Adam Lambert: 'Gay popstars don't get enough acceptance'
Published May 29 2012, 16:30 BST | By Justin Harp
© Vince Bucci/AP/Press Association Images
The 'Sleepwalker' singer expressed his confusion as to why some are more willing to "celebrate" outspoken female singers than gay male stars.
"As a community, we're a little bit resistant to a gay male popstar ourselves," Lambert explained to Instinct. "It's very easy for people to look at my origin, which is American Idol, and automatically assume that I'm a commercial sellout or a puppet or a flash in the pan. I don't think I'm any of those things."
He further explained: "There's something weird there. We're very eager to celebrate a strong female. But to celebrate a fellow gay man - it gets catty sometimes."
Lambert also discussed the musical diversity of his album Trespassing, which topped the US album chart earlier this month.
"This is the kind of music I listen to," the star said. "I know the style of vocal I have is kind of big. It has a certain edge to it. I've always loved rock, but I also love stuff that is more groove-based, more funky, more soulful, more dance music."
Trespassing is now available in the US and is released on July 2 in the UK.
Lambert recently announced that he will be fronting Queen for three London concerts in July.
Watch Adam Lambert's 'Sleepwalker' music video below:
If a STRAIGHT man looked like Lambert (ala 1968-ish Elvis) and sounded like the illegitimate child of Freddie Mercury and Robert Plant (he has an INSANE voice!) then he would DEFINITELY be tearing up the BB charts and have much higher mainstream media visibility. To think otherwise is totally absurd and/or disingenuous.
I've heard MANY people (hetero males in particular) when his name is even mentioned, say "Oh, that gay guy from American Idol? or worse, "Oh, that FA**OT?"
Lambert has PAID his dues since age 10.He has honed his craft and has a firm grasp of who he is as a person and an artist.
His music (especially the new album, "Trespassing") is very dance/radio friendly. But what he says is true...he also catches flack from the LGBT community. He's either "too gay" or "not gay enough" or "the wrong kind of gay" etc.
In short, it IS an uphill battle for him to gain acceptance in either the hetero or gay worlds.And yes, he made these statements BEFORE his album debuted at #1 but it also was a slow week for sales in general. He has already been knocked out of that spot by John Mayer (YAWN)
If he had closeted himself for the first 5 or 6 years of his career, he'd already be a sensation in BOTH worlds and then could pull an Elton John, Ricky Martin or Clay Aiken and come out, TA-DA!. But he chose NOT to hide who he was from the start. That takes grit and courage. I applaud him for that. I've heard him sing LIVE. Amazing.I'm a fan for life.
June 1st 2012 at 4:19pm
i have to say that i'm really looking forward to get both of his albums this summer. he makes a lot of good points here, especially about the whole female artist thing. and it's true. if you look at the big female artists that are out there like madonna, gaga, beyonce (list goes on), you have very few male artists that match up to them. i myself find it frustrating that there are so many huge female artists that inspire me, but on the male side, there aren't a lot.
But this guy is something else. Compared to most male acts that have found fame on reality tv, hell, compared to most male acts period, this guy is a real inspiration. he has an artistic vision of a level to the biggest female artists, but he comes at with his own unique energy, and his voice is all kinds of awesome. so glad that he got the number one album in the US. Go Adam Lambert. :)
May 31st 2012 at 12:41pm(+1 like)
Though this article is published today, the comments he made were made a couple of months ago prior to his album hitting #1. They were made in an interview in Instinct magazine. He is now gaining some gay fans and is so thrilled about it. I do believe he has a valid point which is the community supports female pop stars much more than they do male ones. He has a new song written by Bruno Mars and he can't get it played on the radio. For those who say his songs aren't good, have you even listened to his new album, Trespassing? Pharrell and Bruno Mars both wrote songs on there. I guarantee if Bruno had released the song Adam did, it would be played all over the radio.
May 29th 2012 at 10:23pm(+1 like)
Well maybe he doesn't, but our Will Young got accepted and was rather successful as well.
Adam's music is not all that to be fair. Wouldn't make a difference to me if he was straight or lesbian, his music is not all that. Simples.
May 29th 2012 at 8:18pm(+3 likes)
I think it's VERY different in the U.S
August 1st 2012 at 11:13am
Well it's hardly harmed the careers of George Michael, Elton John, Rufus Wainwright etc. has it?
May 29th 2012 at 8:00pm
in the U.S they stopped supporting george though he did get a bit too political with shoot the dog.
Joe mcelderry does not get that much support despite being a great singer there might be something in it.
There are also lots of closeted boy band members sadly.
May 29th 2012 at 9:37pm(+1 like)
You have a point, but I can't name one singer who's career has been seriously damaged by coming out! And I think Joe's transition to classical music as well as the usual X-Factor winner's curse is what lost him a lot of support from the public. It's horrible to think that people in these times still feel they can't come out due to the need to save their reputation!
May 29th 2012 at 9:57pm
George Micheal, Elton John and Cliff Richard (I know you didn't mention him) all started their careers as "Straight" men so gained their respectable fan bases first then came out
May 29th 2012 at 10:35pm(+1 like)
Yes, but surely if people were that offended by it as soon as they came out they'd stop buying their music?
May 30th 2012 at 3:20pm