and power which will make jaws drop"; while Roger Taylor added that Lambert had "the best range I've ever heard" in a BBC
...