'The Rhapsody Continues'

Adam Lambert is a contestant on the eighth season of American Idol. He made it to the final two on the show, only to lose out to Kris Allen in the finals.

This musician got started at an early age, as his father was a DJ that introduced him to various types of music. He sang Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody for his audition and has spent time in a production of the play Wicked.

For his semi-final audition, Lambert wowed viewers with his range on The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction." He then received raves for his performance of "Black and White" on Michael Jackson night. We should go on and on, as season eight was filled with nothing but praise for this unique, talented star.

Lambert's debut album comes out on November 24, 2009.

Exclusive Magazine had the recent pleasure of speaking with Adam about his upcoming debut CD, his costumes, his love of stolen items, ... and, of course, his A.I. final loss!

Watching you lose in the Final was like watching a Twilight Zone episode of the show - it just shouldn’t have happened! In all honesty, did you think that given all your exposure that you were a shoe in to win?

“No. Like I said on the show, and I’m being honest, I really programmed myself not to feel like I was losing. I didn’t lose … I just didn’t win. And for me, auditioning for American Idol was not to get the frickin’ title of American Idol. It was to stay on the show as long a possible, get the maximum amount of exposure, sing as many songs as I could, to get signed to a label, and to do exactly what I’m doing now.”

“So, I really don’t feel like it matters. I’m making a record. I achieved all my goals. So, therefore I did win, in my own reality.”

You’re working with Linda Perry on your upcoming debut CD for 19 Recordings/RCA. What can you tell us about how its coming and when we can expect it? “Yep, she’s one of them. She’s an impressive lady. I’m working with her and a lot of great producers. That’s probably one of the most exciting things right now. The people that I’m getting to work with I never would have dreamed that I’d be able to work with them. I’m meeting producers that are genuinely excited about working with me as an artist. And it feels incredible, because it could very well be, ‘Oh, here’s another Idol person that we’re getting paid to work with.’ But I really feel like the energy’s different. Like they're excited and passionate about it.”

And why‘s that, do you think? “I don’t know. Maybe because I’m different? I think it’s something new. I think that there’s a lot of people out there like me capable of what I do. They could probably sing circles around me and are probably better looking; can dance better and dress better. But I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to take advantage of Idol as a platform. Things have worked out well and now I’m getting to do an album … and it’s amazing,” he broadly smiles.

When you type the name Adam into Google your full name comes up immediately … now that’s some power, my friend! “Does it? That’s ridiculous! That’s the sh*t right there that I can’t quite wrap my brain around it. That doesn’t make any sense to me,” he nervously laughs. “I’m trying to stay grounded. It’s definitely a surprise what’s happened but I feel like it could either all go away in a matter of months very easily. It’s happened to a lot of these Idols. But I want to enjoy it all too.”

“You know what, I’m a little bit older than some of the other guys in the show and I’ve worked in the entertainment industry for a couple of years, and I’ve been living in Los Angeles for eight years. So, there’s a certain amount of like, 'OK, alright’ and there’s a part of me that approaches this like it’s work. I do have a love for performing though. I love it. I love it, love it, love it! I love singing, I love creating. But there’s also the fact that this is work. This is the career that I’ve always wanted and I’m really gonna reap the benefits and have some financial security at the end of this year. And then I’m gonna try and set myself up for the rest of my life. Which was another reason why I auditioned for this show - I needed more in my life.”

Tell us more about the weirdest of objects that have been throw on stage at you during the Bowie medley, and especially ‘Fame’? And why ‘Fame’?! “I don’t know,” he laughs. “I think it started in one city where one person threw a pair of panties up on stage. The fact that I acknowledged it - I picked it up and threw it back into the audience - may have something to do with it though.”

Is there a certain lyric that you sing where they unleash these things at you?! “No, it’s not about lyrics … I think it’s because I take off my jacket and start dancing all nasty,” he smiles, larger than life. “It’s very pelvic!"

Like Elvis! “It’s a bow to Elvis, sure. And it is really funny because I think some people are really kind of offended by it, like they were with Elvis. So, the spirit lives on!”

Your favorite quote is the classic Jimi Hendrix line, ‘When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace’ … but, what does it meant to you here today? “I love that quote. But I’ve since heard that it might not actually be him that said it now!"

What does it mean to you right now though? "That’s kind of the big evil that’s behind what’s going on negatively in our world. It’s power. People are so power hungry that those are the people justifying war. And justifying injustice. Justifying inequality. It’s because they’re scared. It’s because they love the power. And without that thirst for power I don’t think that we’d be as threatened by things.”

Was there ever an outfit that they put you in that you felt the most uncomfortable wearing for that nights performance? “The week that I did ‘Play That Funky Music’ I hated the way my hair looked! When I go back and look. Later TMZ called me as they had put a picture of me next to Eddie Munster! And I was like, ‘I see it! I do see that. That actually kinda does look like Eddie Munster!’ It was a little bit bouffant. It looked a little too much like a wig.”

“I loved what I wore on the show. I was kind of a control freak with what I wore. A little bit. Like I had to kinda pick it out. The suggestions were made. But there were times when things were brought to me and I was like, 'no I don’t like that'.”

So, the outfit you wore one night with those things on the shoulders of your leather jacket was all down to you?! “Oh yeah, that was all mine,” he says quickly and proudly. “They got the vest, but it was almost like armor though. It was big and it was made out of crocodile. And those shoulder cages, those I got from a drag queen that I know that runs the Bob McKay Custom Showroom. He used to design all Cher’s stuff. So, I knew that she had these things, ‘cause I had a friend that wore them for another show, so I got them rented for the show. And they attached them onto that. So it was all different pieces. And then the sleeves underneath were shiny rubber leggings from American Apparel."

"And then we had gloves and the pants. And those boots were my boots from home … from my own private collection. And the funny thing is everybody’s like ’Oh’ when they saw it, but I used to dress like that all the time in clubs and stuff. I was kind of a little bit of a wannabe club kid for a while. I just felt like this is me, man … this is how I’m used to performing … finally”

Lastly, seeing the key hanging around your neck, what is it for? What treasures does it unlock? “I don’t know. It’s just a piece of jewelery that I’ve had for a long time. I actually got this key in Germany. I was doing a tour of the musical ‘Hair’ in 2003 and in one of the hotels we stayed at this was the key to the anwar. So, I stole it,” he sheepishly grins, head now slightly bowed. “And, before you ask … because I liked it!”

I hope you left it open for them to still use?! “Yeah, I left it open,” he laughs.

Interview: Russell A. Trunk

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