He rose to fame in 2009 after finishing as runner-up on the eighth season of American Idol.
And in a new interview, Adam Lambert, 39, got candid about starting out in the music industry over 10 years ago, explaining: ‘Gay artists had to tone it down!’
While gracing the cover of Gay Times’ AMPLIFY! the openly-homosexual star also insisted that the new generation of LGBTQ+ talent ‘don’t need straight saviours.’
Cover star: While gracing the cover of Gay Times’ AMPLIFY! Adam Lambert, 39, got candid about starting out in the music industry as an openly-gay man over 10 years ago
On starting out as an openly gay man, Adam said: ‘I wanted to connect with other queer people in the music industry because I know that when I started 10 years ago, it was sort of like the Wild West for me.
‘There weren’t a lot of us on the mainstream level. It was an obstacle course. I didn’t have that many examples of how to go about things, and it was quite an adventure.
‘Ten years later I can see there’s been so much progress, and there’s so many more queer artists out there right now. We’re now allowed in that space.’
And, Adam enthused on the range of incredible LGBTQ+ talent that’s now bursting through in the entertainment industry.
Candid: The American Idol star explained: ‘Gay artists had to tone it down!’ and insisted that the new generation of LGBTQ+ talent ‘don’t need straight saviours’
He gushed: ‘There’s so much talent! And it’s a really diverse array of talent too – across genres, philosophies, it’s a really exciting time.
‘But I also think it’s across the board in the entertainment industry. We’re seeing a lot more queer actors come through.
‘It’s a time where we don’t have to ask permission anymore. It’s a time where queer creatives deserve some spotlight.
‘I also feel that more and more we’re able to stand on our own two feet, and I think that’s really important to note.
‘We don’t need the straight saviours to come in and save us! We’re good and we’re doing really well.’
Over a decade ago! On starting out as an openly gay man, Adam said: ‘There weren’t a lot of us on the mainstream level. It was an obstacle course’ (Pictured in 2009)
Adam also praised Lil Nas X, 22 – real name Montero Lamar Hill – for ‘challenging the double standards’ in the popular music industry.
Explaining further, the Queen vocalist said: ‘We have straight artists creating this type of entertainment and we’ve grown accustomed to it over the past 25 years.
‘But when it came to gay artists we had to tone it down, or make sure that it wasn’t too sexualised, or aggressive, and it had to be safe and easy to digest.
‘What Lil Nas X is doing is being a rockstar about it. He’s being subversive and it’s great.’
For the full interview with Adam Lambert, read the latest edition of Gay Times’ AMPLIFY!
High praise! Adam also praised Lil Nas X, 22 – real name Montero Lamar Hill – for ‘challenging the double standards’ in the popular music industry (Lil Nas X Pictured in 2019)
