Adam Lambert

Early life and family

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

Lambert began performing with Metropolitan Educational Theatre network (now MET2) from the age of 9. A few years later, he began more intense acting and vocal coaching, continuing to perform with both MET2 and what was to become the Broadway Bound Youth Theatre Foundation, as he moved through Mesa Verde Middle School and then Mount Carmel High School. There, he became heavily involved with theater and choir, performed vocals with the school's jazz band, and competed in the local Air Bands competitions. He also appeared in local professional productions such as Hello, Dolly!, Camelot, The Music Man, Grease, Chess and Peter Pan, at venues such as The Starlight, The Lyceum and others.

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

Career

2001–2008: Career beginnings

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

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

2009–2011: American Idol, For Your Entertainment, and Glam Nation Tour

In 2009, Lambert auditioned for the eighth season of American Idol in San Francisco, California by singing "Rock with You" and "Bohemian Rhapsody". Advancing to Hollywood Week, he performed "What's Up" and "Believe" solo, and "Some Kind of Wonderful" in the group effort. Simon Cowell voiced some concern about his theatricality, but Randy Jackson found it "current". He advanced to the top 36 performing "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". In the first week of live shows, his rendition of Michael Jackson's "Black or White" was praised by all four judges. For Country week, he sang a sitar-infused version of "Ring of Fire". His Motown night acoustic version of The Miracles' "The Tracks of My Tears" drew praise from judges and a standing ovation from Smokey Robinson, the week's mentor. Advancing to the top 8, he sang the 2001 Michael Andrews and Gary Jules arrangement of "Mad World". Because the show exceeded its time slot, only Cowell gave a critique, which he did by giving Lambert a standing ovation, the only one he bestowed during his decade-long run as an American Idol judge. After Lambert sang "If I Can't Have You", delivering what DioGuardi called his "most memorable performance", Cowell described his vocals as "immaculate". For the top 3 show, he performed "One" before Cowell declared, "If you are not in the final next week, it will be one of the biggest upsets"; and continued with "Cryin'" before Abdul affirmed, "we'll be seeing you next week and many years after that."

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

Lambert performed three solos in the finale, a reprise of "Mad World", followed by the 1960s civil rights anthem "A Change Is Gonna Come", to tremendously positive judge reaction. After his performance of the mandatory winner's single, "No Boundaries", Cowell summed up Lambert's journey: "Over the entire season, you've been one of the best, most original contestants we've ever had on the show. The hope and whole idea of a show like this is to find a worldwide star, and I truly believe we've found that in you." Upon winning the competition, Kris Allen stated: "Adam deserved this," later explaining he thought Lambert deserved to win as much as he did, and that Lambert "was the most consistent person all year. He was seriously one of the most gifted performers that I've ever met." Lambert's version of the winner's single was released alongside Allen's. The Los Angeles Times later ranked Lambert fifth in its list of the top 120 American Idol contestants, selected from the first nine seasons of the show.

2012–2013: Trespassing

Trespassing was released on May 15, 2012, to positive reviews. On May 23, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 77,000 copies. and at number three in United Kingdom's midweek chart. His second single "Never Close Our Eyes", written by Bruno Mars and produced by Dr. Luke, was released digitally on April 17, to positive reviews. Lambert returned to American Idol for his third consecutive year on the results show that preceded eleventh season's finale week. The performance of May 17 of "Never Close Our Eyes" was touted for its vibrant energy and dazzle, as well as for the powerhouse vocals that had become his signature.

Throughout the spring and summer of 2012, Lambert performed across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, appearing in festivals, on radio and television, and in concert, including one of several headlining spots at Summer Sonic Festival 2012. In September, he appeared on the first season finale of The Voice of China, the country's most popular program. Lambert joined Queen for a six concert date collaboration tour, kicking off with a two-hour extravaganza under the auspices of the UEFA in Kyiv on June 30, the eve of the Euro 2012 Football Championship. Viewed live by hundreds of thousands in Ukraine's main square, the performance was touted for the strength of Lambert's showmanship, vocal excellence and interpretative skill, which confidently balanced old and new. Almost uniformly, reviews noted Lambert's vocals, his "sizzle" and "electrifying" presence; along with the synergy of the collaboration, which Queen guitarist Brian May called "organic".

Lambert's third single, "Trespassing", was released as part of an eight track EP of remixes that included a radio edit of the original song. Entitled Trespassing Remixes, it became available to radio and digital outlets in October, with hard copies sold from his official website only. "Trespassing" debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales chart, giving Lambert his tenth number one Billboard entry. On October 23, Lambert acted and performed two songs from Trespassing in the Halloween special of the television series Pretty Little Liars.

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

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

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

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

Lambert started touring with Roger Taylor and Brian May of Queen in June 2014, with 35 dates in North America, Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The Queen + Adam Lambert Tour 2014–2015 was a critical and commercial success, as reviews highlighted the musical virtuosity of May and Taylor, alongside Lambert's impressive vocal dexterity, charisma and affinity with Queen's repertoire – all augmented by the elaborate spectacle of the production. In 2015, a second leg of eleven countries and 26 dates in Europe and the UK was performed. On November 4, Queen + Adam Lambert was named Band of the Year at the 10th annual Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards. Following a much reviewed "soaring" performance on the UK's The X Factor, Lambert and Queen presented an exclusive New Year's Eve concert in London at Central Hall Westminster, Queen + Adam Lambert Rock Big Ben Live. The praised concert was called "pitch-perfect". In January, Queen + Adam Lambert appeared on the cover of Classic Rock magazine; he was applauded in the cover story by Taylor and May, who called him "a gift from god." In September, Queen and Lambert headlined Rock in Rio's "30 Years Celebration" in Brazil, as part of a six date South American tour. The tour was a critical success; and their Rock in Rio performance was the seven-day festival's most popular, based on ticket sales.

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

2019–2022: Velvet and Queen + Adam Lambert

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

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

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

On February 24, 2019, Lambert and Queen were the first rock band to open the 91st Academy Awards with an "explosive" performance of two classic Queen songs in honor of the film Bohemian Rhapsody that earned a standing ovation. The following day, they announced a two-hour documentary, The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story, depicting the journey of their ongoing collaboration. The film aired on ABC in April, offering rare behind-the-scenes concert footage and new interviews. Roger Taylor appeared on Good Morning America the same morning, calling the collaboration with Lambert "magical", and an example of "fate unfolding". On April 28, Lambert guest mentored the seventeenth season's top 8 finalists on American Idol's Queen-themed night, and was praised for actionable advice that elevated performances. In April 2019, The Rhapsody Tour expanded to include seven stadium dates in Australia and three in New Zealand, slated for February 2020; four shows in Japan and two in South Korea, for January 2020; and 26 shows in Europe including a ten show residency at The O2 Arena in London.

2023–2024: High Drama, Queen + Adam Lambert, The Voice Australia and Singer 2024

In February Lambert released his fifth studio album, High Drama, a collection of cover songs. It debuted at number five on the UK Albums Chart, marking his first solo entry in the UK Official Charts top ten. Its number seven debut on Billboard's Top Albums Sales chart was his fifth top ten entry in this category. The video and song, "Ordinary World", was released and was called "haunting" in its sound. The song debuted with a performance on the twenty-second season finale of The Voice that Lambert dedicated to the victims of the November shootings at the LGBTQ+ Club Q. Lambert was a judge on Britain Get Singing, a televised celebrity singing competition in support of mental health. He debuted High Drama's secong single, "a glam-rock makeover" of "Holding Out for a Hero", on The National Lottery's Big Bash end-of-year special held at Ovo Arena Wembley, televised on New Year's Eve. On December 17, he performed on The Jonathan Ross Show's Christmas episode. He performed a "show-stopping" version of "Chandelier" from High Drama on America's Got Talent: All-Stars February 27 finale with the season's winner.

Lambert held a one-off album launch show at London's KOKO concert venue on February 27. He began a series of solo concert dates in June, beginning with Royal Albert Hall in London. In early March, he performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Good Morning America, The View and Australian Idol; and was interviewed for a Nightline segment. On April 17, he appeared on That's My Jam and performed an "hysterical and impressive" version of "The Muffin Man" as Cher that went viral.

Queen + Adam Lambert expanded The Rhapsody Tour, adding 22 dates in North America starting in October in Baltimore and finishing in Los Angeles in November. They headlined the last night of the Formula 1 Lenovo United States Grand Prix in October at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. In February 2024, they will perform five mega dome concerts in Japan.

Lambert returned to American Idol on April 30 to mentor the top twelve of twenty-first season on a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame themed night; also performing "I Can't Stand the Rain", praised for its "glam magic". He performed at Capital Summertime Ball in Wembley Stadium on June 11; and at the amfAR Gala on May 25, an annual event to benefit AIDS research, held during the Cannes Film Festival. On June 30, he received the Silver Clef Award for international artist at the Nordoff and Robbins awards ceremony. The latter is a charitable organization that raises money to train music therapists to work with populations with largely mental health disabilities.

2024–2025: Afters EP and Return to Musical Theatre

On July 19, 2024, Lambert independently released the six-track EP Afters through his label, More Is More. Influenced by electronic dance music and queer nightlife, the project explores sexuality, liberation and after-hours hedonism across the tracks "Lube", "Wet Dream", "CVNTY", "Face", "Deep House" and "Neck". Lambert characterised Afters as a more uninhibited and explicitly queer release than his previous work, reflecting his increased confidence in pushing artistic and sexual boundaries.

In July 2024, it was announced that Lambert would make his Broadway debut in the role of Emcee in the musical Cabaret, alongside Auliʻi Cravalho in the role of Sally Bowles beginning September 16. Describing the performance in PAPER magazine as a return to his theatrical roots, Lambert called it a "full-circle moment" that allowed him to revisit the career path he had pursued before his recording career. The New York Times praised the emotional range of his performance. In February 2025, Lambert addressed a viral incident in which he reprimanded an audience member for laughing during an antisemitic scene in Cabaret, telling them, "This isn't comedy. Pay attention." Lambert's response was subsequently praised online. In an interview with People, he said the musical remained "very relevant" due to its themes of intolerance and social exclusion.

In August 2025, Lambert portrayed Judas Iscariot opposite Cynthia Erivo as Jesus in a three-performance concert production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl, directed and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo. His performance received positive reviews, with The Guardian describing him as "magnetic" and praising the intensity he brought to Judas's moral conflict and despair.

2026–present: ADAM

On July 10, 2026, Lambert released his sixth studio album, ADAM, independently through his label, More Is More, with distribution by The Orchard. It was preceded by the singles "Eat U Alive", "Under the Rhythm" and "Cloud 9", and drew inspiration from the alternative rock, electronic and pop music of the 1990s and early 2000s.

Lambert promoted the album through appearances and performances including The Kelly Clarkson Show, Today, The View, and BBC's The One Show, as well as several podcast interviews including David Begnaud's The Person Who Believed in Me podcast, Acast's Fashion Radio, and And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan. Lambert also staged album release concerts, including performances at The Bellwether, Brooklyn Paramount, Roundhouse, Mohegan Sun Arena and Huxleys Neue Welt.

Artistry

Voice

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

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

In October 2012, the Sunday Mirror reported that Lambert insured his voice for $48 million. A source told the tabloid newspaper: "Insurance for stars is a big deal in the US and Adam's voice is his bacon."

In a 2019 interview James Michael, lead vocalist for the band Sixx:A.M., praised Lambert's vocal technique, power and the facility of his vocal control - judging him one of the best vocalists in the world.

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 American 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. 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. 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.

Lambert continued to grace the covers of magazines, moving more specifically into the fashion and culture space. Reflecting the mood and concept behind his album Trespassing, the Fault Magazine fashion shoot exemplified Lambert's commitment to aligning the elements of his artistic vision so that a cohesive narrative emerges. 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 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!'"

In August 2015, he was one of four artists to appear on the cover of Billboard's "Music's Men of Style" issue. He discussed his natural shift towards a cleaner, more classic look; and reiterated that the intersection of music and fashion—the constant motion of trends—is a fascination and part of being a pop musician.

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 Queen, Led Zeppelin, and Aerosmith. Among his strongest influences are British singers such as Freddie Mercury, David Bowie and Robert Plant: "Those are the people I really gravitate towards." Lambert referred to Michael Jackson and Madonna as "King and Queen" because they creatively merged music with makeup, fashion and cinematic video. He also cites Christina Aguilera as an inspiration to him as a vocalist.

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.

Advocacy

Philanthropy

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

In January 2010, in lieu of gifts for his 28th birthday, Lambert asked fans to donate to DonorsChoose.org, as 2,435 fans donated $322,700. In June 2010, Lambert teamed with the charity 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 with The Pennyroyal Studio, which sold out after raising $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 and 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 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 performed at a Royal Albert Hall concert on June 7, 2012, benefiting the Rays Of Sunshine Children's Charity. 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. On September 25, 2012, Lambert headlined a fundraising benefit in Washington, D.C., on behalf of Marylanders for Marriage Equality.

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. Lambert "donated" his 31st birthday to the charity, raising 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 benefited the foundation. On May 25, Lambert was a participant in the opening ceremony of 2013 Life Ball in Vienna. 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 to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Lambert was a featured performer at the August 19 Dance Party event in Riverhead, Long Island, benefiting All for the East End (AFTEE). On November 2, he was the musical entertainer for South Florida's Make-A-Wish Foundation Ball. The sold-out 2013 Ball raised a record-breaking 2 million dollars.

LGBT advocacy and social activism

Lambert has been a contributor to social justice. 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 received a nomination for Outstanding Music Artist at the 21st GLAAD Media Awards 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.

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. 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. 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. In December, he performed at the "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."

Personal life

After being outed on the internet during his bid to win American Idol, Adam Lambert confirmed that he is gay in a Rolling Stone cover interview that was published in June 2009. He was in a relationship with Finnish entertainment reporter and reality TV personality Sauli Koskinen from November 2010 until April 2013, when Lambert announced that the couple had split up amicably. From March to November 2019, Lambert was in a relationship with model Javi Costa Polo.

Lambert got his first tattoo at 27, just before the start of American Idol. That tattoo, an Eye of Horus, was placed on his wrist. Since then, he has covered his arms and torso with work by notable tattoo artists Maxime Plescia-Büchi, Daniel Meyer, and Roxx.

In November 2023, Lambert, in collaboration with Roger Taylor, Sarina Taylor, Bryan Patrick Franklin, and Michael Solis, opened The Wild bar in West Hollywood, California.

Discography

For Your Entertainment (2009)

Trespassing (2012)

The Original High (2015)

Velvet (2020)

High Drama (2023)

Adam (2026)

Concert tours

With American Idol

American Idols Live! Tour 2009 (2009)

Solo

Glam Nation Tour (2010)

We Are Glamily Tour (2013)

The Original High Tour (2016)

The Velvet Tour (2020)

The Witch Hunt (2022)

With Queen

Queen + Adam Lambert Tour 2012 (2012)

Queen + Adam Lambert Tour 2014–2015 (2014–15)

Queen + Adam Lambert 2016 Summer Festival Tour (2016)

Queen + Adam Lambert Tour 2017–2018 (2017–18)

Queen + Adam Lambert The Rhapsody Tour (2019–2024)

Filmography