Adam Lambert

Not to be confused with Adam Lamberg.

Adam Lambert
Adam Lambert at City Hall for Hope of Los Angeles Award 2013
Background information
Birth name	Adam Mitchel Lambert
Born	(1982-01-29) January 29, 1982 Indianapolis, Indiana
Origin	Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego
Genres	Pop, pop rock, dance, electronic
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter, actor
Instrument	Vocals
Years active	2009–present
Labels	19, RCA (2009-2013)
Website	adamofficial.com

Adam Mitchel Lambert (born January 29, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter and stage actor. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana and raised in San Diego, California, he performed in amateur theatrical productions as a child, a path he pursued into adulthood, appearing in professional productions in the U.S. and abroad. In 2009, Lambert came to prominence after becoming the runner-up on the eighth season of American Idol. After signing with 19 Entertainment in a joint venture with RCA Records, he released his debut studio album For Your Entertainment in 2009; it debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 with 198,000 copies in first-week sales, and reached the top 10 in several countries. Its singles "For Your Entertainment", "Whataya Want from Me" and "If I Had You" also became international successes. Soon after the album release, he headlined a worldwide concert tour, Glam Nation, the first American Idol contestant to do so in the year following his Idol season. The tour was followed by two live releases: an extended play entitled Acoustic Live! (2010), and a live CD/DVD Glam Nation Live (2011), which debuted at number one on the SoundScan Music Video chart. Lambert took executive producer credit and was a principal writer on his second studio album, Trespassing, released in May 2012, to critical acclaim. Trespassing made its debut in the number one spot on the Billboard 200 album chart, also topping the Billboard Digital Albums Chart and Canada's Digital Albums Chart. Lambert made music history as the first openly gay artist to achieve this top charting position.

Citing influence from various artists and genres, Lambert has a flamboyant, theatrical and androgynous performance style, and a powerful, technically skilled tenor voice with multi-octave range. His showmanship and commanding presence in live shows have also become part of his signature. He has received numerous awards and nominations, including a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 2011 and an Honorary GLAAD Media Award in 2013. By April 2012 his first album had sold nearly two million copies worldwide and 4.2 million singles worldwide as of January 2011. The Times identified Lambert as the first openly gay mainstream pop artist to launch a career on a major label in the U.S.

Biography

Early life

Lambert was born in Indianapolis on January 29, 1982, to mother Leila, an interior designer; and father Eber Lambert, a program manager for Novatel Wireless. He has a younger brother, Neil. His father is of mostly Norwegian descent and his mother is Jewish. Lambert was raised in his mother's religion and has performed songs in Hebrew, such as "Shir LaShalom" and "The Prayer" at a 2005 tribute concert to assassinated Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, as well as at the San Diego Temple of the Arts. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to San Diego, California, settling in Rancho Peñasquitos. Lambert began performing with Metropolitan Educational Theatre network (now MET2) from the age of nine, and appeared in local productions of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and Fiddler on the Roof, among others. 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 in 2000, he attended California State University, Fullerton, 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."

2001–08: Career beginnings

At 19, Lambert landed 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: "That was a huge turning point for me personally, because I finally got comfortable in my own skin. I was discovering a lot about myself. Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, a lot of it". 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. Lambert, still unknown, was one of the few facets of the production to garner a positive review. 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. Beginning in 2004, he regularly performed at the Upright Cabaret and the Zodiac Show, which was co-created by Carmit Bachar of the Pussycat Dolls.

During this same period, Lambert briefly fronted underground rock band The Citizen Vein with Steve Sidelnyk, Tommy Victor and Monte Pittman. He recalled, "We did three gigs and that was it and we recorded a couple things, like rough recordings, and I don't know, it didn't quite click". He also worked as a demo singer and a session musician; a compilation of his 2005 recordings were later released on the album Take One (2009) by Hi Fi Recordings and Wilshire Records. Upon its release, Lambert issued a statement: "Back in 2005 when I was a struggling artist, I was hired as a studio singer to lend my vocals to tracks written by someone else. I was broke at the time and this was my chance to make a few bucks, so I jumped at the opportunity to record for my first time in a professional studio. The work I did back then in no way reflects the music I am currently in the studio working on."

2009: American Idol

Main articles: American Idol (season 8) and For Your Entertainment (album)

Lambert singing the national anthem during his visit to MCAS Miramar (2009)

Lambert auditioned for the eighth season of American Idol in San Francisco, California. His decision came after a week at Burning Man: "I had a psychedelic experience where I looked up at the clouds and went, 'Oh!' I realized that we all have our own power, and that whatever I wanted to do, I had to make happen". Lambert sang "Rock With You" and "Bohemian Rhapsody" for his initial audition. Advancing to Hollywood week, he performed "What's Up" and "Believe" solo, and "Some Kind of Wonderful" in the group effort. Lambert was a hit with judges. 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", after which he was voted into the top 13.

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". While Randy Jackson, DioGuardi, and Paula Abdul all liked the performance, Cowell called it "indulgent rubbish". 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 and the original singer-songwriter. Advancing to the top 8, he sang the 2001 Michael Andrews and Gary Jules arrangement of "Mad World". Because the show had 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" and Abdul was reduced to tears. Cowell named his rendition of Led Zeppelin’s "Whole Lotta Love" “one of my favorite performances", admitting that "nobody can top that now". He followed it by "nailing" his duet of "Slow Ride" with Allison Iraheta. 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". He also visited his hometown and reprised his earlier successes of "Black or White" and "Mad World" at his alma mater, Mount Carmel High School. Afterwards, San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders declared May 8, 2009, "Adam Lambert Day".

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. Abdul predicted, "Whatever happens with this Idol journey, I know you're going to be iconic". 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". Alongside the solo performances, Lambert also sang a medley of "Beth", "Detroit Rock City", and "Rock and Roll All Nite" with rock band Kiss; and joined with Kris Allen, Brian May and Roger Taylor (of Queen) to perform the anthem "We Are the Champions" during the finale. Lambert was announced as the runner-up for the eighth season of American Idol. Upon winning, 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 LA Times later ranked Lambert 5th in its list of the top 120 American Idol contestants, selected from seasons 1 to 9 of the show, above Allen.

Photos of Lambert kissing another man surfaced during the American Idol competition. Highlighted as controversial, they were displayed by conservative commentators on The O'Reilly Factor, who called them "embarrassing", but did not agree that the images would impact the competition. Lambert confirmed that the photos were of him, stating he had nothing to hide and had always been open about his life. Mainstream media speculated on his sexuality and the readiness of American Idol voters for an openly gay winner. Asked by Rolling Stone whether the buzz surrounding his sexual orientation impacted the final vote, Lambert laughed and said "probably". He confirmed that he was gay in a Rolling Stone cover interview shortly after he was named runner-up.

In that same interview, two days after the finale, Idol franchise creator Simon Fuller, stated: "He's like Marc Bolan meets Bowie, with a touch of Freddie Mercury and the sexiness of Prince".

Performances and results

Week #	Theme	Song choice	Original artist
Audition	Auditioner's Choice	"Rock with You" "Bohemian Rhapsody"	Michael Jackson Queen
Hollywood	First Solo	"What's Up"	4 Non Blondes
Hollywood	Group Performance	"Some Kind of Wonderful"	Soul Brothers Six
Hollywood	Second Solo	"Believe"	Cher
Top 36/Semi-Final 2	Billboard Hot 100 Hits to Date	"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"	The Rolling Stones
Top 13	Michael Jackson	"Black or White"	Michael Jackson
Top 11	Grand Ole Opry	"Ring of Fire"	Anita Carter
Top 10	Motown	"The Tracks of My Tears"	The Miracles
Top 9	Top Downloads	"Play That Funky Music"	Wild Cherry
Top 8	Year They Were Born (1982)	"Mad World"	Tears for Fears
Top 7	Songs from the Cinema	"Born to Be Wild" – Easy Rider	Steppenwolf
Top 71	Disco	"If I Can't Have You"	Yvonne Elliman
Top 5	Rat Pack Standards	"Feeling Good"	Cy Grant
Top 4	Rock and Roll Solo Duet	"Whole Lotta Love" "Slow Ride" with Allison Iraheta	Led Zeppelin Foghat
Top 3	Judge's Choice (Simon Cowell) Contestant's Choice	"One" "Cryin'"	U2 Aerosmith
Top 2	Contestant's Choice Simon Fuller's Choice Coronation Song	"Mad World" "A Change Is Gonna Come" "No Boundaries"	Tears for Fears Sam Cooke Kris Allen/Adam Lambert

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

Fresh from the competition, Lambert performed "Mad World" on CBS' The Early Show, and the next morning on Live with Regis and Kelly. He was featured on ABC News' 20/20 in June, and began the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009 in July. He performed Muse's "Starlight" on Good Morning America's televised concert series in Central Park in August, and that summer was also the recipient of two 2009 awards: the Young Hollywood Award for Artist of the Year and the Teen Choice Award for Male Reality/Variety Star. Lambert appeared on Larry King Live and stated that he planned to create a pop rock, multi-genre album fused with electronic production and stuck to those intentions in his debut.

2009–11: For Your Entertainment and touring

Lambert at the 16th Screen Actors Guild Awards (2010)

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; and writers who included Matthew Bellamy, Ryan Tedder, Rivers Cuomo, Justin Hawkins, P!nk, Linda Perry and Lady Gaga. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, 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 -- [it] seems 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. Queen guitarist Brian May lauded the "truly sensational" song, stating that he was "completely blown away" upon hearing it. As of April 2012, For Your Entertainment had 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, 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 cancelled Lambert's November 25 performance on Good Morning America. Instead, CBS invited him to perform on The Early Show, on the same date. 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. In his Details shoot he was photographed with a nude woman, sparking controversy. 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's 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 appeared on the cover of Japan's May 2010 Rolling Stone, after his single "For Your Entertainment" reached its fifth consecutive number-one spot on their radio airplay charts. He was chosen for Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009, and interviewed on the December 10 show.

In support of the album, Lambert appeared on programs and at events, in the US and abroad. 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, and The Jay Leno Show. Other appearances included The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The View, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. In December, he hosted and performed at radio-sponsored Jingle Balls in New York, Miami and Tampa; and headlined the Gridlock New Year's Eve 2010 festival at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, benefitting the American Red Cross. In February, AOL Music showcased Lambert in a five-song mini-concert on AOL Sessions. He did another intimate acoustic set for IHeartRadio, and performed his first official solo concert, which sold-out, at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California. In March, he was chosen to inaugurate the resurrected award-winning VH1 Unplugged concert series.

In April 2010, Lambert returned to American Idol as the first former contestant to mentor during an Elvis Presley themed week, where his contributions were praised and 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 concert tour Glam Nation, playing throughout the United States before continuing on through Europe and Asia. His October concert in Malaysia proceeded as planned, despite protests from an Islamist political party. In total, he performed 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 (EP), 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 January 2011, Lambert signed a worldwide music administration deal with Kobalt Music Group, a global independent music publishing company.

Lambert was profiled in an hour-long documentary for VH1's Behind the Music series, premiering August 2011. More interviews followed that fall, on E! True Hollywood Story and CNN Talk Asia. He 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 lead singer at the MTV Europe Music Awards held in Belfast, where the band was honored with the Global Icon Award. In a "spectacular" performance that closed the show, they performed a medley of the classic hits “The Show Must Go On”, "We Will Rock You", and "We Are the Champions". In December, Roger Taylor stated they were in talks with Lambert about fronting more live shows, calling the artist "a really great performer with an astonishing voice".

2012–13: Trespassing

After changing management from 19 Entertainment to Direct Management Group in August 2011, Lambert announced that his highly anticipated second studio album, Trespassing, would be released on March 20, 2012; and that he would serve as executive producer. Delaying the release for additional material, Lambert announced in late March that it would drop on May 15, 2012. The title track 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. Its debut live performance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno received strong positive reviews, focusing on Lambert's vocals and more stripped down, sophisticated look. Its reprise on The Ellen DeGeneres Show brought equally favorable reviews. The album cover art by Lee Cherry is a dramatic departure from his depiction on 2009's For Your Entertainment, signaling a new direction.

It was announced in February that Lambert would join Queen to headline the UK's Sonisphere Festival in July. Discussing the collaboration, Brian May remarked that he expected Lambert to be a "great interpreter" of Mercury's songs. Subsequently, the Sonisphere Knebworth festival was cancelled due to logistics and "circumstances". Days later, Roger Taylor revealed that Queen and Lambert would perform in Moscow; later announcing the addition of two shows in London, and one in Kiev that would also feature Elton John as a headliner. In late April, a fifth concert was added in Wrocław, headlining a new rock festival. Queen announced the addition of a third London show, as a result of the instantaneous sell-out of the first two London dates.

The final version of the Queen + Adam Lambert collaboration began with a two-hour extravaganza under the auspices of the UEFA in Kiev on June 30, the eve of the Euro 2012 Football Championship. Viewed live by hundreds of thousands of fans 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. The Olympic Stadium concert in Moscow took place on July 3, while the Poland event in Municipal Stadium proceeded on schedule on July 7. Because of Queen's status in the UK and pairing with the newcomer, London's three dates (July 11,12,14) at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo were heavily reviewed. Almost uniformly, the concerts noted Lambert's vocal command, his "sizzle" and "electrifying" presence; along with the synergy of the collaboration, which Brian May called "organic."

Lambert performing on tour in Kiev, Ukraine March 2013

Trespassing was released on May 15, 2012, following more than a week of news stories and positive reviews. Lambert tweeted at finding that the album had spent its first day at the top of the U.S. iTunes album chart. On May 23, the album debuted in the number one position on the Billboard 200 chart, selling close to 78,000 copies. Lambert again took to Twitter, citing the historic significance of being the first openly gay artist to reach this pinnacle, and acknowledging the help of fans. In the UK the album debuted at number three in the 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. It debuted on national television on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on April 27, again with good reviews. He appeared on Good Morning America on May 14, performed the new single and co-hosted the Pop News.

Lambert returned to American Idol for his third consecutive year on the results show that preceded Idol's final week. The May 17 performance 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, Japan and Australia, appearing in festivals, on radio and television, and in concert. Highlights of the promotional tour included an appearance on the UK's The Graham Norton Show, one of several headlining spots at Summer Sonic Festival 2012 in Tokyo and Osaka; and an acoustic performance at Sydney's Top 40 Lounge, where his cover of Bob Marley's "Is This Love" was described as "stunning" and "incredible". In September, he appeared on the finale of The Voice of China, the country's most popular program, viewed by 520 million people. The only Westerner invited to perform, he sang a duet of "Whataya Want from Me" with a contestant, and also performed the song "Trespassing". Lambert was the first Western artist to appear on the show and became the first American Idol to stage a solo concert in Mainland China when he returned in March 2013.

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, which aired on ABC Family. The episode was the number one "most social" program of the day, and the highest rated episode in the fourteen-year run of Halloween themed telecasts by ABC Family, giving the cable network a big ratings success for the night.

In November, Trespassing was named on iTunes's list of the "Best Pop Albums of 2012," coming in at number nine.

Lambert appeared for the first time in South Africa in November, headlining arena concerts in Cape Town and Johannesburg. The shows drew media attention, anchored by his cover of "Are You Gonna Go My Way". 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 to perform at the 2012 Mnet Asian Music Awards (2012 MAMA), which aired in 85 countries, targeting an audience of more than 2.3 billion. He was lauded for his powerful vocals, and command of both stage and fashion. Lambert had earlier appeared in Guangzhou, performing for a private Mercedes-Benz event; and then returned to Shanghai for the "Hennessy Artistry" concert series, and a televised interview with CCTV, China's predominant state broadcasting system.

In December, he hosted and performed at the 2012 VH1 Divas concert, a live broadcast featuring a dance music theme, with special tributes to Donna Summer and Whitney Houston. He sang with Keri Hilson and Kelly Rowland, opened the show with David Bowie's Let's Dance, and performed Madonna's hit Ray of Light, drawing praise for his sketches, fashion and performances. The concert benefited VH1's Save The Music Foundation, a non-profit that supports music education in public schools.

The album Trespassing was rewarded in year end lists and polls, among them best album of the year at Rolling Stone and Ryan Seacrest.com, where Lambert was also voted "Male Artist of the Year"; 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. At VH1, two of the album's singles appeared on its list of 40 most watched videos, at numbers 4 and 36; and Queen + Adam Lambert was named best live act of 2012 at Gigwise, and one of Classic Rock magazine's top events of the year.

In January 2013, it was reported that Lambert would be leaving 19 Recordings, where his contract had expired, but remain with RCA Records. It was also announced that work would begin on the direction of a third studio album.

On January 31, Lambert performed a "smash set" at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City as part of the We Are Family Foundation charity gala, at which he was also honored with the Unity Award. It was the first time the song "Shady" was performed with Sam Sparro and Nile Rodgers, with whom Lambert had co-written and recorded the Trespassing track.

Adam Lambert Helsinki, Finland 3 22 13

Lambert kicked off the newly dubbed "We Are Glamily Tour", with seventeen stops throughout Asia and Europe, on February 17 in Seoul. The sold-out show was heavily reviewed, with a focus on his cover of Rihanna's song "Stay", which was called "flawless", "incredible" and better than the original. About the same time, he was named an official spokesperson for the Chinese release of the Trion video game Rift published by Shanda. 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. His arrival in Singapore for a March 8 show was preceded by a week of controversy surrounding complaints that it promoted the "gay lifestyle", and was given an "Advisory of 16 and above" by the Media Development Authority. Lambert addressed the issue in his concert, stating: "The only lifestyle I am promoting is one of love and friendship, music, joy and fashion. So whoever wants to be part of that lifestyle, yeah, we accept anybody". The concert was well reviewed, with the vocals called "breathtaking", and the show "a magical performance of lights sound and colour".

While still in Belarus for a March 15 debut, Lambert again became the subject of controversy in advance of his Russian concerts. Anti-homosexual laws and rhetoric challenged courts to raise the legal age to 18 for entry to his St. Petersburg show. An official security alert was issued to US citizens planning to attend, due to "information regarding a threat of physical violence against spectators and performers", but the concert proceeded on schedule. The tour wrapped on March 22 with a sold out arena show in Helsinki.

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. Organized by CCTV, the 2013 event marked an expansion of its previous format in order to become more international and influential in the global music community. It was estimated that the broadcast and webcast reached a worldwide audience of 2 billion. Lambert returned to Shanghai a few days later, recording a segment for Dragon TV's the 80's TalkShow that included a performance of "Pop That Lock" from Trespassing; as well as recording "Mad World" and other footage for the opening ceremony of Chinese Idol, which debuted on Dragon TV in prime time on May 19. Lambert also appeared as a guest judge during auditions.

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 rendition named the show's "top moment" by The Hollywood Reporter.

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. Post release, it was an early favorite among critics. Hinting at further collaborations, Avicii called Lambert a "great writer" with a voice that's "just insane!".

Lambert and Queen made their first live concert appearance in the US, closing the night on September 20, at the 2013 iHeartRadio Music Festival at the MGM Grand Arena, located on the Las Vegas Strip. The festival was a two-day event that featured a roster of superstar artists, representing diverse musical genres. 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[ing] the audience". Billboard was equally laudatory, remarking on the "magnetic power" of the vocals, adding that Lambert "oozed charisma". The festival was broadcast live on Clear Channel radio stations in 150 US markets; and later aired, excerpted, as a two-night, primetime television special.

Following the July announcement by Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy, Lambert made his debut on the fifth season of the Fox TV series on November 7, playing the role of Elliot "Starchild" Gilbert in what will be a multi-episode arc centered in the show's NYC storyline. His rendition of Lady Gaga's "Marry the Night" was released prior to air date, garnering publicity and positive reviews. The episode, "A Katy or a Gaga", arrived after a brief hiatus and a tribute to the death of actor Cory Monteith. 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. The Huading Awards are part of China's expansion into the live entertainment space, with a focus on film, television, music and sports. 2013 came to a close with a series of concerts, most notable for Lambert's debut live performance of "Lay Me Down" at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (Biloxi); and his attention-grabbing debut cover of the Jimi Hendrix blues classic "Red House" on New Year's Eve at Oklahoma's WinStar World Casino.Though the year did not see a new album release, Lambert nevertheless tied at number three on Forbes annual list of top earning American Idols, due to his live performances and other endeavors.

2014: Third album and Queen + Adam Lambert tour

Lambert made three television appearances in February 2014 beginning with his fifth consecutive return to American Idol, where he was a guest mentor during Randy Jackson's two-night "Boot Camp" workshop. The following week, he was a guest judge on the season 6 premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race, a reality show on Logo TV. Glee returned for its Spring Premiere on February 25 with the episode "Frenemies", featuring Lambert in a much anticipated, "epic" performance of The Darkness's "I Believe in a Thing Called Love". In the following week's Trio, he featured in four songs, earning top honors for his cover of Heart's classic "Barracuda". On April 1, he made his final appearance of season 5 in New New York, with strong reviews for his performance of A Great Big World's "Rockstar" - and his return to the series left unresolved.

Lambert along with Roger Taylor and Brian May of Queen announced on March 6 that they would be staging their first official tour throughout North America, with 19 dates, kicking off on June 19 in Chicago, and ending on July 20. Their announcement, which came first to Good Morning America followed by a press conference at Madison Square Garden and a string of other interviews, elaborated on the natural fit of Queen's music with Lambert's vocal style and excellence - as well as their mutual respect for live, in the moment performances that are "a little dangerous", with the capacity to create something new. On March 15, Lambert announced that the Madison Square Garden show had sold out, a day after tickets went on sale. On the 24th, it was reported that five shows had been added due to "overwhelming demand", bringing the now 24 date tour to a wrap on July 28 in Toronto. The tour went international when headlining spots were announced at Korea's Super Sonic 2014 festival, to be held August 14 and 15 in Seoul; and Japan's Summer Sonic Festival in Tokyo and Osaka, August 16 and 17. Lambert continues to work on new music, currently collaborating with Max Martin and a collection of writers and producers in Sweden, with a third studio album expected by year's end.

On May 27 a compilation album entitled The Very Best of Adam Lambert will be released by Sony Legacy's Playlist series, featuring hits and other recordings from Lambert's two studio albums as well as studio recordings from both American Idol and Glee.

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". In a 2009 Associated Press interview, Wicked casting director Bernard Telsey, recalled Lambert's audition and his "amazing" voice: "I literally remember saying, 'Oh my God, this guy has the highest range’.” 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. David Stroud, a Los Angeles based vocal teacher, coached Lambert for his 2010 international Glam Nation Tour, in which he performed 113 shows without vocal rest. Stroud described Lambert as being able to "do extreme things with his voice that most singers will probably never be able to do . . . I will vocalize him to G above high C. He has climax notes at E's above high C, so I need to give him that extra range.” 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 alongside honoree Queen, it was a fitting match for Lambert, whose style and vocals have often been compared with Freddie Mercury's. Brian May, guitarist for Queen, 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 interview in 2012. Pharrell Williams, after collaborating with Lambert on his Trespassing album, commented, “This kid has a voice like a siren – there’s no guys singing in that Steve Winwood-Peter Cetera range.”

Lambert is considered an effortlessly agile singer, and his expert technique allows his voice to sound limitless. His upper ranges are particularly strong and brilliant, but he displays excellent control, dynamics and support throughout his entire vocal range. Head and chest registers are sufficiently well integrated so that there are no audible breaks in the passaggio; and breath control allows him to sustain notes and phrases without wavering. Lambert's vocal skill has been discussed, dissected and also used for instructional purposes.

In October 2012, British tabloid the Sunday Mirror reported that Lambert had insured his voice for $48 million. A source told the newspaper: "Insurance for stars is a big deal in the US and Adam's voice is his bacon." In September 2013, Lambert topped Yahoo! Voices's list of top ten pop singers, stating: "Lambert's vocal ability has no limits and when he takes off, it's as if a rocket has been launched. Lambert is clearly the best popular music singer the world has ever heard since Freddie Mercury".

Style and image

Lambert is best known for his theatrical performance style and meticulous attention to detail in all aspects of his personal presentation. He draws upon extensive stage experience in the ease with which he can refine and define his image through fashion and other imagery, which are essential to how he chooses to inhabit his songs, rivet his audiences and showcase his individuality. While a contestant on Idol, Lambert's precise yet varied stagings of himself kept audiences and judges glued as much to his presentation as to his vocal talent. His signature flamboyance and glam rock styling was a break-out moment in men's fashion, duly noted by fashion publications and taste-makers, who compared him to Lady Gaga in terms of crossing style boundaries and being unabashedly individual.

Lambert made three fashion related TV appearances at the close of 2010, reflecting his growing visibility and association with fashion as a means of creative expression. He fused his passion for music and fashion on MTV's "Talk@Playground", appearing in discussion with Skingraft designer Jonny Cota. He was a guest judge on Project Runway, in an episode that styled a rock band for their upcoming Rolling Stone cover. Fast becoming a fashion icon himself, he was the subject for whom the young designers of "All on the Line with Joe Zee" created a modern look, which he then critiqued along with the show's hosts. In 2012, Idol added an image advisor, Tommy Hilfiger, to its roster of mentors, underscoring the importance of developing a unique vision and performance identity for contestants. Hilfiger suggested it was image makers with talent that would ultimately succeed in the entertainment world and specifically mentioned Lambert, stating: "I think Adam Lambert has incredible imagery. And I think he got it."

Lambert continued to grace the covers of magazines, moving more specifically into the fashion and culture space. In the cover story for his highly stylized 2012 "Fault" Magazine shoot, he stated, "Now I feel like embracing contemporary menswear. I take note of collections and editorials and try and incorporate them into my wardrobe whenever possible". Reflecting the mood and concept behind his album Trespassing, the "Fault" fashion shoot exemplified Lambert's commitment to aligning the elements of his artistic vision so that a cohesive narrative emerges.His versatility and fierce stylistic choices are regularly the focus of commentary, as he continues to break new ground in the use of imagery and style to extend his performances, celebrity and influence. That effect was on display in the heavy media coverage he received during New York Fashion Week 2012, which he concluded with a guest appearance on E!'s Fashion Police.

When Lambert appeared on the December 2012 cover of London-based high style magazine "Fiasco"'s "Obsession" issue, he again took the opportunity to manipulate and provoke with his image and style. Sporting a sophisticated, minimalist look that recalled old Hollywood, Lambert presented with no make-up and silver-grey hair sleekly parted on the side. With this pared down departure from his signature glam aesthetic, Lambert played with male stereotypes and representations; and in the interview, emphasized that his fashion and presentation are often disparate from gay as well as straight regimes: "For the general audience, they look at the way I style myself and they go, 'Errrr, that's gay,' but you ask a handful of gay guys and they're like, 'I would never wear that!'".

Lambert was chosen along with a group of other celebrities to be photographed for the book Shades of Elvis, by photographer Christopher Ameruoso and Priscilla Presley. Released March 2014, the tribute book used a themed shoot to capture images that might represent and honor Elvis Presley.

Influences

Lambert was inspired when his father gave him access to his large record collection of 1970s music. He was attracted to theatrical rock from artists like Madonna, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Queen, Aerosmith, and Led Zeppelin. Lambert referred to Michael Jackson and Madonna as “King and Queen” because they creatively merged music with makeup, fashion and cinematic video. Among his strongest influences are British singers such as Freddie Mercury, David Bowie and Robert Plant: “Those are the people I really gravitate towards". When asked his favorite performer of the glam rock era, Lambert stated David Bowie: “he took costumes and story concepts for his Ziggy Stardust character to the next level. His music is amazing, and his lyrics are really intelligent". In an NPR interview, Lambert revealed spending hours listening to Queen, trying to decipher Freddie Mercury's vocals: “His voice has so much texture to it, he kind of grabs at everything and squeezes it". Stating Mercury was “completely over the top in the best possible way,” he acknowledged, as an openly gay artist, "a debt to Mercury's flamboyance decades ago".

In March 2013, Lambert wrote an article for Out magazine's tribute to David Bowie, who was about to release a new album. In it, he explained how Bowie helped inform the expression of his own sexuality and gender in his work: "A light bulb went off—I wasn’t into drag, I didn’t want to dress like a woman, but I wanted to express my gender and artistic identity differently than the mainstream. Bowie was a key inspiration. It was about the androgyny of mixing it up, and that was what was so incredible about his concepts -- he was one of the first rock stars to really push the idea that sexuality was not black and white but an exploration".

Lambert’s own music has been influenced by numerous genres including classic rock, pop, and electronic music; and his performance style draws heavily from his stage experience. Lambert envisions himself as the type of artist “that creates from the ground up, not only an amazing song, but one with a beat, and a story, and a look, and a theme". For his second album, he used inspiration from classic disco, 1990s electronica, funk and dubstep music.

Philanthropy

Since his appearance on American Idol, Lambert has lent considerable support and time to charitable causes. As of October 2011, financial donations had reached the $1,000,000 mark.

In January 2009, in lieu of gifts for his 28th birthday, Lambert asked fans to donate to DonorsChoose.org, an online charity in which individuals contribute directly to public school projects. Support was focused on music and arts programs, as 2,435 fans donated $322,700. In June 2010, Lambert teamed with the charity again for his "Glam A Classroom" campaign, raising another $208,590, supported by 3,020 fans. In October 2010, he collaborated on a second Signature Collection design with The Pennyroyal Studio, which sold out after raising an additional $43,092 for DonorsChoose.

Lambert contributed to the MusiCares charity when he and The Pennyroyal Studio collaborated on the design of an Eye of Horus pendant, whose sale raised $32,000 in 7 days.

In January 2011, he began a campaign to raise $29,000 for charity: water to commemorate his 29th birthday. Funds raised by the charity go towards bringing clean drinking water to people in developing nations. Fans surpassed the goal in less than five hours; and on Lambert's birthday, more than $115,000 was pledged, breaking the record for dollars raised in a single day. In total, the campaign raised $323,803, which helped 16,190 people receive clean water. He continued his efforts for his 30th birthday, in January 2012, this time asking fans to "give up" their birthdays in an ongoing drive that had raised $82,000 by May 2012. In June 2013, an accounting by charity:water listed 55 projects thus far completed with funds raised by Lambert.

Lambert returned to the American Idol stage for the March 10, 2011, results show, singing an acoustic version of his For Your Entertainment track "Aftermath". After the performance, a dance remix version was made available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting The Trevor Project.

Lambert was one of several artists who performed at a Royal Albert Hall concert on June 7, 2012 benefiting the Rays Of Sunshine Children's Charity, which grants wishes to seriously ill children.

On June 30, Elton John and Queen + Adam Lambert coordinated with the Olena Pinchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation for a concert to benefit the fight against HIV/AIDS. The event, which was UEFA supported and took place in Kiev on the eve of the Euro 2012 football final, was televised live from a packed Independence Square.

On September 25, 2012, Lambert headlined a fundraising benefit in Washington, D.C. on behalf of Marylanders for Marriage Equality, the group leading the campaign for a November 2012 ballot measure to uphold gay marriage, which Lambert views as a non-partisan, human rights issue.

On January 31, 2013 he received the Unity Award, which honors artists whose music spreads "peaceful messages," from the We Are Family Foundation at their 2012 Celebration Gala 2.0. Founded by Nile Rodgers, the organization is a non-profit which seeks to promote global initiatives and cultural diversity through its outreach programs, many of which are aimed at facilitating youth leaders from around the world. Lambert's announcement that he would "donate" his 31st birthday to the charity raised more than $82,000 in just over a week. For his 32nd birthday, he chose the charity again, coordinating with artist Chris Saunders on the creation of limited and open edition prints and posters whose sales, as well as contributions to a birthday yearbook, will benefit the foundation.

On May 25, Lambert was a participant in the opening ceremony of 2013 Life Ball in Vienna, an elaborate event that is one of the largest HIV/AIDS fundraisers in the world. Appearing as Ali Baba, he performed the gala's official song, "Love Wins Over Glamour", which he co-wrote with the Vienna based production team Beat4Feet.

On June 23, he sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" to open Broadway Bares, an annual performance presented by the theater community to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The latter is one of the leading industry based organizations in the US fighting HIV/AIDS. Held at Manhattan's Roseland Ballroom, Broadway Bares 23 raised a record breaking $1.43 million.

Lambert was a featured performer at the August 19th Dance Party event in Riverhead, Long Island, produced by Nile Rodgers, benefiting All For The East End (AFTEE), a non-profit which seeks to raise awareness and funds for not-for profit organizations that support the East End.

On November 2, he was the musical entertainer for South Florida's Make-A-Wish Foundation Ball, held at the InterContinental Miami. The annual event had raised more than 12 million dollars and granted the wishes of thousands of children with life threatening illnesses. Lambert had granted wishes as a supporter of the organization previously. The sold-out 2013 Ball raised a record breaking 2 million dollars.

LGBT advocacy and social activism

Lambert at the 21st GLAAD Media Awards (2010)

Lambert, one of the first artists to bring an uncensored gay perspective to American mainstream pop, has contributed to the advancement of equality and social acceptance in the LGBT community. He should also be seen as a contributor to social justice, a concept based upon egalitarian social principles and the propagation of equality via social activism. Lambert stated, "I feel like with celebrity and visibility and fame, there's a responsibility to try to give back and try to use the visibility for the greater good. It's not all about me. It's about trying to raise awareness and getting people to take action." His heavily provocative AMA performance, featuring a gay kiss on live television, served to push societal boundaries by highlighting a double standard of ethics in media regulation as well.

Lambert was presented the "Equality Idol Award" by Sam Sparro at the Equality California Los Angeles Equality Awards in August 2011 for being an exemplary role model for the LGBT community. He was honored with his mother the following month at the PFLAG National Los Angeles event for his "authentic" voice. They were presented awards which together interlocked to compose the PFLAG logo, symbolizing support by and for families and friends of LGBT individuals.

Lambert received a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Music Artist in 2010. The same year, he lent his voice to a one-and-a-half minute video message on YouTube for the It Gets Better campaign – a project created by columnist Dan Savage in response to school bullying and a rash of suicides among LGBT youth.

The following March, he released a Billboard remix version of his For Your Entertainment song "Aftermath" with a portion of the proceeds going to support The Trevor Project, the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBT youth. He raised an additional $43,500 for The Trevor Project after collaborating with The Pennyroyal Studio to make his own Peace pendant. In October 2011, donations on behalf of the Adam Lambert Glambert Fan Army for the MTV Dance Party Marathon raised funds to combat bullying in honor of National Bullying Prevention Month and were split between the LGBT charities GLSEN, It Gets Better Project, GSA, HRC, The Trevor Project and GLAAD. Lambert was a participant in Spirit Day, a movement begun in 2010 to honor LGBT lives lost to suicide, "going purple" in the push to support LGBT youth in the fight against bullying.

Lambert performed in the December 8 "Cyndi Lauper & Friends: Home for the Holidays" benefit concert, which raised funds in support of the "True Colors Fund" and the organization's "Forty to None Project", targeting the epidemic of homelessness among LGBT youth.

In January 2012, in an exclusive interview with UK music news magazine Pressparty, Lambert noted that despite social progress in the US, there was still a long way to go, particularly in the music industry: “I still long for the LGBT community's diversity to be more broadly represented in the entertainment industry. I think larger strides have been made in film and TV but we still are just at the beginning with mainstream music. I consider myself a post-gay man working in a pre-gay industry."

In interviews surrounding his September 2012 benefit performance in support of Maryland's same-sex marriage referendum, he moved closer to accepting a more proactive role in the LGBT community, where previously he had expressed reluctance to be cast as a role model, political or otherwise. Stating that marriage equality was a cause he would work towards, Lambert spoke on a range of topics, including his belief that fear motivates much of the opposition to same-sex marriage; and that unequal treatment under the law is complicit in the burden of "shame and guilt and secrecy" that attaches to the community, particularly its youth.

Lambert was the headline performer at the Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade and Festival on April 14, 2013, and was also given the key to the city. A round of interviews focused on his becoming more activist regarding LGBT issues and, despite earlier reluctance, accepting the mantle of gay role model.

Lambert was presented with the prestigious GLAAD Davidson/Valentini Award on May 11 in San Francisco. The honorary award is bestowed yearly to out media professionals who have made a significant difference in promoting equal rights in the LGBT community. His acceptance speech referenced the generational shift within a community that retains a diversity of perspectives, but emphasized commonality in its striving for acceptance.

On May 30, he was honored with the "Hope of Los Angeles Award" as part of the city's 3rd Annual LGBT Heritage Month. The latter celebrates the contribution of diversity to culture and music, and highlights outstanding individuals who have helped advance their communities in the US and worldwide. He received the award at City Hall from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who called him a "beacon of hope". His acceptance speech returned to the theme of celebrating diversity within the LGBT community.

Lambert is featured in "The New F Word" campaign sponsored by the grassroots Friend Movement organization, which has launched a global effort aimed at self-empowerment and raising anti-bullying awareness through positive images in media and the arts.

On June 15, declared "Adam Lambert Day" by the City Council, he headlined Pittsburgh's "Pride in the Street" concert, featuring a roster of performers, sponsored by The Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh.

In honor of Pride season, Lambert partnered with AT&T and The Trevor Project for the "Live Proud Campaign", which crossed the nation summer 2013, aiming to empower and raise awareness in the LGBTQ community. AT&T committed to contribute up to $50,000, depending on the degree of participation in the Lambert sponsored campaign piece, with submissions for a VIP experience with him at the helm. It was announced on July 2 that the $50,000 goal had been met; and on July 3, a check presentation was made to The Trevor Project during the private finale show given by Lambert.

At the October 15 Los Angeles premiere of the movie Bridegroom, Lambert revealed that he had donated a song to the score, and felt "humbled" to be connected to the project. The powerful documentary about the intersection of love and the politics of marriage equality, won the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival's Audience Award for Best Documentary. On October 27 it debuted on OWN and began streaming on Netflix.

Lambert was one of the featured performers at the TrevorLIVE gala, the signature fundraiser of The Trevor Project, on December 8, at the Hollywood Palladium. The event included a roster of celebrities and a live stream pre-show, with an interactive component that reached a worldwide audience of LGBTQ youth.In February, 2014 he performed for the Family Equality Council's 10th Annual Los Angeles Award's dinner, which raised a record setting $571,000. The national organization advocates for LGBTQ parents, guardians and allies, in its effort to secure, support and promote family equality.

Personal life

Lambert was in a relationship with Finnish entertainment reporter and reality TV personality Sauli Koskinen since November 2010, but announced in April 2013 that they had split up amicably and expected to remain friends.

Discography

Main article: Adam Lambert discography

• For Your Entertainment (2009)
• Trespassing (2012)

Concert tours

• American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009 (2009)
• Glam Nation Tour (2010)
• We Are Glamily Tour (2013)
• Queen + Adam Lambert Tour (2014)

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2006	The Ten Commandments: The Musical	Joshua	Film debut
2009 - 2010	American Idol	Himself (contestant & mentor)	Season 8, 2nd place; Season 9, Episode "Top 9 – Elvis Presley"
2011	Project Runway	Himself (guest judge)	Episode, "Image is Everything"
2011	Majors & Minors	Himself (mentor)	2 episodes
2012	Pretty Little Liars	Himself	Episode, "This Is a Dark Ride"
2012	VH1 Divas	Himself (host, performer)	Live television benefit concert
2013 - 2014	Glee	Elliot "Starchild" Gilbert	5 episodes
2014	American Idol	Himself (mentor)	Season 13, "Boot Camp"
2014	RuPaul's Drag Race	Himself (Guest Mentor)	Season 6, Premiere

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Adam Lambert

External links

• Official website
• Adam Lambert at IMDb
• Adam Lambert at American Idol
• Adam Lambert on Twitter
• Adam Lambert on Facebook
• Adam Lambert: A Glamorous Life – a slideshow by Life magazine
• Wicked Good: Adam Lambert's American Idol Journey at Broadway.com
• MC alumnus Adam Lambert competes on American Idol; makes top 8 at MCSUN.org
• The Ten Commandments: The Musical, pictures and description of the show from Lanightlife.com