I vividly remember watching Adam Lambert during his run on American Idol in 2009. My mom and I watched that show almost religiously during high school and I carried on that tradition during my college years. The dude was absolutely dynamite in all of the best ways— impeccable vocal range, quality song choices, and a real knack for showmanship that blew everyone else away. And although he ended up finishing in second place on the show it was pretty clear from the outset that Lambert had the “IT” factor that was going to make him a star.
His career played out exactly how you would expect. He released his debut album For Your Entertainment shortly after the show. It was definitely a Britney Spears esque type of pop record, which is all well and good even if it’s not my cup of tea. But where Lambert really took off in my opinion is when he became the frontman for Queen. There was only one person on planet Earth who could stand in the incredibly long shadow of the late great Freddie Mercury, and that person was Adam Lambert. Every time he’s had the chance to grace the stage alongside Brian May and Roger Taylor it has been an absolute clinic. You only have to watch a clip of Lambert’s digitally supported duet with Mercury from 2024 to realize how special of a frontman and performer Lambert was.
At any rate, I’m off to binge watch Lambert’s live performances for the rest of the evening. Can’t wait.
Standout Songs: “For Your Entertainment”, “Whataya Want from Me”, “If I Had You”
