Adam Lambert

Adam Lambert Hits #1 With Trespassing

23 May 2012 10:35:13 EDT

Tenacious D rock it into the #5 slot with Rise of the Fenix.
By Gil Kaufman

Just in time for the "American Idol" finale, former runner-up Adam Lambert is showing the kids how it's done. The glitter-dripping glam rocker will land his first #1 album next week when his sophomore disc, Trespassing  debuts in the top spot on sales of 77,000, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan.

The singer's 2009 debut, For Your Entertainment, entered the chart at #3 and has sold more than 1 million copies to date. Lambert leads a parade of new faces in the Billboard 200 top 10, which also includes jokey rock duo Tenacious D, whose Rise of the Fenix came in at #5 (44,000), as well as indie duo Beach House, in at #7 with Bloom (41,000) and the graduation disc from the cast of "Glee" (39,000).

The rest of the top 10: Adele, 21 (#2, 65,000), Carrie Underwood, Blown Away (#3, 54,000), Norah Jones, Little Broken Hearts (#4, 45,000), NOW 42 (#6, 42,000), Lionel Richie, Tuskegee (#9, 39,000) and One Direction, Up All Night (#10, 34,000).

Further down the line, rock icon Santana charts with the all-instrumental Shapeshifter (#16, 21,000), followed by reunited pop grungers Garbage with Not Your Kind of People (#17, 19,000) and country legend Willie Nelson, whose covers album Heroes (#18, 17,000) features his unique versions of songs by Coldplay and a cameo from pal Snoop Dogg.

Other new faces include: Godsmack, Live & Inspired (#19, 17,000), Best Coast, Only Place (#24, 14,000) and punk lifers Hot Water Music, Exister (#34, 10,000). Perhaps she'll get the "American Idol" bump next week, but daughter of Elvis Lisa Marie Presley makes an inauspicious debut with her latest album, Storm & Grace, which moved just over 9,000 copies.

In the days after her death, disco diva Donna Summer  was back on the charts, with 1979's greatest hits double-disc On the Radio running up to #74 (6,000), followed by three other singles compilations at #90 (5,000), #95 (5,000) and #194 (2,000).

Next week's charts bring the debuts of new albums by John Mayer, Sara Bareilles, Slash, Kimbra and Kris Allen.

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Adam Lambert Early Recordings To Be Released

01 Mar 2012 08:27:36 EST

Lawsuit clears way for release of music recorded before Lambert's 'American Idol' run.
By Gil Kaufman

You already knew Adam Lambert was going to release his second major-label album, Trespassing, next month. But did you know that it is one of two CDs the former "American Idol" runner-up will be dropping this year?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the second release, Beg For Mercy, is not necessarily one that Lambert wants out in the world, but it will see the light of day thanks to the settling of a lawsuit.

Colwel Platinum Entertainment had sued Lambert over claims that the singer had interfered with its attempts to release Mercy, which was recorded before Lambert rose to stardom as the runner-up in the eighth season of "Idol." The two sides reportedly came to terms with each other and the lawsuit was dismissed less than four months after Colwel accused the singer of allegedly making a false claim under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and sending a take-down notice to Amazon.com after Colwel had the album on the site.

The company claimed that it owned a 50 percent share of the publishing in the recordings and That, according to its contract with Lambert, it had the right to promote and sell his music. Now, Colwel has dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice and gotten assurance from Lambert that he won't stand in the way of Mercy's release.

Both sides also made it clear that Lambert's deal with Colwel never, as rumored, made him ineligible for "Idol," though Colwel's original complaint in the case mentioned that it might have.

"The Colwel Platinum Entertainment lawsuit against Adam Lambert has been resolved," read a statement from the company to the Reporter. "Adam has withdrawn any objections to the release of 'Beg for Mercy' and he has approved the use of his songs and performances in these pre-'Idol' recordings which are interpretations of his artistic vision at the time. Neither Colwel Platinum Entertainment, Inc. nor Malcolm Welsford ever stated that Adam was not eligible to participate in American Idol when he did so and regret that the lawsuit's allegations were misinterpreted."

At press time, Lambert, who will be performing several shows this summer as the lead singer of iconic rock band Queen,  had not commented publicly on the matter. The first single from Trespassing,  "Better Than I Know Myself,"  was released in December.

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Adam Lambert Battles Himself In 'Better Than I Know Myself'

03 Feb 2012 14:43:33 EST

Bad-boy Lambert and nice-guy Lambert are at war with each in new clip.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Kelly Marino

Adam Lambert dropped his new video for his first Trespassing single, "Better Than I Know Myself," on Friday (February 3).

The video takes a look at the two sides of Lambert: a leather-wearing, liquor-swilling bad boy and a sweater-donning, tea-drinking homebody.

During the video, the two personas seem to battle it out in different apartments connected by a clear wall and one oxygen supply.

In the end, as the bad Lambert sets his apartment on fire, killing good-guy Lambert's air supply, the wall breaks down. The good seems to seep into his apartment as he rescues his better half. The video ends with one Lambert, walking down a sun-drenched street, seeming to be at peace with himself.

"It's about the relationship you have with yourself between your dark and light side," Lambert, who will reportedly hit the road with Queen this summer, explained to MTV News. "It's about duality. It's about that balance and finding it and struggling to maintain it and what that means. It's an emotionally complicated video and I hope people are open-minded about it. I thought really hard and long about what was covered in it and what I was trying to say with it."

The video does seem to nod to his "Whataya Want From Me" clip. "It's a cousin to that. ... There is something similar to 'Whataya Want From Me.' I think that domesticated version of myself is my idealistic better version of me," he explained. "It's the me I want to be in my right mind. It's the most happy, content, peaceful, wholesome version of myself."

The clip was directed by Ray Kay (who also worked with Lambert on his "For Your Entertainment" video), and Lambert came up with the treatment with his "Whataya" director, Diane Martel. "I just think visually [Kay's] so great. He's so great. He creates great pictures," he said, adding a big "thank you" to Martel for her help. "It's a big collaboration of a lot of different ideas."

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Adam Lambert To Perform With Queen

03 Feb 2012 08:58:46 EST

'There's no intention in my mind of replacing Freddie [Mercury],' singer says. 'That's impossible,' Lambert says.
By Gil Kaufman

Adam Lambert has never shied away from expressing his love of Freddie Mercury, the late, great theatrical lead singer of classic rock band Queen. And ever since he was joined by the original members of the British group during his finale performance on "American Idol" in 2009, speculation has swirled that Lambert could step into Mercury's bedazzled boots and serve as the group's new vocalist in homage to his hero.

Lambert reportedly told the British tabloid, Daily Star, that he will, in fact, hit the road this summer with original members guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor to play a string of dates, including one at Knebworth in England, where Queen played their final show with Mercury in 1986, five years before he died. "The intention is to pay tribute to Freddie and the band by singing some f---ing great songs," he said. "It's to keep the music alive for the fans and give it an energy that Freddie would have been proud of." Lambert is set to release his second solo album, Trespassing, on March 20. The first single, "Better Than I Know Myself,"  dropped in late December.

But it was his performance in November with May and Taylor at the MTV Europe Awards that revived rumors that he might step into Mercury's formidable lead slot. Now that the dream gig appears to be reality, Lambert is trying to manage expectations while paying due respect to glam rock icon Mercury.

"After the EMAs, I heard faint little slithers of a backlash from people saying: 'You can't replace Freddie Mercury.' But I already knew that," he said. "There's no intention in my mind of replacing Freddie. That's impossible. The way I'm choosing to view it is that it's a great honour and one I'm in no way going to shirk ... Being asked to front Queen is the best thing that can possibly happen."

At press time spokespeople for Queen and Lambert could not be reached to confirm the report.

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Adam Lambert's 'Better Than I Know Myself' About 'Duality'

26 Jan 2012 10:51:02 EST

First Trespassing single is 'about the relationship you have with yourself, between your dark and light side.'
By John Mitchell, with reporting by Kelly Marino

Adam Lambert has come a long way since "American Idol" and is taking a reflective look back with his new single, "Better Than I Know Myself." The pop star, who turns 30 on Sunday, tells MTV News that the first release from his forthcoming sophomore album, Trespassing, is "about the relationship you have with yourself, between your dark and light side. It's about duality; it's about that balance and finding it and struggling to maintain it and what it means."

It's been a tumultuous few weeks for the singer, who was arrested in Finland in late December after a verbal argument with his boyfriend, Sauli Koskinen, outside of a Helsinki bar turned physical. Lambert later admitted to Ellen DeGeneres during an appearance on her show last week that alcohol was the main catalyst for the altercation, telling the host, "When you add alcohol to a situation, things can get out of control. ... What happened was, we had too much to drink. We screwed up. There was no injuries, no violence. It was more just childish, foolish messiness." With the March 20 release of Trespassing nearing, Lambert's focus has returned to his music and his new single. "It's so universal," Lambert tells MTV News. "It's ... in the middle of a bunch of different genres, and I think that no matter who you are, if you've been in a relationship, you know what that is." Lambert collaborated on the track with Dr. Luke (Britney Spears, Katy Perry) and songwriter Claude Kelly, who co-wrote his debut single, "For Your Entertainment." He admitted "Better" has a lot in common with his Pink-written top 10 smash "Whataya Want From Me," saying, "There is something similar to "Whataya Want From Me," and I think that's the reason I'm really glad it's the first single." He also revealed that the upcoming video for the track is "like a cousin" to the "Whataya Want" clip. Lambert said the song deals with the insecurities that come with being in a relationship. "[It's about] that moment where you're like, 'I need you, I love you,' where you have to reassure your partner," adding, "No matter what kind of relationship, everybody can relate to that moment."

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Adam Lambert Arrested, Jailed After Fight In Finland

22 Dec 2011 11:27:14 EST

'American Idol' star spends hours in a Helsinki jail after a brawl with boyfriend Sauli Koskinen.
By Jason Kaufman

It appears that when "American Idol" star Adam Lambert and his boyfriend Sauli Koskinen get into a fight, things get quite heated. How else to explain that Lambert spent several hours locked up in a Finnish jail cell following a clash with Koskinen?

TMZ reports that an argument between the two started inside of a bar in Helsinki and ended up on the street. Lambert allegedly was physical with the locals who tried to separate the two. When police arrived on the scene, both men were taken into custody. Talk about a public display of aggression.

Petri Juvonen, who is heading the investigation, told The Hollywood Reporter that the arrests were made at 4 a.m. Thursday outside of DTM (Don't Tell Momma), a well-known gay club. Juvonen said that the couple was released after an interrogation. Sofia Ruusila, an ex-Miss Helsinki, reportedly was at the bar and tried to get in between the couple when the fight escalated. She claims that she was accidentally hit by Lambert in the process.

Lambert and Koskinen are a true reality couple. Lambert rose to fame as a genre-shaking "American Idol" contestant, finishing second, but turning the relatively safe song choices and performances on their ear during an electrifying 2009 season. Following the conclusion of the season, Lambert came out during an interview with Rolling Stone. Koskinen made his claim to fame by winning the Finnish version of "Big Brother" in 2007. The two began dating in 2010.

The trip was to be a fun one for Lambert, who tweeted in Finnish his excitement upon arrival on Wednesday that "Helsinki is a beautiful city full of beautiful people! Thank you!"

But Lambert had to follow that up with this tweet to try and explain himself: "Jetlag+Vodka=blackout. Us÷blackout=irrational confusion. jail+guilt+press=lesson learned. Sauli+Adam+hangover burgers= laughing bout it. :)"

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Adam Lambert's Trespassing To Drop In March

16 Dec 2011 11:46:52 EST

The delayed For Your Entertainment follow-up sees Lambert working with the likes of Dr. Luke and Bruno Mars.
By James Montgomery

He's already referred to it as his "dream" album and as "existential pop," but now we know what Adam Lambert will actually be calling his sophomore album: Trespassing.

That's according to a press release sent out by his label, RCA, which not only announced the title of Lambert's follow-up to For Your Entertainment but revealed that the much-delayed disc would finally be hitting stores on March 20. The news came one day after Lambert unveiled a snippet of the album's first single, "Better Than I Know Myself."

Lambert serves as executive producer on the new album, which he describes as "an exciting journey through the past two years of my life. It's been a transformative period and I really wanted to make music from what I've experienced. All these songs honestly explore the ups and downs of my reality."

He also co-wrote most of the record, collaborating with a (seriously) loaded roster of talented hitmakers that includes Dr. Luke, Bruno Mars, Pharrell Williams, Benny Blanco, Nile Rodgers and Claude Kelly.

And while his Glamberts will still have to wait until March to hear Trespassing, the simple fact that there's an actual release date for the album is probably good enough for now, given that for months it looked like the album might not come out at all. In November, Lambert spoke to The Advocate about the delays that had beset the project, which included some, uh, issues with RCA and a whole lot of tinkering to make his new songs right.

"I don't know how other artists do it, but for this project, I'm adopting the mentality of 'just keep writing and keep recording as much as possible,' " he said. "And then when we know that we're ready to decide which tracks are going to be on the album, we'll look at everything and narrow it down."

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Adam Lambert Calls New Album 'Existential Pop'

18 Oct 2011 13:56:15 EDT

In a new interview with The Advocate, 'Idol' alum says his new sound will meld Nine Inch Nails with George Michael.
By James Montgomery

Adam Lambert has made no bones about the fact that the follow-up to his post-"American Idol" bow, For Your Entertainment, would be his kind of album, telling MTV News earlier this year: "It's really exciting, because I think I'm making my dream album. I know that sounds a bit clichéd, but I'm making exactly what I want to listen to."

In the cover story of November's The Advocate, he explains just what he's been working on all these months, and it sounds like he's truly making his bid for "Idol" independence, describing his new songs as "Nine Inch Nails meets George Michael."

"I know that's a weird mash-up, but that's what it feels like," Lambert said. "No matter what the genre is, it's all very personal, even on upbeat, fun tracks. The last album was a little bit more of a fantasy escape ... even my image for that last album felt very theatrical and kind of over-the-top and intentionally tacky. I get a kick out of making artistic statements that are kind of ridiculous."

And in the process of making those songs, he's also pulling the curtain back on his personal life, letting his fans get a peek at the real Lambert behind all the leather.

"I think it's going to let people underneath my facade a little bit — a self-created and totally admitted facade," he said. "I'm trying to convey to my audience that you really can't judge a book by its cover, and there's more to the universe than you can see with your eyes. It's like existential pop."

Of course, there still remains the question of when folks will get to hear any of that existential pop. At the moment, there's still no release date for Lambert's new album (an email to his label, RCA, was not responded to by press time) — though, in recent weeks, he took to Twitter to explain that the delay has been due mainly to "a couple of creative setbacks" on his first single, and that, as of right now, his album is due "in the spring." But as he explained to The Advocate, Lambert isn't letting those label issues bother him. At the moment, he's just focused on perfecting his new songs.

"It takes time to get it right," he said. "I don't know how other artists do it, but for this project, I'm adopting the mentality of just keep writing and keep recording as much as possible, and then when we know that we're ready to decide which tracks are going to be on the album, we'll look at everything and narrow it down."

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Adam Lambert Making His 'Dream Album'

26 May 2011 16:25:22 EDT

Ryan Tedder, Nikka Costa and Sia help create 'honest and real' follow-up to For Your Entertainment.
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Jim Cantiello

Adam Lambert's debut album, 2009's For Your Entertainment, was very much a product of his time on "American Idol" — written and produced by a hand-picked team of hitmakers, it was the kind of the thing the folks at 19 Entertainment wanted to hear. So it's somewhat understandable that, on his follow-up disc, Lambert is very much determined to make the kind of album he wants to hear.

"I think I've probably written about 18 to 20 songs. I've been spending the past two and a half months in the studio," Lambert told MTV News on the red carpet of Wednesday's "Idol" finale in Los Angeles. "I'm writing most of the material with people myself this time ... I'm really involved. It's really exciting because I think I'm making my dream album. I know that sounds a bit clichéd, but I'm making exactly what I want to listen to."

That echoes the sentiments Lambert shared with us earlier this year, when he said he was taking his time to work on his new album, and that the goal was to "write the most personal songs, the most powerful songs. I really want it to be something that's really honest and real."

Helping him achieve that goal are a variety of seasoned pros — Ryan Tedder, Nikka Costa and Sia, to name just a few — and while there's still no release date for the album, Lambert said he's in no rush. He's enjoying the writing process, and getting an education in songwriting in the process.

"I'm learning so much from everybody, so that's probably the best part," he said.

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