My English translation of Adam Lambert's interview with CitéGAY.com.

Adam Lambert: "Diplomacy is not really my forte"

The American pop phenomenon Adam Lambert was passing through Paris a few days ago. He reserved some of his precious time for an interview with CitéGAY. Exclusive portraits by Franck Glenisson!

I'm on my way to a new interview in a first-class Parisian hotel close to the Champs Elysées. The first snowflakes have appeared and I almost fall on the ice when I realize that I'm a little late. On the way, I tell myself that it's a little strange to have been waiting more than a year for the promotion of this new artist in France, since I had expected that he would be coming here much earlier. In a few minutes, I find myself upstairs, jammed with several other reporters in the small private entrance hall of the room where interviews are being held. After waiting for several minutes, someone signals that it's my turn. Adam Lambert the singer (and actor) is seated, smiling, on a big couch facing a large bed on which several magazines are fanned out (I recognize certain gay magazines). When he stands up to shake my hand, I'm impressed by his height. This guy with smoky eyes must be almost two metres tall! Known for his straight talk, his provocative ways, but also for his unusually powerful voice and his amazing showmanship, Adam Lambert has been launched by American Idol, the US version of "Nouvelle Star", but didn't win the show. It didn't stop him from rapidly becoming the phenomenon that everyone is talking about, acclaimed by people such as Brian May from Queen. The artist is finally here to talk about his album "For Your Entertainment", already released a year ago in the United States, and a new album, acoustic this time, which has been launched on December 13.

Tof: Hello Adam, thank you for having me for this interview. Tell me why your album is only being released in France now, when it's been delighting the ears of Americans for a year?

Adam Lambert: You should ask the question to Sony... I really have no idea! It wasn't my decision you know... [Laughs]

Tof: Was this album entirely written by you or did the "American Idol" producers propose it to you? How was it created?

Adam Lambert: Actually, the people who produce "American Idol" also own a management company. When the show is over, they take the two finalists under their wing... They also partner with a major. In my case, it was RCA. So then, me met with the label's creative team and we asked ourselves what we wanted to do. This is when I told them what style I was particularly interested in. I had my own ideas, and they also proposed their ideas. That's how we created the first demos for the songs that were already written. I also had the opportunity to work and write with producers. In the end, the project included five songs written by me and the rest by others. Of course, I had to choose everything that would be included on the album! You know, I think that there's a misconception about "American Idol". It seems that people think that when you participate in this kind of show, you automatically become a puppet. I must say that this is not at all my situation! I have very strong ideas, and a strong will to materialize them, and I'm lucky to work with a management team and a label who are listening. As a result, this is really me, and I'm always the one making final decisions!

Tof: OK... And what were your criteria for choosing the producers?

Adam Lambert: The label made me propositions: "Would you like to work with this or that person...?" and I would often reply "oh, yes yes yes...", but I also had the opportunity to let them know with whom I really wanted to work. I went straight to the point and I talked about Lady Gaga, Lynda Perry, Dr. Luke, Sam Sparrow and of course P!ink! Max Martin, Rob Cavallo and Greg Wells were proposed by the label...

Tof: When did you start to write and where do you find your influences?

Adam Lambert: Hmmm, I must have been 15 years old... I had a band at the time! It was the first time I ever composed, and I learned a lot then because, to tell you the truth, it wasn't good at all! [Laughs] If you want to talk about my influences, well I love classic rock but I also really like pop music. Automatically, all this music has really passed on to me. The album talks about intimate things, of what I'm afraid to be but also what I want to become... Of embodying something for others and encouraging people to let go. I also say that we have to be in complete control of our body, our work, our style, who we are, and be proud of it. On my album, you will also find songs that talk about the need for trying your luck and being honest with yourself, with the world. I also have a text about "Psychedelic Mind Fuck" [Laughs]. Yes, yes, I'm serious! [Laughs] It talks about someone who's the victim of a voodoo spell, because someone else has given him a breath of life, something beautiful, this little something special that you can only get when you have hope... These are the things that I write about! [Laughs]

Tof: With this album, you announced that Glam Rock was back. Then, given your taste for makeup, the media quickly nicknamed you "Glambert". Where does this taste for glam come from?

Adam Lambert: Yes!!! I've always loved makeup. I think it's a great way to differentiate yourself from the others and to impose your own look...

Tof: Do you think that it's more of a way to hide, to isolate yourself behind a shell, or on the contrary to better show yourself as you really are?

Adam Lambert: I think it started several years ago when I first discovered makeup. At that time, I felt it more as a way to hide. Now, I really think that it's a form of expression: You see, now that I'm a little older and that I feel better in my own skin, I find that it's the opposite of a shell. All the fashion, the makeup, the hairstyle, the jewellery, all of it is an expession of my personality!

Tof: But you could still perform on stage without all these devices?

Adam Lambert: Yes, of course... All of this goes with my style, which I love, but it doesn't prevent me from being more low-key sometimes. You know, when I was on "American Idol", the musical theme would change from week to week, until the famous "Motown" week! At that time, I covered "Track of my tears" by Smokey Robinson, just sitting on a stool with an acoustic guitar... I did that without any makeup, in all simplicity. You see, it's not a matter of dual personality! It's just that I want to decorate my eyes... For me, it's exactly the same thing as wearing a ring or a necklace when going out at night...

Tof: Did you see the movie "Velvet Goldmine" by Todd Haynes (released in 1998; editor's note)?

Adam Lambert: Yesss, it's one of my favorite movies! I love it!

Tof: In this movie, there's a character who says "Rock and Roll is a prostitute"...

Adam Lambert: ... it should be tarted up! [he completes the citation from the movie] Yes, yes! It is a prostitute! [Laughs] Everything is about the show, showing yourself, being seen by as many people as possible, being heard... and enjoying it! Of course, it's just an expression, if you see what I mean...

Tof: You yourself have a very provocative spirit... When you kiss boys at the first opportunity for example... Is it something natural or is it almost a political action?

Adam Lambert: Well at the very start, when I kissed a musician on stage, it really came very spontaneously, just a compelling urge I had at that specific moment. Then, when I saw all the reactions that it had provoked, I started doing it again systematically, as a statement, at each concert. I told myself "OK, I have to continue". It became a sort of extra special effect, which I find very Rock and Roll, and it mostly states that I don't accept the fact that it was a mistake. On the contrary, I had to demonstrate that I was proud of it and that I didn't have to apologize. You know, I'm a bit headstrong, and also quite dominant... There's a part of me that doesn't want to make everybody happy and always say "please". Diplomacy is not really my forte.

Tof: Yes, I imagine that this is also what's happening when you smoke pot on stage like you did recently in Amsterdam? [Laughs]

Adam Lambert: [exulting] There might be a bit of that, yes, but again, it's self-affirmation! [Laughs] I don't know... In my opinion, being subversive is part of the pleasure of being a pop artist... If you don't make people think, or if you don't make them talk, then something will be missing for sure... It's part of the job! Rock and Roll has always been a more risky and dangerous ground because of that... The secret is that you can't please everybody, you can't always be easy to categorize, and of course you have to shock once in a while!

Tof: Can you explain to me what's going on in the "Whataya Want From Me" music video? It talks a bit about schizophrenia, doesn't it? When we see you double like that, we can't help but wonder if it isn't a dialogue between the ego and the alter-ego...

Adam Lambert: No, not at all, I really think that the goal of this music video was to show emotions in some "graphic" way. At the root, we wanted to demonstrate that when you're in show business, or, for example, you're walking down a red carpet, you have to appear a certain way for the camera... You keep repeating "hey, I'm very happy, it's great, everything's fine". But there's the other side of the coin: the whole time, you might be feeling bad, and not at all happy, you might feel lonely... In this video, I wanted to show that there's a side that exists for everybody, that the public sees, but on the other side this relationship can cause unsuspected damage.

Tof: In your album, you talk about conflicts, redemption, and human relations. Do you think that the Internet and its virtual aspect has complicated relations between people?

Adam Lambert: It's true that all these social networks, avatars, etc. are not harmless. The risk of confusion between real life and virtual life is obvious. In reality, it can really help communication, but at the same time it can be dangerous because it can distance people from reality. It's easy to hide behind a photoshopped picture for example. I remember that when I created my Myspace site when it was still popular, I was about 22 years old. I liked spending a lot of time on it, and I took special care in choosing my profile picture. It had to be cool, it had to represent what I liked, etc. Now, in hindsight, I realize that I was totally wrong. It wasn't me but a representation of my ego on the web. And the worst part is that when I communicated through this page, I really had the impression that it was me... You know, it's difficult to represent yourself with just a few pictures... It's bound to be a deception from the start. All of this is taking us away from the quality of a real conversation and locks us behind computers! You have to be very careful...

Tof: You participate in the "It Gets Better" campaign, in reaction to the wave of suicides among young homosexuals in America. Aren't you surprised that we only talk about this problem now, when it has existed for a long time?

Adam Lambert: It's true that it's an old problem and that there's nothing new... People always had problems as soon as they were different, and particularly if they were gay... It's interesting to see that we are talking about it now, with videos posted on the Internet, and that we're fighting against it. I think it's important and that it was about time that it happened! What difference does it make to know that someone is gay or not? Who cares about who you are and how you live your life... What I wanted to say in my video was "OK, it gets better, but it's up to you to make sure that it does... You are the only person that can change the situation... It's not something that you can forget like you play a CD... You have to choose to pay attention or not to ignorance and all the negative talk, or if you prefer to ignore it and focus on the positive, and feel good even if there's suffering around you". I also wanted to show that everything could be going well, that you could be a pop star, sell albums et go on tour, but you can still take a stand against this ignorance.

Tof: I seem to recall that when you were a teenager, you had some problems accepting your own homosexuality, and that it translated into a weight problem... ?

Adam Lambert: No, not really. In fact, I had a difficult period because it took me some time to become confident with who I was. You know, I made my coming out at 18 years old when I was in school and it was really exciting because I felt that a lot of people around me were wondering. To free myself of it was really cool. On the other hand, I lacked confidence about my physical appearance. I didn't have much experience, I didn't have any romance. Slowly but surely, I started feeling better in my own skin...

Tof: Do you remember which artist or which event made you realize that you wanted to make music?

Adam Lambert: I owe a lot to Michael Jackson... I remember that I literally grew up watching his videos... It was so incredible to see how good he was in everything that he was undertaking.... He sang, he danced, he told stories... I was simply mad about everything that he was doing, it was really cool... There was also Madonna, of course!

Tof: Not David Bowie?

Adam Lambert: Well, I discovered David Bowie a bit late. I developed an interest for artists from the '70s when I was older... It's with television, Madonna and Michael Jackson that I really grew up you know... A little later, I discovered Queen, Bowie, Led Zeppeling, all the classic rock from the '70s, and the androgyny that went with it! The first time that I saw "Velvet Goldmine" was also a trigger, no doubt...

Tof: When your album came out in the US, it's very kitsch and '80s artwork was the source of some controversy... The album cover chosen for Frnace is different, but nonetheless quite odd. You insisted on something that was "Camp"?

Adam Lambert: I like both pictures very much. For France, we chose the one where I put my hand in front of my face, just because more people like it. After the release of the album in the U.S., I was told: "It would be good to choose a different image for the international market", and I just responded "OK!".

Tof: Are you already thinking about your second album?

Adam Lambert: I haven't started anything yet, but I have some ideas. If you will, I think that this album ("For Your Entertainment"; editor's note) goes a bit in all directions. The next one will be more focussed on one subject in particular. With the first one, I wanted to write something that gives the audience the opportunity to know me as a whole, a sort of introduction. But now, I would like each album to have a more specific theme. You see what I mean? What's good with "For Your Entertainment" is that it gave me many possible directions to take and it made me realize what was possible. The next one will still be very Rock, but also electro and pop. In fact, it will probably be along the same lines as "Whataya Want From Me".

Tof: An acoustic EP with 5 tracks has just been released... It's a very trendy thing at the moment...

Adam Lambert: Maybe, but that's not why I did it... "For Your Entertainment" is a very produced album. What I wanted to show with these few acoustic versions was that most songs could be stripped down and simplified, and that they remained incredibly effective. I wanted people to hear just the sound of the song and nothing else around it, show a different color... On this album you can find "Whataya Want From Me ?" , "Music again" , "AfterMath" , "Soaked", and there's also a cover that I played during American Idol called "Mad World".

Tof: You have the reputation of being a very charismatic showman... Is there anything special that you do before a concert?

Adam Lambert: Noooooooo! I prepare my voice and I get dressed, but there's is no Madonna-like ritual! [Laughs] Well you know, to get ready, put on a costume, get my hair styled and my makeup done, it's already a ritual in itself! It's more a sort of conditioning, I look at myself in the mirror to build confidence for example...

Thank you Adam for this very pleasant interview. We hope to see you again in France soon for a new series of concerts (The Bataclan was the bomb), and we are of course very keen to hear the songs on the new album that you will start to prepare very soon. In the meantime, we will take delight in listening to your acoustic album!

Photo credits: Franck Glenisson (http://www.franckglenisson.com)
Source: http://www.citegay.fr/interviews/257260@adam-lambert-la-diplomatie-n-est-vraiment-pas-ma-specialite.htm

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