Sunday Conversation: Adam Lambert On His New Covers Album, ‘High Drama,’ Beyonce And More

Since bursting onto the scene on American Idol in 2009, Adam Lambert has enjoyed both pop stardom and, of course, a successful run fronting legendary rock group Queen on tour since 2011.

But Lambert tells me during our recent Zoom chat he is just now getting more comfortable with his voice and role in music. "I now know more than ever exactly who I am and what I'm about and what my brand is, and what my sound is, and who my fans are," Lambert says.

That is evident on his daring and fun new covers album, High Drama. An insightful look into Lambert's taste and influences as an artist, the collection covers a wide array of tracks, from Lana Del Rey's "West Coast" and Duran Duran's "Ordinary World" to the jazz standard, "Mad About The Boy" and Ann Peebles' "I Can't Stand The Rain."

I spoke with Lambert about how he chose the songs included on High Drama, how Will And Grace helped him know it would be okay to come out, Beyonce, and much more.

Steve Baltin: Was Grammy week and being around all of these musicians inspiring?

Adam Lambert: Absolutely, at the BMG party, I got to see some of the other acts that are signed to the label, which was exciting. Some people that I've known or have met years ago. I saw some of the guys from 5 Seconds of Summer. I remember those guys from way back and Taylor Momsen, that was fun. I saw Bebe Rexha, I saw LP, like all these people that I really respect. And then watching the show the other night, I'm just excited for all the queer representation that we're having right now. I think identity politics are tricky and complicated, but what makes the arts so important is that we can really help influence pop culture. And I love that everyone can turn on the Grammys and see something of themselves reflected on the screen. I just think it's really exciting.

Baltin: I imagine as well, for you it's very inspiring you can turn it on and see Kim Petras or see Beyonce, who's like the biggest star in the universe, thank the LGBTQ community.

Lambert: Yeah, it's really exciting. I think it is becoming more and more common knowledge that the LGBTQ community really pioneered house music. So for Beyonce to kind of honor that on her album was really exciting. I know a lot of my queer friends that are huge Beyonce fans were like thrilled when that album came out and it was great. I just think it is an interesting time because the more progress we make, it almost feels like there's more and more people that are freaked out [laughter] There's definitely some obstacles right now, like kind of politically and socially in this country for the queer community. And I always think it's funny because I think you hear criticism of the impact of visibility and representation. You hear people criticize it, likely not part of the community saying things like, "Why does it have to be all about that? Why can't it be this?" And it's like, "Well, if you're part of a non-oppressed group, shut up." [Laughter] It's not really for you to regulate. It's not for you to police. The whole point is that everyone's represented and everyone gets, a nod. It's great.

Baltin: Do you feel like given the fact that as a culture we seem to have gotten backwards in so many ways that it becomes even more important for artists to then lead the way and become more vocal going the opposite route?

Lambert: Yeah, like I said, I think the arts are the biggest tool to push and effect and flip pop culture. When I was a teenager, for example, before I came out, when I was kind of coming to terms with my sexuality, I was watching Will and Grace, and loving it and watching it like with the whole family, and we were all laughing, all having a good time. And that made me realize, "Oh, well I can be honest with my parents about who I am because they're clearly not bothered by this concept." And that was one sitcom [laughter]. So look at where we've come since the late '90's and look at all of the amazing stories that are being told and the different types of people that are being highlighted, both fictional characters and us real life people that are also in the arts, in the music industry. So I'm thrilled. I think there's so much progress that's been made and you look at the next generation coming up right now and they're way less bothered about sexuality and gender and all these things because they've grown up sort of not having it be some alien concept to them. It's been something that's been accessible. So they are comfortable with it. They are not confused about it. They are not intimidated or fearful of it because they understand it.

Baltin: That takes us nicely into the album and some of these songs on High Drama that you chose I imagine were very instrumental for you as you were growing up. I love the mix and the fact that you didn't stick to one era.

Lambert: The source material was obviously important because I wanted songs that had great melodies and had lyrical content that I could relate to or apply my own experiences to. But then as far as sonically where we took everything I really wanted the album to be me. And having been in the recording industry for 13, 14 years, I now know more than ever exactly who I am and what I'm about and what my brand is, and what my sound is, and who my fans are. And so I was like, "Okay let's make an album of this variety of different songs but make it very rock star, make it very honoring all of the different kind of branches of rock and indie an alternative that I love that makes me who I am."

Baltin: Were there things about some of these songs that pleasantly surprised you when you got into singing them?

Lambert: Absolutely. If we're talking about "Do You Really Wanna Hurt Me," what's interesting is one of the things that makes that original record so great is the groove. It's this reggae kind of groove and it gives it that pulse. And I thought, "Okay obviously there's no arguing with how brilliant the original is but I can't just copy it. So we have to come up with a new groove and a new pocket." And that's what we did. We made it more sort of progressive electronic and darker. And we rearranged the entire song. What used to be the intro of the song is now the bridge in the middle, it starts out with the chorus as opposed to a verse. We just rearranged the whole thing. And so I think that was the challenge for me, even though I didn't write these songs, the challenge was let me flex my creativity in a way that is studio magic. Let me work with these great producers and get in there and hash out some really cool ideas and I really feel like although I didn't write these songs I was able to be musical to really create something that I could hear in my head and make it a reality.

Baltin: That's the thing is for a great interpreter, whether you go back to Tony Bennett or more recently someone like Rod Stewart, you have to make them your own.

Lambert: Yeah, and I love evolving and learning and growing. And I think I'm in a place right now that's interesting 'cause I just feel like I have a really strong idea of what I want to make. And I think there was a point in time on my journey over the last 14 years where I wasn't totally sure. I was a bit more confused and a bit lost. I'm like, "What am I to do right now? What am I supposed to do?" But now it feels really good 'cause I'm like, "Well, this is what I want to do so I'm gonna do it."

Baltin: Was there one moment where you had that epiphany of, "Okay, this is who I am now?"

Lambert: Well it's interesting because I felt like there were times where I was battling with myself between following my instincts and having my own integrity and then trying to do something that I thought other people would like and pop music is so much about appealing to the masses. So it's a tricky little game to figure out. But what I've noticed over the years is the people that hit the hardest and become beloved are the ones that follow their own path. So I think I just stopped worrying about playing a game and more so started to focus just on my own instincts on what kind of music I love. Because it's true that if something's authentic to you, it will be authentic for an audience.

Baltin: What makes a great artist is authenticity to me. As you started to revisit songs by artists like Duran Duran or Sia or whoever, were there things that you noticed about their authenticity? You take an artist like Bowie, who was the greatest chameleon of all time. Every single incarnation he had from Ziggy Stardust to Aladdin Sane was always David Bowie.

Lambert: Yeah, those are the artists that I'm always drawn to. The ones that carved their own path. I think the contemporary ones like Lana Del Rey, Billie Eilish, they're their own thing. In fact once they sort of caught on, you hear all these other artists try to copy them. And so it's interesting because I didn't even think about it consciously but yeah, almost all of the artists on the album were people that have had like their own moment, their own sound. Even "Holding Onto A Hero," Bonnie Tyler, even though she didn't happen to write that song, it was Jim Steinman who did all the Meatloaf stuff. And it's so its own thing. Yeah I love honoring my heroes. I think it's great. And much like my own heroes, I was like, " I'm not going to take these songs and try to be trendy or play some sort of strategy game. I just want to make good tracks that feel like me."

Baltin: I love "My Attic" because it's such a beautiful song, but I love songs that really speak with simplicity. So when you sang it, were there nuances you appreciated in a different way?

Lambert: Yeah, it's such a storytelling song. It's this metaphor of the place in your spirit or your mind that you lock things away. You bury certain emotions. You keep them in your house, but you are putting them somewhere where you can't see them. I just think that it's a beautiful metaphor for life and the challenges that we are dealt and how we deal with those things. And I think I've definitely found myself in moments realizing, "Oh, I haven't processed this thing that happened, or I'm in denial about something." It's a beautiful lyric. And Julia Michaels and Ilsey Juber and Freddie Wexler wrote that song, and I actually heard the demo years ago before Pink recorded it. I heard, because I know Ilsey quite well, so I heard the original and I just thought, "Oh, this is so beautiful." And I love Pink version's. Absolutely brilliant. And Pink's an incredible vocalist. Again, another artist who does her own thing and who I respect immensely. And I think the other mission on this album was not only to kind of create this rock star sonic atmosphere, but hopefully I'm also sharing my voice with people. I think our voices grow and change with us, they're ephemeral. They're physical, they're vocal chords. I'm 41, my voice has changed a bit. It's still me, but you get different textures. And I'm really enjoying it. I'm finding new parts of my voice to dig into and hopefully fans get to hear that journey.

Baltin: Was there one moment where you really noticed your voice changing and it allowed you to convey different emotions? To me, the single best performance I saw last year was Joni Mitchell, "Both Sides Now" at the Newport Folk Fest. It was a beautiful song when she wrote it at 22. But when you've lived that life for 58 years and you've gone through all that there's a depth and a wisdom you can only get from experience.

Lambert: And I feel for me, I can look back on the stuff I did on Idol, and even the beginning of my journey with Queen and I watched performances and I'm like, I think a couple different things. I think, "Wow, you had a lot of energy and you were really showing off." I think in the back of my head, it was all about, "Look what I can do with my voice." And in some moments, looking back, that might have been a disservice to the overall presentation of the song. And I can see that now as a more mature performer. And I think now as I'm older, a good melody, you don't need to change it as much [laughter] It's a good melody. And I reserve the more acrobatic stuff for tasteful specific moments here and there. It's not necessary to do it constantly. And these are things that you have to grow into.

Baltin: What songs from this record are you most excited to play live?

Lambert: I can't pick a favorite. I'm literally excited to play all of them. Because they all have their own special kind of angle. So I couldn't tell you which one is my favorite. I think ones that I haven't performed live yet that I know are going to be something are "West Coast" by Lana Del Rey our arrangement of it it's pretty hardcore. That'll be fun. "Do You Really Wanna Hurt Me?" I'm excited to do that one live. "I Can't Stand The Rain." They are all of them. I love all of them.