What Celebs Have Said About Adam Lambert
Even though he didn't win his season, there's no doubt Adam Lambert remains one of the biggest "American Idol" exports to date. He hit the scene in 2009 amid a cultural sea change, debuting his pop career the same year "Glee" premiered and Lady Gaga took "Poker Face" all the way to No. 1. Culture, it seemed, was finally ready for someone like Lambert: bold, brash, and unapologetically himself. However, he soon found out that wasn't necessarily the case, and although things were changing, people in the music industry were still nervous about an openly gay pop star. "A lot of people in the industry, even though they were excited for me and wanted to see me, they were full of doubt," he later told the BBC. "It was a very interesting time. If I look back at the headlines or the questions I was asked, you wouldn't dare do that today."
He is right. To re-examine Lambert's career is to look backward in time, to when public figures and the general public alike were comfortable expressing their opinions about gay entertainers in a way that they hopefully never would nowadays. On the flip side, there are a number of fellow artists who've long celebrated his artistry and his legacy — even when it seemed like the rest of the world was clutching their pearls. Here's what 12 celebs have had to say about the Queen frontman over the years.
Lady Gaga wrote a song that Adam Lambert recorded
The year was 2009. Barack Obama had just taken office, Adam Lambert took 2nd place on "American Idol," and Lady Gaga was pushing boundaries everywhere she went. That fall, as she was gearing up for the release of "The Fame Monster," Lambert's wild glam-rock antics caught Gaga's eye. They worked together on a song called "Fever," which Gaga had originally penned for herself but decided to let Lambert record instead.
The "Bad Romance" singer told KISS 106.1 (via MTV), "It's, like, a total hit, smash record, but for some reason, like, I couldn't get it right with me doing it, and I said, 'Gosh, it would be perfect for him.'" They hit the studio together, and Lambert wanted the track. "I played it for him and he's like, 'Oh my God, I love it,' and he went crazy, so we did it," Gaga said. "He's a funny guy, he's a good guy."
Only a year or so into her own career — but with multiple No. 1 hits already under her belt — Gaga also took the chance to offer Lambert some advice about what would be his first album. "It's Adam's time and it's his song and I want him to enjoy this moment in his life," she said. "You never debut again. You only get one time."
Brian May appreciates Adam Lambert's contribution to Queen
Back in 2009, when Adam Lambert was competing on "American Idol," the surviving members of Queen stopped by to perform with the glam rocker. Guitarist Brian May told Rolling Stone that they were considering inviting Lambert to be the band's new vocalist, stepping in for the late Freddie Mercury. "It's not like we, as Queen, would rush into coalescing with another singer just like that. It isn't that easy," May But I'd certainly like to work with Adam. That is one amazing instrument he has there."
It took a few years, but Queen and Adam Lambert did indeed coalesce beginning in 2012. They embarked on the "Queen + Adam Lambert Tour" that year, and they've toured regularly ever since. "I'm sure Adam would meet with Freddie's approval!" May said in a statement announcing the collaboration (via The Guardian).
In a 2023 interview on SiriusXM, looking back at more than a decade of collaboration, May marveled over the fact that they hadn't gone out searching for a new vocalist. "We didn't advertise. We didn't audition," he said. "He just turned up out of the blue, out of heaven somehow. And he had everything that we needed, plus more. It is truly incredible."
Melissa Etheridge complimented Adam Lambert's diva status
The American Music Awards in 2009 featured an incredible cast of performers. Lady Gaga performed, as did Janet Jackson, honoring her then-recently deceased brother Michael. The biggest headline, however, was Adam Lambert's performance of "For Your Entertainment," which included a moment where he kissed a guy. That was still scandalous in 2009; it led to more than a thousand complaints and even the threat of legal action from ABC, who carried the awards show. "They banned me for a while. They threatened me with a lawsuit," Lambert later said at the 2023 Creative Coalition Spotlight Initiative Gala (via Entertainment Weekly). "I'd been in a bubble in LA amongst artists, weirdos, and I didn't realize that that kind of thing would ruffle feathers the way it did."
Melissa Etheridge, on the other hand, loved it. "Don't you wanna see what his hair looks like? And just how much makeup he's gonna wear?" she gushed on the AMAs red carpet (via Rolling Stone). "Finally — finally! — we've got a real diva. I can say it."
Even as he faced homophobia from the public, Lambert also faced backlash from the queer community, including an editorial in Out Magazine that claimed he wasn't gay enough. Etheridge, who is openly gay too, had some thoughts. "I know how it is in this industry and in the world," she said. "When you're an out gay person, you take on a lot and you never ask for it."
Simon Cowell went easy on the former American Idol contestant years later
When Adam Lambert competed on "American Idol," notoriously harsh judge Simon Cowell wasn't always a fan. Though Lambert holds the distinction of being the only "Idol" contestant to get a standing ovation from Cowell, there was also one time where Cowell compared Lambert's rendition of "Born to Be Wild" to "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." (The flamboyant real-life rocker would later play flamboyant fictional rocker Eddie in Fox's "Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do The Time Warp Again.") Lambert told NME that before he competed on "Idol," Cowell wasn't exactly kind to contestants he presumed to be gay. "They were made fun of. Simon would make fun of them. That was the comic relief," he said. "'You couldn't possibly have a career as a recording artist; you're too effeminate.'"
Cowell came around, though, and these days he's a big fan of the "Whataya Want from Me" singer. When Lambert performed on the finale of "America's Got Talent: All Stars" in 2023, Cowell had nothing but nice things to say. "You are honestly one of the nicest people in show business I've ever met. You're such a star," he said. "I'm so proud of everything you've achieved."
Kris Allen beat Adam Lambert to the American Idol crown
Few contestants have ever generated more headlines while competing on "American Idol" than Adam Lambert did. Though he wasn't officially open about his sexuality until after the season ended, speculation ran rampant online, where people found photos of Lambert in drag and kissing a man. "I think I lost some fans at that point. But I always said to myself, 'Well, those aren't the fans I want anyway,'" Lambert later told Them. "If they think I'm gay, and they don't like that, then go away. That's who I am."
One fan who didn't abandon Lambert over his sexuality: Kris Allen, the man who beat him to the "Idol" crown that season. He spoke with People in the lead-up to Lambert's Rolling Stone cover story, telling the outlet, "I think he's happier that he can be himself and it's nice. "Adam is who he is and he's not afraid. I support him in whatever he does."
In a separate interview with People, Allen offered his thoughts on the choice that fans had in the "Idol" finale, between himself and Lambert. "Adam was the most consistent person all year, seriously one of the most gifted performers I've ever met," Allen gushed. "I think it could've gone either way, and America could not have got it wrong."
Gene Simmons thought Adam Lambert coming out was a mistake
One would think that Adam Lambert's love of leather, his full-throated, wailing vocals, and his theatrical performance style would make him a natural successor to the KISS throne. In fact, KISS teamed up with Lambert on "American Idol" in 2009 to sing a medley of the legendary band's hits.
Despite all that, lead singer Gene Simmons isn't a fan. In a Q&A on his website (via Entertainment Weekly), Simmons told a fan that he had no interest in helping Lambert set up a career in rock music. "Respectfully, I don't think Adam is a rock singer. He sounds much more convincing singing ballads, and Broadway shows. His voice doesn't seem to have a 'rock quality,'" Simmons said. "But, I'm sure he's going to do just fine."
A few months later, Simmons went even further. After Lambert officially came out as gay in Rolling Stone, Simmons told AOL that he thought Lambert had no future in showbiz. "I think he killed his career because now the conversation is not about his talent but about his sexual preference. He's done," Simmons said. "You're forcing people to deal with issues they may not be interested in." He went even further, offering Lambert some stark advice that we can't imagine he'd say today. "My advice is still the same, shut the f*** up, just sing," he said.
Clay Aiken was not a fan of Adam Lambert's voice
Before there was Adam Lambert, there was Clay Aiken. Like Lambert, Aiken wasn't openly gay when he competed on "American Idol." He came out in 2008 on the cover of People, posing alongside a headline that read, "Yes, I'm Gay." He had a message for his fans: "Know that I've never intended to lie to anybody at all."
The following year, when Lambert set the internet alight with his "Idol" antics, Aiken took to his blog to tell everyone he wasn't a fan. (Remember blogs? What a time to be alive.) According to Pride.com, which called the incident a "Gay Idol Feud," Aiken wrote, "I happened to turn it during the minute that Adam Lambert was singing 'Ring of Fire' and, at that moment, thought my ears would bleed. Contrived, awful, and slightly frightening!" Lambert's fans weren't happy, leading Aiken to write yet another blog post about the kerfuffle. "I hope no one actually believed that blood truly poured forth from my ears when I heard him," Aiken said. "I obviously meant it as a colorful statement to imply that I did not enjoy what I heard."
Years later, when Lambert appeared on "Watch What Happens Live" in 2012, Andy Cohen asked him to say three nice things about his "Idol" predecessor. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Lambert answered simply, "Can't think of any."
Perez Hilton loved his AMAs performance but didn't like his drunken antics
In the late 2000s, Perez Hilton could make or break a career. When he liked you, he'd cover you positively on his gossip blog. When he didn't like you, he could be vicious. Just ask Christina Aguilera. In his memoir "TMI: My Life In Scandal," Hilton revealed that he would write negative stories about the "Burlesque" star to please his then-bestie, Lady Gaga. "She never explicitly asked me to write nasty things about people, but by moaning to me she made me feel like I, her best friend, should do something about it," Hilton claimed.
After Adam Lambert's controversial AMAs performance in 2009, Hilton defended him. He told ABC News that Lambert could be more open now that "Idol" was over. "He doesn't have to play it safe to get votes and, at the end of the day, it's all working," Hilton said. "I applaud him for that performance. It was ballsy."
A few years later, however, Hilton spoke with Carson Daly (via CNN) and revealed that Lambert had acted up at Gaga's 2011 birthday party. "He showed up really drunk, actually, beyond drunk, like super sloppy, messy, embarrassingly drunk," Hilton alleged. "Gaga had like these little princess cakes with Disney characters on top. He got one of the toppers and attempted to like put it in her mouth. And we're like, 'What is going on?'" For the record, Hilton and Gaga would later feud.
Parson James recognized Adam Lambert as a pioneer in the queer community
In 2018, Variety got a bunch of queer entertainment professionals together for brunch. The guest list included stars like Troye Sivan and songwriter Justin Tranter in addition to Adam Lambert. Parson James, best known for his hit single "Stole the Show" with Kygo, also attended the event. He noted that he had been signed to a major label that had queer executives, but they wanted him to tamp down his identity in order to succeed in the industry.
James took the opportunity to shout out Lambert's trailblazing career, thanking him for being so open and visible during a time when queer entertainers were told to remain quiet. "There are pioneers here like Adam Lambert, who was just wholeheartedly himself and put his f***ing foot forward and didn't hold back. A lot of people bashed him for what he did, but to be honest, I think if people like him didn't come around when the conversations were so mum, then we couldn't have people like Troye or myself," he said.
Variety wrote that the attention seemed to make Lambert emotional, noting that he sat alone during part of the event and reminisced about those early, homophobia-filled years. He concluded, "I'm at a point in my career where I'm being true to who I am; I'm being authentic; I'm being myself and not making any apologies for it."
Adam Lambert is the first guy Tove Lo wrote songs for
Few pop stars are as gleefully provocative as Swedish singer Tove Lo, who has some song titles that are too risqué to include here. It makes sense, then, that she'd get along well with Adam Lambert, no stranger to pushing the envelope himself. The two linked up for a studio session back in 2014, for Lambert's album "The Original High." He told Billboard, "She's funny. She's normal. She's like a normal down-to-Earth girl. We went and we got dinner that night and we sat and we had like a couple glasses of wine and talked about dating and life and music." He added, "This is a really cool girl," perhaps inspiring the title of a single she dropped in 2016.
It seems that the feeling was mutual. The "Habits (Stay High)" singer told Digital Spy that they'd ultimately written a song for Lambert called "Rumors" together. "[Adam's] probably the first guy that I've successfully written something for," she said. In an interview with Billboard, she complimented his talent. "When you hear the fully produced stuff from the studio, that's one thing, but his voice is insane. I couldn't believe it."
Lil Nas X and Adam Lambert heaped praise on one another
With the release of "Trespassing" in 2012, Adam Lambert made history: As noted by Billboard, he was the first out gay man to debut an album at the top of the charts. Ahead of its release, he told the outlet, "I wanted it to reflect my social scene, not just what I knew my fans were going through. So I'm writing about my gay friends — you know, going out and getting laid."
Lil Nas X, on the other hand, ruled the Billboard hot 100 in 2019. With "Old Town Road," he logged not only the longest-running No. 1 by a queer artist, but the longest-running No. 1 overall. Though Lil Nas X was afraid of coming out and facing the backlash, he told BBC Breakfast that he was ready for it. "I don't want to live my entire life ... not doing what I want to do," he said.
Lambert and the "Call Me By Your Name" rapper have complimented one another several times. After Lil Nas X sparked controversy for kissing a man at the 2021 BET Awards, Lambert noted the similarity to his own AMAs backlash. "I thought it was hot. I mean, he's really giving it to us," Lambert told Billboard. Lil Nas X responded in kind, telling Heavy, "I really appreciate all the love that he's shown me and I definitely don't take it for granted. And I appreciate all the doors that him and people like him opened."
Kesha gave Adam Lambert a positive review after they made out
On "Sure Fire Winners," a track from his 2009 album "For Your Entertainment," Adam Lambert sang, "All the girls and the boys wanna know / How far this bad wild child's gonna go." A few years later, on her track "Die Young," Kesha sang, "Wild child's looking good / Livin' hard just like we should." Lambert and Kesha were two of pop's wildest children at the start of their careers — Kesha, after all, has a teeth collection — and it makes sense that they linked up and became friends.
In early 2010, the twosome had a whirlwind night out at a gay club in New York. "She's really pretty, we were laughing and we just started kissing," Lambert told BLI In The Morning (via JustJared). JustJared followed up to get some more details, asking Lambert and Kesha how the kiss was. "She tasted like Goldschläger and maple syrup," Lambert revealed, while Kesha added, "He tasted like blueberries and champagne."
They are apparently still friends, having posed together several times over the years. In 2016, after Kesha stopped by Lambert's tour, he shared a photo to Facebook and wrote, "I missed u darlin!" In 2024, both singers landed on the same lineup at West Hollywood Pride, probably signaling yet another wild night ahead for the bars of Santa Monica Boulevard.