Adam Lambert + Kris Allen : Tour and Album News Round-Up
Yes, I can see into your soul ... (outtake from Larry King Live)
As I expect more and more leaks to occur, I’m just moving all the relevant posts here early (all other print media is found here and stalkerazzi media found here). Check back / bookmark since I’ll be updating frequently as more info comes in.
ETA : Doing some re-organizing. I’m moving the VIDEOS of Adam interviews to page 2 and Kris interviews to page 3 so as not to clutter up this page. Have also moved all posts on Adam’s controversial sorta new/old album onto this page. ETA 2 : The Top 10 are doing press interviews, so moving all VIDEOS of the press tour to PAGE 4.
** American Idol has set up an exclusive twitter account all about the idol tour. Click here.
Adam + Kris Interview (On Air W/ Ryan Seacrest)
Article link(s) for Kris Allen:
Kris Allen’s rumored single, ‘Live Like We’re Dying,’ leaks! (Idoloonies hold collective breath for 23 seconds!) by Michael Slezak
I’ve actually been listening to the full version of the track on repeat loop since Tuesday (and have only hyperventilated once or twice) — the good folks at Jive sent a don’t-leak-under-threat-of-death link to one of my colleagues — and Kris, who admitted to me during his Idol tour stop in Albany last month that he loves surprising people with his musical choices, shows a new and impressive level of vocal adroitness on the rapid-fire chorus, without missing an emotional beat in the process. Suddenly, the idea of the nation collectively rolling down its windows and chanting “You’ve only got eighty-six-four-hundred seconds in a day to/ Turn it all around or throw it all away/ Gotta tell ‘em that we love ‘em while we got the chance to say…” seems not only plausible, but entirely likely. I can’t tell you how stoked I am that an Idol champ, for the first time in too long a time, appears to be releasing a lead single with a legitimate chance to catapult him beyond pop radio’s initial prejudice against the Idol machine and become the star that he really deserves to be. And I’m okay that it’s a cover, because, I mean, that hook!
Preview Kris Allen’s Debut Single! by Lyndsey Parker (first review – based on the snippet)
Kris’s new single was previewed on the radio this week, and I am happy to report that it does not sound country at all. It sounds…well, it sounds like KRIS ALLEN. What I mean by that is, if I were flipping around my radio dial and I heard this tune, sans any radio DJ back-announcement, I would just know it was Kris’s new single. Althouh it’s actually a cover of a B-side by the Script, it still sounds distinctively like Kris…and more importantly, it sounds like a hit.
Dream catcher by Levi Gilbert (501 Life Magazine)
… Allen was greeted on stage with two minutes of non-stop, thunderous cheers and applause from his fellow Arkansans. It was a moment that is sure to never blur. “I couldn’t have a better state to call home,” Allen told the crowd during his set.
When not on tour, Allen’s off-days are spent in Los Angeles working on his upcoming album, which is set for release later this fall. “I am doing a lot of writing, and we’re starting to record,” Allen said. “The album is going really well. We’re trying to get the pieces together, and we’re on a fast course right now. It’s coming soon.”
The Idols tour wraps up in Manchester, N.H., on Tuesday, Sept. 15. Allen will begin promoting his new album immediately after the tour. “[Katy and I] will rent an apartment in Los Angeles after the tour,” Allen said. “We’ll have a home out there, and that will be nice. We’re thinking about building a house in Arkansas because it’s our home. I’ve been here all my life. Our friends and family are here. This is the place we call home.”
Adam Lambert, Kris Allen, Allison Iraheta LPs Won’t Be ‘Cookie-Cutter,’ Producer Insists By Jim Cantiello
“American Idol” season-eight alumni Kris Allen, Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta are as wildly different from each other as possible. But the trio — who are all set to release their debut post-”Idol” albums later this year — have one thing in common: They’re running to Kevin Rudolf for material.
Also on Rudolf’s docket? A session with “Idol” champ Allen to take place “early in October,” approximately six weeks before Allen’s album is slated to drop.
With only one performance left, Kris said he’s “going to miss singing for a lot of people every night. A lot of us will miss playing to big arenas. The Top 10 have been together for almost a year now, so it’s going to be really sad when we say goodbye. We’ve already started to make plans to meet up soon.”
As the winner of Season 8, Kris has been juggling the tour with recording his debut album. And on top of it all he’s still a newlywed. “Katy’s been busy with her job, but she has been able to come to a couple of shows.” Kris was willing to reveal some information about his upcoming album to us. The album will drop on November 17, 2009. “I’ve been able to write a little bit. We’re still working on it, and there’s still a lot of work left to do, but I’m excited about it. The single should be coming out very soon.” At this moment, Kris isn’t sure if he’ll be playing many instruments on the tracks; it all depends on what they have time for. Kris has been very busy with the 50 city Idol tour so he hasn’t had time to record any instrumentals thus far.
During Kris’ set on the American Idols LIVE! tour, he plays the acoustic guitar, the piano, the electric guitar, and during his performance of “Bright Lights” he plays both the piano and the electric guitar. When asked if his future concerts will be similar to his set on the Idols tour, Kris said, “I would say so. It would be a little bit of everything – like an extended version of my set.”
Kris Allen’s First Single Is Called ‘Live Like We’re Dying’
For about 1 hour, Kris Allen answered fans’ questions on Twitter. Among those being addressed by him were his new album and its lead single. He wrote yes when quizzed whether the song is titled “Live Like We’re Dying”. Kris stated there is “no date yet” for the song…
Hope and Regret, Recorded and Live
KRIS ALLEN The aw-shucks winner of “American Idol” has the benefit of reasonable expectations as he tackles his major-label debut; compared to this season’s runner-up, Adam Lambert, he seems very much like the underdog. Of course he’ll be working with top producers, pitching in with some songwriting and exuding his unassuming charm. Nov. 17. 19/Jive. (N. C.)
‘Idol’ winner Kris Allen: single out in 2 weeks, album ’soft rock’; Megan Joy, Lil Rounds await news by John J. Moser
Allen, speaking in an interview Tuesday before his performance with the American Idols Live tour at Reading’s Sovereign Center, said he’s been recording tracks during stops on the tour, which started July 5 – a month after he signed his contract with 19 recordings and Jive Records. He said, for example, he was recording Tuesday in Philadelphia with Alex Band from The Calling. “But I don’t know exactly how far we are,” he says, laughing.
He knows, however, that a single is being prepared for release right after the “Idols Live” tour concludes Tuesday, and definitely before the end of September. But he steadfastly refuses to release any details on it. “I know what it is, but I can’t say anything,” he said.
His album, now scheduled out Nov. 17, will be “soft rock, with a little singer-songwriter thing in it, but not too much,” he says. “It’s difficult to explain, but it’s cool. You’ll just have to listen.” Though songs on the disc “will have different feels, the thing that’s consistent to all of them is me,” he says. But he says there will be no surprises and he hasn’t done any type of music he hadn’t expected to. “Everything does have an organic feel to it, which is good.”
He says it’s “very possible” he’ll work with other members of the Top 10 on the tour, especially those whose music has the same feel as his. “But putting two different styles of music together can be an amazing thing,” he says. Dressed in the same jeans and plaid shirt he would later wear on stage, the unassuming Allen says that for the first time on the tour, he is under the weather. He also laments that he’s been so busy that it’s been hard to even find time to maintain contact with his family and friends. “I’m so wrapped up with this,” he says. But he says the experience has been a dream. He said his best memory was playing in his hometown of Little Rock, Ark. “It was in a sold-out arena that I’ve been in many times, but not as a performer, he says. He says the crowd cheered for five minutes straight, and he actually had to “calm them down” so he could sing.
Mix 104.1 is closing out the summer with a rooftop pool party with two Mix superstars and you! It’s the Mix 104.1 End of Summer Bash with David Gray and Kris Allen! It’s happening at the Rooftop Pool at the Colonnade Hotel! We’ve got your passes to the party starting this Tuesday on Mix 104.1!
Here’s a scan of a UCA newspaper interview that Daniel Allen (Kris’ brother gave). He’s a much better interview than Kris! And he gives us album info! (as well as tons of nice quotes about Adam) – scans from Gossipcandy.
Kris’ album comes out on Nov 17 and will feature songs he has written and also songs co-written by One Republic’s Ryan Tedder, The Fray and Chris Daughtry, Daniel said.
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American Idol Tour: Part VI – Kris Allen By Colleen Joyce
PopStar: We are all very excited about your upcoming album; can you tell us about it? Kris Allen: It’s going well. We are writing with some really cool people from LA and New York. We are getting some good songs in and I think it is going really well.
PopStar: Are you writing any songs yourself? Kris Allen: Yeah, absolutely. Doing a lot of co-writing stuff as well.
PopStar: When can we expect a release of the album? Kris Allen: We are trying to do sometime in the middle of November, close to Thanksgiving.
PopStar: When you are not on stage performing or driving from one city to the next, what do you like to do in your off time? Kris Allen: There is not a whole lot. I have had two days off throughout the whole tour. One day was when we were in Florida so I went to the beach and did nothing all day. The other day I was in Atlanta and I went and watched The Hangover by myself in the movie theater.
PopStar: You and Idol star Adam Lambert did fun backstage interviews of each other that ended up on YouTube. You guys talked a lot about each other’s music style; on tour what is your favorite Adam Lambert performance? Kris Allen: On the tour, the one that I get to hear the most is the Bowie one because I go on after him. So I hear that one a lot; I think it is really good and the crowd gets along with it. He is in his element when he is doing that Bowie stuff. It is very cool.
Idols not idle in Twin Cities by JON BREAM
If you were on a tour of one-nighters in the United States for the summer, what would you do with a day off in the Twin Cities?
And the “American Idol” himself didn’t get the day off. Kris Allen went over to Dan Wilson’s house in south Minneapolis and wrote songs. Wilson, the frontman of Semisonic (“Closing Time”) and a solo artist, won a Grammy for co-writing “Not Ready To Make Nice,” the 2007 song of the year, with the Dixie Chicks. Wilson also has written with Rivers Cuomo, KT Tunstall, Mike Doughty, James Morrison and Nickel Creek, among others. Allen’s album is due Nov. 17.
Kris Allen: “I’m nuts” by Angela Henderson
A: We only have a few minutes so I’ve got to get right to it. Tell me about the album. K: Um, it is coming out hopefully in the middle of November. That’s what we’re pushing for. We don’t have a complete date yet, but it is coming out. The single will be out pretty soon and everything’s looking good right now. Doing a lot of writing and spending a lot of time with different artists doing a lot of writing and stuff like that so it’s good.
A: Can you name drop a little bit for me? K: I can name drop a couple. You know, I’ve worked with Joe King of The Fray. I’ve worked with Mat Kearney and probably that’s the only two I will name. And different songwriters.
A: So if you were to define it as a certain style? K: I mean, it’s definitely you know in the, it would definitely be in the—I mean, I hate saying this—but it will be in that pop/rock genre, I would say. But that’s so huge though, so something in there, yeah.
A: Is it crazy for you because I know you’re recording while on tour, so that must be [noise that means frazzled]? K: It’s crazy. First, it was, it was almost hard to deal with at first because you’re switching. You’re on tour mode most of the time, and then one day you have to switch over to the other—writing and recording mode. And it’s a totally different monster. It really is. And so doing these things at the same time was really weird at first. But I’ve gotten used to it and it’s getting fun. It really is. It makes me excited that I actually have an album coming out in November. That’s very exciting.
A: So Megan says you all get along. True? Now, tell me the real story. K: I’m serious. We all really do get along. We have a good time together. And we’ve talked about this for a while, the tour’s almost over actually. For us it is anyway. And it’s going to be a sad day. It really is. We’ve had a great time. You know, I think we’re all really excited to start our careers and whatever, but we’ve been together for almost the past year with each other and we’ve lived in the same house, riding on the same bus. 24 hours pretty much with each other and so we have a great time together. If we didn’t get along, this would be a horrible, horrible time.
American Idols Visit Pittsburgh, Talk Exclusively With See & Be Seen By: Jessica Woiner – this article comes with a slideshow
“This has totally been crazy, working every day, pretty much no days off, hard every day. But when I think about it, I’m doing the thing I love the most and that’s what matters,” Kris said. “It’s so flattering that people would spend a whole day…just to see us or shake our hand. It means a lot. American Idol fans are the best,” Kris said. Kris said many fans even bring presents for the Idols. So what’s the coolest one he’s ever gotten? A vinyl of the Beatles ‘Revolver’ album. “I was freaking out when I saw that,” he said.
So what’s next for Kris? He told me to listen for his first single to hit the airwaves very soon, followed by his album set to be released in November. And who knows, maybe the album will have some Pittsburgh influences. Kris told me while working in his hotel room all day he enjoyed staring out onto the Ohio River and PNC Park.
Backstage With American Idol Winner Kris Allen By Veronica Dudo
“We come out with an album in November. We’ve been working on it doing a lot of co-writing stuff so I think we have some good stuff so far. We’re trying to finish it out and we’re trying to get it out in November so I think it’s going really well.”
… Allen shares, “I can say that we’ve talked about having reunions and that kind of thing at everyone’s house like every year, having the 10 people come back and just have a good time. So, I would say we’re really close and we’ve had a great time spending it with each other and it will be a sad day for sure when the tour is over.”
Kris Allen: The ultimate interview, Part Four by Fred Bronson
And now you’re working on your first album for a major label. What is your vision for this debut release?
I think the vision that I have for the first album is so hard to put into words. I know that it’s going to be music that people like and something that is hopefully different than maybe people have heard in a while or maybe ever. I hope that it’s something that grabs people lyrically-wise, subject matter and even musically as well, but something that’s different from what people are doing right now.
Are you writing songs for the album?
I pushed for that. I wanted to be part of the writing process. I don’t know if I can. There’s so much going on right now with the tour and all that. But yeah, we’ve done a lot of co-writing sessions and it’s been an experience because you learn from people who have been writing songs for a long time.
Are you happy with how it’s going so far?
The first session I had went well, but the song didn’t end up as something I wanted to do on the album. I was intimidated, so I didn’t put my two cents in as much as I should have, and then the next one went really well and I got more comfortable. Same thing with the song though. Closer to what I wanted, but not completely there. And then I was with somebody yesterday and it was weird, but it went really well and I think it’s getting there. I really do. I’m excited.
Check out RollingStone’s photogallery – On the Road with Adam Lambert and Kris Allen
RollingStone scans – Rock & Roll – Adam Rocks the Idol Revue – thanks to bam__x3 of ONTD.
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‘American Idol’ champ Kris Allen on going country, reading tour reviews, and tackling Twitter! by Michael Slezak – see video on link
Kris Allen is a man of contradictions. The American Idol season 8 champ is scared of Twitter, and yet at the same time, loves the concise social-networking site. He’s reluctant to give scoop about his hotly anticipated debut disc, and yet he gives Idolatry exclusive info about his two newest songwriting collaborators. He reads tour reviews — even the too-cool-for-the-room negative ones — and yet ultimately, he doesn’t give a hoot about what he refers to as the “blahdee blah blah-blah.” (And this is why we love him.)
‘American Idol’ winner Kris Allen is mastering the fame game BY BRIAN McCOLLUM
“It’s not the easiest thing in the world,” concedes Allen, who married his longtime girlfriend in September, just months before life abruptly veered down the “Idol” track. “There’s not a whole lot of sleep, and you’re not on any kind of schedule. You arrive in some places at 5 or 6 in the morning, then some places at 1 or 2 — it’s always different. But every night is totally worth it. The shows are what we do this for.”
Allen is still soaking it all in, enjoying the rush of fame, and while he hasn’t tired of the media vortex just yet, a few of the question topics are starting to become overly familiar: His relationship with Lambert is wonderful, thanks for asking; his favorite judge was Paula Abdul; and yes, his wife is doing just great, so you can quit assuming she’s resentful about all this.
He figures that will change by Thanksgiving, when he and Lambert will have each released CDs, naturally steering the focus back to the songs and voices that made them matter in the first place. Writing and recording sessions are getting squeezed in between tour dates, like a studio stop in Boston earlier this week.
‘American Idol’ winner Kris Allen stays low-key while stockpiling songs for upcoming album by John Soeder
Q: Congratulations on your “Idol” victory. Has it sunk in yet?
A: Thank you, sir. I don’t know if it’s something that will ever totally sink in. The part that is definitely becoming evident is that I get to make an album. We’re working on that right now. That’s probably the biggest part for me, that I get to do something like that. We’ll have to see when we have a really good group of songs. We have some that are really good that’ll probably end up on the album, but we’re still writing stuff, so you never know. Stuff can get bumped off. Maybe we’ll write better stuff.
Q: Which other Idols do you hang out with when you’re not onstage?
A: We all hang out a lot. We have a lot of downtime at the arenas. We just joke around. Do nothing. Talk to each other. And then we spend a lot of time on the bus, watching “Family Guy” or DVDs. On our days off, me and Adam are usually doing things together.
Q: Adam got a lot of attention during the competition, and he continues to grab headlines. Do you ever feel like saying, “Excuse me — I won”?
A: [laughs] Not at all, man. It never ever crosses my mind, because I’m a low-key guy. I don’t demand any attention myself. I’m not saying that Adam does. It just kind of comes with who he is. I lay low and do my thing.
‘Idol’ champ is far from idle By Mark Shanahan & Meredith Goldstein
Q. You’re working with a wide variety of people on your debut from hip-hop producer-writer Salaam Remi to singer-songwriter Mat Kearney to Joe King of the pop-rock band the Fray. Should we intuit that the record will offer a lot of different styles?
A. I think we were experimenting with some things. The Salaam thing was definitely an experiment to see what would happen. And then [we hooked up] with people like Joe who are definitely along the same track. We’re doing some things that obviously make sense in people’s heads and we’re trying to do some things that didn’t make so much sense. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I’ve had a great time with everyone.
Q. Do you have any dream collaborators?
A. I’m a big a John Legend fan, I think he’s incredible so that would be really nice. Since I was a kid I’ve always liked Matchbox Twenty and I think Rob Thomas is a great writer.
TC: You are working on your album while you are on tour, right? Is it hard to switch from performance mode to writing and recording mode? KA: It is! One day I’ll perform, and the next day I’ll fly to L.A. and do some writing or something like that. It’s hard to switch your mind, but it’s something I’m getting used to.
TC: Are you writing most of the songs on the album? KA: I’ve been co-writing some stuff and writing some stuff on my own as well. People are sending songs in, too. We’ll kind of put together a whole jumble of songs and then pick the best ones. I would love to be [a writer] on all of those, but we’ll see what happens.
TC: Do you feel like you’ve had a voice in the whole album-making process? KA: I do. I feel like they really trust me and respect me, which is good.
TC: You’ve been saying the album will be pop-rock, but what do you mean by that? KA: I think that would be the genre to put it in, but that genre is so huge.
TC: Will you be playing guitar and piano? KA: I think so. It will definitely have that organic feel, but it will bring something else as well.
TC: Do you have a name for the album yet? KA: No, I don’t think so. We’ll probably come up with that after we get a better feel for the album.
‘American Idol’ Kris Allen plays Nassau Coliseum By GLENN GAMBOA
“It’s tough,” says Allen, calling from a tour stop in Washington, D.C. “It’s almost like you have to switch your brain over to the other side. It’s a whole different animal. Touring is a whole different mind-set from recording.”
Is touring what you thought it would be? It’s probably a little more work than I thought it would be, but other than that, the traveling is great. We’re having a blast.
Can you talk about who you’re working with on the album and what it will sound like? I think I’m going to keep that under wraps for now. We are working hard with some artists, some pretty big writers in L.A. and we’re getting in some songs as well. We’ve got some pretty good stuff so far. . . . I would say it’s in the pop-rock genre – that genre is huge, but somewhere in there, with something a little bit different that I think people will like.
Have you had any surprises on the tour? I think the fans are a little bit crazier than I thought they were going to be. They like to touch you and sometimes in ways that maybe they shouldn’t . . . but those people buy records, too.
The Highs and Lows of Being an ‘American Idol’ By ARI PINKUS, excerpts…
The latest “Idol” winner taught himself to play guitar at 13 and had encouragement from his father, who was a musician. It only took writing one song for the nascent talent to know he was hooked on music, he said. “It wasn’t that good but I felt like it was the one thing that I could do forever.” Now, making music full-time is a thrill. But he’s not stopping there, as he uses the “American Idol” tour to propel himself further as a musician. Allen recently dropped from the tour his signature track, “No Boundaries,” which won him the “Idol” title in favor of a cover of a song by the Killers, “All These Things That I’ve Done.” “The tour director came up to me and asked if would be willing to change it, so we put in a song that has a little more energy and I really feel like the crowd has responded well,” Allen explained. He is slated to release his first album this fall.
… Allen said he’s been adjusting to the lack of privacy he has now, but the worst thing is being away from family and friends, especially his wife, Katy, he said. In his time away, Allen has become very friendly with Lambert. Earlier this year, they roomed together on “American Idol.” While on tour, they’ve become more familiar with each other’s hidden talents. While Allen said he has maintained the “weird talent of blowing bubbles out of my mouth,” he’s also discovered his former rival’s quintessential quirk. “It takes [Lambert] longer to do his tour makeup than the show,” Allen joked.
For his part, Lambert said all the time together only solidified his initial impression of Allen. “He’s further proved my opinion that he is one of the nicest, most laid-back and gracious guys I have ever met,” he said. “He has a great sense of humor and nothing fazes him. It’s refreshing to be friends with someone so comfortable in his own skin.”
All American Idol: Kris Allen is gracious in triumph, with Lambert By ROBERT DIGIACOMO
“I don’t know if (being the winner) is ever going to sink in – it’s not that I can’t quite believe it, it’s that I’m not getting any special attention, which I prefer,” says Allen, who performs 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, at Boardwalk Hall…. Allen, who has signed a deal with 19 Recordings/Jive Records, gets the privilege of being the closing act. He plans to sing several of his most popular tracks from “Idol,” including his acoustic version of the Kanye West track, “Heartless,” as well as a personal favorite, The Beatles’ “Hey Jude.”
Q: What was your strategy to win the crown, or did you just take it week-by-week? A: There were some things I wanted to do to set myself apart. I think the “Heartless” thing set me apart – that was a real eye-opener.
Q: What do you have planned for your album? A: I’m pretty sure we can get out enough stuff so that 100 percent is not from the show. I’ve done a lot of writing sessions – it’s going really well. We’re getting into the swing of things and pumping out some songs. I think the sound will be pop-rock and definitely will have an organic vibe, as well.
Q: Is there a release date? A: We’re all going to try to get our records out before Thankgiving – me, Adam and Allison (Iraheta).
Q: How do you envision your career shaking out? A: I don’t know – someone like John Mayer, who’s been through three different phases of his career – he did the acoustic pop thing and everyone loved that. Then he came out with the trio thing and everyone loved that. And then he came out with the bluesy album – someone like him, who I feel his music has gotten better throughout his time in the music industry – that would be great.
“Idol” wave hits Charlotte by Jen Aronoff
Kris: After arriving in Charlotte at 4 a.m. Saturday, he woke up around 10, walked around the hotel – and discovered it had a YMCA inside it… So, he worked out. After the tour ends, he says, he’s planning on going to Los Angeles to finish his album and will then set out to promote it. “I’m having the time of my life, seriously – no David Cook puns there,” he cracked. I also asked how they amuse themselves during long hours on the road. Said Kris: “We’ve never had a problem with that. Matt keeps us pretty amused all the time, and me and Anoop, we pretty much sit there laughing at everyone else. It’s pretty fun.” Oh, and they watch a lot of “Family Guy” on the bus.
Interviews with Michael Sarver, Scott MacIntyre, Kris Allen, Allison Iraheta, Anoop Desai by Rodney Ho
Since I knew they had a day off, I asked whether he spent yesterday working on his new album. He said something album-related fell through so he actually had a few hours off. So his decision? Go see “The Hangover” at Phipps Plaza at 8 p.m. — by himself. Yes, the winner of “Idol” sat by himself in a dark theater alone, save for a few other souls who caught the film on a Thursday night. He said he went unrecognized as well. “No one wanted to go with me,” he said. He said he had never seen a movie by himself. “If I want to go to movies, I want to go with friends,” he said.
So far, the album is going well. At least that’s what the honchos are telling him. “I don’t know,” he said. “I’ve never done this before. I keep asking, ‘Is everything going okay?’ They say, ‘Everything is going great.’ Okay, good!” He said he was getting used to cowriting. His favorite person to co-write with? Guitarist Joe King of the Fray. “That was very very fun,” he said. “We spent two days in Virginia. I came to their show. He went to our show. ”
EXPRESS: You’ve said before that your love of music and experience with it began at a young age. Was there ever a specific moment when you knew that music was what you wanted to do with your life? ALLEN: [When I was] around 6 or 7, I bought the “Dangerous” album by Michael Jackson on cassette and listened, danced, sang to it non-stop. The moment that I knew that music [was] what I wanted to do with my life was the summer after freshman year of college, when I wrote my first song.
EXPRESS: It was confirmed that you signed to Jive Records and that your major-label debut is scheduled for a release in the fall. Are you currently working on it, and if so, how have you found the time? What should people expect in terms of sound, style and content? » ALLEN: Yes, we expect the album out in the fall. We are currently working on it during the tour — when I have “days off” of the tour — and will hopefully wrap things up during the months following the tour. The album will probably be pop/rock, with hopefully a little bit of something that will surprise the fans — in a good way.
EXPRESS: What are your hopes for the rest of the tour, the rest of the year and your career in both the short-term and long-term future? ALLEN: Hopes for the rest of the tour: I hope that every show goes as well as it has up to this point. By the end of the tour, I would like to become a better performer. Rest of the year: I hope that my album goes well and fans are as excited about it as I am. Long-term: That I’m able to do this for as long as I want to. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life, and I am truly grateful that “American Idol” has given me this opportunity.
Fans flock to Arena to catch ‘American Idol’ tour stop By Deanna Allen, some excerpts
Idols’ day off. The Idols arrived in Atlanta on Thursday after an 11-hour drive from Sunrise, Fla. Allen saw “The Hangover” solo, while other Idols, including Allison Iraheta, took in “Bruno” after doing some shopping. “(I) went to Metropark (and bought) shirts, pants, belts, whatever,” Iraheta said, “anything in Metropark I love.”
Tour so far. “We’ve been pumped about Atlanta because we know where Atlanta stands on the love scale,” Sarver said. “We hear about the votes and where they come from, trust me.” Allen and MacIntyre used some time on their day off Thursday to work out. Allen said typical performance days for the Idols involve arriving at the venue and eating lunch before going into press interviews, which are followed by fan meet and greets. Sound checks begin at 5 p.m. “Right after the sound check, we can kind of get into our little modes before the show starts at 7,” Allen said. “Before I go on stage, it’s been, I guess, the past two shows, I started doing jumping jacks … 100 before I go on. And then after that I just kind of get quiet and say a little prayer and just get ready for the show.”
After ‘Idol’. Allen, Iraheta, Desai, MacIntyre and Sarver all have plans in the works to release albums coming off the tour. Desai is in talks about a record deal. “I hope that solidifies itself before the end of the summer,” he said. Iraheta’s album is expected to drop in the fall, followed by Allen’s in November.
‘American Idol’s’ 10 finalists converge on Charlotte Saturday By Jen Aronoff
Dubbed the dark horse of the competition, the unassuming Allen charmed audiences with nice-guy humility, an acoustic singer-songwriter sensibility and determined musicianship, playing piano and guitar. He’s now co-writing an album slated to come out this fall.
Q: At the concert, you go on after Adam, who’s like a spectacle unto himself. How has that worked out? I think it’s kind of nice. Adam does his huge thing and it’s so amazing. He’s one of the best performers I’ve ever seen. And then I come on, and… it’s a little bit smaller, but I think the arena really appreciates what I do.
Q: What does it say about how “Idol” has changed that you could be on the show and win it? Does it say anything about how pop music has changed, too? I feel like pop music is definitely not going my way. ( Laughs.)
Q: You mean, with artists like Lady Gaga? Yeah, you know what I’m saying? I’m not gonna get up there and do, like, an electro-beat kind of song. But hopefully, people can appreciate what I do as well. I just think that it was nice that (the show this year) wasn’t all about how good you can sing. It was about what kind of recording artist you’re going to be, and how well you’re going to do in that respect.
Q: Do you feel any pressure with the title of “American Idol”? I mean, it started off as the search for a pop superstar, and I wonder if it’s even possible to be that kind of superstar now. I don’t see it like that. I see it as a chance to get out there. Now, because we were on the show, we’re getting the chance to do what we want to do. Whether you’re as big as someone like Lady Gaga, or whether your CD doesn’t do amazingly, but you’re still playing gigs and making music – at least we were given the opportunity.
Kris Allen interview to promote “Idols Live” at Gwinnett Arena July 31 by Rodney Ho, some excerpts…
Q: So far, reviews have been good for the tour so far. Have you had time to read any of them? A: I just read some stuff last night. I figured it there’s a place to read reviews, it’d be the L.A. show. It was all good. Everybody got good reviews.
Q: You’ve done eight shows so far. How’s it been going so far? A: It’s been going good, man. We’re getting used to it. We’re able to relax a little bit and have fun with it.
Q: Is it intimidating to follow [runner-up] Adam [Lambert] and his big rock show? A: It’s not intimidating. Like on the show, we’re completely different artists.
Q: I know you and Adam are good friends but there has been some tension among your fans. A: Maybe there has been some. There have been some run ins. But for the most part, they get along.
Q: You sang the coronation song “No Boundaries” the first few dates but have switched to a Killers song. ["All These Things I've Done"] What happened? A: It was a collective thing with the producers. After the first show, the director came up and said he felt like the energy took kind of a downfall [when he sang “No Boundaries”] We needed to pick things up so we switched out that tune. So far, it’s been going amazingly well.
Q: What can we expect from your album? A: It will be a pop-rock mix. I don’t know if it’s a particular genre. It’s going to be something hopefully people will be a little surprised, a good surprise.
Back at home By Joe Lamb
Allen was “living out of a suitcase,” he said, and “spending a lot of time hanging out on buses and planes.” He’s still getting used to the “crazy fans,” many of whom were camped out on a street leading into Verizon Arena to get a glimpse of the “Idols” arriving. “People just want to touch you,” he said. “It’s strange.”
He’s gotten the fame courtesy of “American Idol” and the people who voted for him. For the fortune, he’ll need to take advantage of the recording contract he got for winning the show, and he says he is.
“I’m making the album,” he said. “It’s going to come out in November, and I think it’s going really well. I think it’s going to sound really well.” Expect “kind of a pop-rock feel with a little bit of something else,” he said. When the album comes out, there will be another tour.
Kris Allen Performs Live! by Lauren Trager
We caught up with the American Idol before the concert and he says it’s good to be home. “Arkansas is amazing. It’s a part of the reason I am here so I am just ecstatic to be home, it’s nice,” Allen said.
But we also talked about what’s ahead for the Idol-like an album he says will likely drop right before Thanksgiving. “You know I would say a pop rock with a little bit of soul, and something else, its going to be different but I think people will like it though,” Allen said.
10 Minutes With An Idol - this is an online magazine, just go to page 18 for the article
The King of Arkansas returns by Lindsey Millar
Speaking of direction, Allen’s young career appears to be taking shape. Amidst prepping for the tour, singing the national anthem at the NBA Finals, dealing with questions about his “bromance” with Adam Lambert and Tweeting about eating 14 plums, the Conway native’s been working, steadily, on his fall debut on 19 Recordings/Jive Records. So far, he’s collaborated with Joe King of the Fray (at Timbaland’s Virgina Beach studio) and, according to Billboard, received material from David Hodges (Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry), Salaam Remi (Nas, Amy Winehouse, Al Green) and Claude Kelly (Akon, Leona Lewis). Kris told the magazine he expects the end product to compare to the sounds of Jason Mraz and John Mayer, with a possible trace of an urban sound.
‘Idol’ chatter: Kris Allen talks up tour BY GEORGE LANG
No tabloid-ready rivalry, no behind-the-scenes sniping and recrimination, no senseless drama — in short, Season 8 of “American Idol” was nicer than nice. And this year’s champion, Kris Allen, couldn’t be happier…. He said “American Idol” offered him the opportunity to show his stylistic range.
“Yeah, I think a lot of people put me in that ‘singer-songwriter’ genre, but I don’t see myself strictly in that,” Allen said. “I guess I’m kind of versatile, and being on the show opened me up to that. I don’t know if I ever surprised myself, but some of the stuff that comes out is surprising.”
Now, Allen is preparing his first post-”Idol” disc — his first album, “Brand New Shoes,” was recorded and released in 2007. He is reportedly working with former Evanescence keyboardist David Hodges and Joe King of The Fray on material for the album, due this fall. But for now, his primary focus is on “American Idols Live.”
Ten minutes with an Idol By Shea Stewart (Excerpts I liked)
Sync: Have you gotten kind of comfortable with the way the show is going? Do you feel as though you are at a comfort level that you like?
Kris: Yeah. The first couple of shows you try to get used to everything, and get used to your set and all that. And then we actually had a change in my set so I had to get used to that for a couple of shows. I think now everything is kind of becoming clockwork a little bit so when you get on the stage you can worry about entertaining instead of like “Am I singing this right?” It’s gone really, really well the past couple of shows.
Sync: Talk a little bit about the process of replacing “No Boundaries” with The Killers’ “All These Things That I’ve Done”? Which is a great song, by the way. What was kind of the decision-making process behind that move?
Kris: You know we did the first show, and I think the tour director came up to me and was just like, he was like, “What if we changed the ‘No Boundaries’ to something else?” Because the set just kind of took a dive after the first song, you know? Which I didn’t want that, and I don’t think anyone else wanted that from me. So I thought of actually doing The Killers song. And they were like, “Okay, let’s try it out.” It just worked out great. It’s a song everyone can sing-along with, and it’s good. It’s really good.
Sync: You’re the last one on stage of a three-hour show. While the show is going what are you doing while the others are up there performing? Are you watching from the wings? Are you getting ready?
Kris: Sometimes I try to peek my head out there and watch the show, but a lot of times like when you peek your head out the fans will see you so they won’t watch the actual show so I’ll walk away because I don’t want to be a distraction during someone else’s thing. I try to sneak my way in to watch some people, but most of the time I’m just sitting backstage and I got my little guitar with me and I play it. And there’s other people back there as well. Some of the other Idols and we’re just joking around having a good time, most of the time.
Sync: It’s a 50-show tour, taking tour buses all over the places. If you have any downtime, what’s your downtime like? What are you doing?
Kris: I don’t have downtime. [Laughter] No, if I have a little bit I usually have a little journal that I write in. I’m writing music as well. Talking to my family. Talking to my wife. Trying to keep in touch with people as well as much as I can. We get on the bus, and if we have a little bit of downtime we’re watching DVDs and different stuff.
Sync: The tour ends Sept. 15. Sept. 16 is circled on your calendar. What’s going to be the first thing you’re going to do when the tour ends?
Kris: Well, probably the day after we’ll probably record. [Laughter] We’re still figuring out album stuff so it’s going to go to something else. We’re working on the album stuff now, but it’s going to move into that full force.
Sync: You’re signed to 19 Recordings. What’s the plan for the album? Who are some of the songwriters you’re working with? What’s the musical direction?
Kris: I feel like it’s going to be kind of what I did on the show. Probably a little bit different, a little bit of a surprise. Definitely the pop rock genre, I guess. I don’t know where to put it, but it’ll be somewhere in there. I worked with a guy from The Fray, and I’m working with him again. And some different people as well. Just some different songwriters. And we’re set up to work with some really cool people pretty soon. I’m really excited about it. Things are looking up and up.
Sync: You mentioned writing on the road; are you able to record on the road?
Kris: We’ll be recording some stuff that we will do on the road. We’ll be in different studios. I’ll fly out to [Los Angeles] and do some different recording. There will definitely be some of that.
The Fray Unplugged: Watch “You Found Me,” “Say When” and More
Fray guitarist Joe King also made headlines recently when he entered the studio with American Idol Season Eight winner Kris Allen to work on tracks for Allen’s debut album. Allen had previously covered the Fray’s rendition of Kanye West’s “Heartless” during his Idol drive. As Rock Daily wrote in June, Allen approached King about working together, to which King simply responded, “Yes.” The collaboration reportedly produced a few demos and at the very least, a great melody, according to King, who wouldn’t elaborate on the potential song’s title.
Kris Allen Talks Adam Lambert – American Idol Tour, Paula Abdul Contract By Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith
Does Kris feel any pressure to be a role model of one sort or another, as the Christian guy who’s pals with the gay guy? “No,” he answers flatly. “What would I have to be pressured about? I’m just trying to be me. If people don’t want me to be friends with Adam, that’s their problem, not mine. Adam’s an amazing person, and I’m so happy to call him one of my really good friends.”
Meanwhile, Kris is squeezing in time to write songs for his major label debut album, which is slated for a fall release by Jive Records. “I haven’t done so much co-writing in my life. That’s a little bit different for me. It’s going real well,” he says. “The multitalented musician adds, “It will have a sound that will be a surprise to people, but I think a really good surprise.”
Kris Allen Says ‘No Boundaries’ Just ‘Didn’t Work’ In ‘Idol’ Set by Jim Cantiello
During the Los Angeles tour stop on Thursday, Allen told MTV News, “We were talking to the tour director and stuff, and it kinda just didn’t work with the set.” Allen first replaced “No Boundaries” with the Killers anthem at the Sacramento, California, tour stop and immediately noticed a big difference in audience reaction. “Obviously, adding the Killers song was a, you know, boost in the energy,” Allen said.
In addition to the American Idols Live! shows, Allen is hard at work on his major-label debut. (In June, Kris confirmed to MTV News that he’s in the process of co-writing a song with the Fray’s Joe King.) There’s no word yet on whether this set-list switcheroo indicates that “No Boundaries” will be noticeably absent from his album when it hits stores in the fall.
Kris Allen & Adam Lambert Talk “No Boundaries” by Marc Malkin
Cutting Kara DioGuardi’s “No Boundaries” from the American Idol tour was a no-brainer for Kris Allen. “Taking that out is kind of helping my set a little bit,” Allen explained to us this morning as he and Adam Lambert picked up their new Ford vehicles at Galpin Ford just outside of Los Angeles. “It gave it a little but more energy…It just felt like a better fit to put something else in.” Allen has replaced it with The Killers’ “All These Things That I’ve Done.” “Everyone knows that song,” Lambert said. “It’s really great.”
Adam Lambert, Kris Allen Step Out in Los Angeles
Idol winner Allen is also gearing up to release an album. “As exciting as the last few months have been, I’m really looking forward to what is next,” he recently said. “I’m very grateful to be working with Simon Fuller and his team at 19 Entertainment, along with Barry Weiss and Jive Records on my debut album.” “Everyone’s been asking me what it’s going to sound like,” he went on. “It will be very similar to what you heard from me on the show — definitely in the pop/rock genre. I can’t wait to get started!”
American Idol’s Scott MacIntyre Talks Kris Allen, Life on the Road & the Future
Everyone is buzzing about Kris Allen cutting “No Boundaries” from the set list. What can you tell us?
What I hear from the people here was that they could tell the audiences weren’t connecting to it. When I listen from backstage, I thought it was a good song, and I thought Kris did it well, and it was even better than during the finale. He was really jiving with it, but it was an executive decision that he and the producers made based on the energy from the crowd. There are mixed emotions about that song because obviously it’s still being pushed, so you kind of expect to hear it on the tour.
What’s the guys’ favorite thing to do on the tour bus?
We watch a lot of Family Guy on the bus. No fighting over the remote yet. It’s been pretty calm. We just eat some subs or burgers on the bus after the show and chill out.
What’s going on backstage?
There’s a lot of improv going on in the dressing rooms. We just break out into song sometimes. We sing about whatever we want to sing out, random things.
One of our Watch With Kristin readers, Andrea, wrote in this question for you guys: “My friends and I were wondering if/where the Idols take a shower after each of their shows?”
It’s funny. I thought I would be showering at the venues a lot more than I am, but we usually get a hotel room in every city so most people shower at the hotels.
‘Idol’ performers adjusting to life on tour By Leigh Grogan
• Kris Allen: This year’s winner, Allen, 24, says the tour (just a week old) has “been everything I thought – and more.”
“The venues are bigger than performing in Hollywood, so it’s great coming out on stage.” In fact, his wife, Katy, got to see her first show in Sacramento.
What’s next?: “I’m working hard on my debut album too, co-writing a lot of the material. The goal is to have it out before Thanksgiving.”
So, Adam & Kris co-hosted AT40 this weekend, and one kind soul ripped it for the rest of us who didn’t want to sit through 40 songs… Click here to download the MP3. Another fan actually transcribed it – wow – click here.
ETA : A fan ripped the entire 4 hours (songs and all) – it’s available for download here (c/o joannacullen)
3 ‘Idol’ alumni target holiday season for debuts
As the most recent winner of “American Idol,” Kris Allen isn’t just expected to record a debut album — he’s supposed to make chart-topping hits and live up to the sales of Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and David Cook before him.
For his fall debut on 19/Jive, the 23-year-old has a wealth of songwriters and producers to choose from: David Hodges (Clarkson, Daughtry), Salaam Remi (Nas, Amy Winehouse) and Claude Kelly (Akon, Leona Lewis) have all submitted material for the record. Allen also collaborated with Joe King of the Fray in June at Timbaland’s Virginia Beach, Virginia, recording studio.
“Each writing session has been a learning experience,” says Allen, who adds that his record will sound similar to John Mayer and Jason Mraz, with possible traces of the urban sound that he’s been exploring with some collaborators. “I think that we are trying to figure it out and that it’s going the right way, and I’m really excited about it. I can’t wait.”
Journey ends for ‘No Boundaries’ – oh, wow, was the crowd reception that bad they had to drop the song? OR did Kris put his foot down and refuse to sing this dreck anymore? Either way – thumbs up!
Reviews of Season 8’s finale show widely trashed the victory number and the chilly reception has followed “Boundaries” onto the road. In reviews of the tour, “Boundaries” has been singled out as a misstep, generating a tepid crowd response compared with the other numbers.
The tour’s producers have been listening to the sound of few hands clapping. Starting tonight in Sacramento, “No Boundaries” will be disappear from Allen’s set, according to sources with the production.
A new song will take its place in Allen’s set down the road later this week.
‘American Idol’’s Top 10 on Tour
Kris Allen’s life has also undergone a major change. “You don’t get any sleep. That is the one thing I would like back,” he jokes about winning. On the serious side, he says of his new album, “It has been really great. A lot of work. We have been writing, trying to figure out all that stuff. I feel like [the album will be] kind of what I did on the show. We are experimenting and trying different things. It will all work out in the end.”
Kris on US Weekly
Awesome 12 page spread of Kris from Celebrate Arkansas magazine!
From Toby Gad’s Website – he’s worked with Beyonce etc.
Toby spent six days in the studio with Kris Allen, working on song material for his much anticipated debut album.
Getting ready for the big night
When all the Idols arrived in Portland last week, the tour’s producers brought them into the Rose Garden’s arena and played them the show’s opening, with all its lighting and video effects, for the first time.
“They kind of surprised us,” Kris Allen says. “I just kept smiling. I couldn’t stop. This is something we’ve all dreamt of forever. I could not be more excited.”
“For me, it’s about feeling that energy that they give you and performing for 13,000 people or 15,000 people, however many people are in the arena,” he says. “That’s what I’m excited about.”
Kris Allen: Narrowing his production choice
He’d like to break Idol tradition and work with one producer for the entire project. “That’s what we’re shooting for,” he says, “just to get a continuity throughout the album.
“I know it’s tough to do with the Idol albums. It’s so hectic that it’s hard to get one producer for the whole album, but that would be my preference. The albums that I listen to and really appreciate, they all have that one-producer thing. Every song sounds different, but they still have that something about them that sounds the same.”
“I did a lot of acoustic stuff, and I played the piano, so having that organic feel, not a whole lot of production on the CD, I think they can expect that.
“On the other hand, I like a little bit of production. It just depends on the song. I think you can expect a little bit of that.”
“American Idol” Tour Starts Sunday – finally, something that’s on Kris only!
Kris Allen is looking forward to the “American Idol” tour that starts Sunday, but he’s also a bit concerned about how it’ll affect his marriage. Allen says he’ll have to learn how to deal with being on the road while his wife is at home. He says it’s important that they “keep that bond” even though they won’t always be together. As for the show itself, Allen expects it to be more energetic than the performances on the TV show because it’ll be easier to loosen up in front of a large crowd.
Kris Allen — who’ll be doing five songs during his set, including No Boundaries, Heartless and the Beatles’ Hey Jude — thinks performing in front of 10 to 15,000 people a night will be more comfortable than competing in the show. “You’re not on national TV,” he told me this week. “You’re not in front of four judges and only singing a minute and a half to impress them. You get to do your whole set, so it’s kind of nice, and it takes the pressure off a little bit. Pressure sometimes makes things good, and it sometimes makes things bad.”
Don’t stop believing: 10 Idols get ready to roll to 50 cities
Winner Kris Allen’s five-song set will include The Beatles’ Hey Jude (“One of the songs I wanted to do on the show, and it just didn’t work out,” he says), as well as Kanye West’s Heartless and coronation song No Boundaries.
If you’ve purchased Kris’ iTunes pass, you can download a new video – “Behind the scenes during tour rehearsal” – note: Kris is rehearsing ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ and there’s a close-up of the lyric sheet of ‘Bright Lights‘ (Matchbox Twenty) so he might sing that too. American Idol: Kris Allen, Adam Lambert & the Gang Dish on the Summer Tour
Kris Allen: “Because I go last, I have nothing to do until later, but I’m so weird I’ll probably be watching from the wings anyway. I’m doing some songs from the show. I can say one: ‘Hey Jude’ by the Beatles. It’s gonna be huge. I do five songs.”
zacsgirll from ONTD_AI actually typed up Kris’ answers for his TV Week (Vancouver, Canada) Magazine interview, click here to read:
I don’t know about collaborations. Right now there’s nothing in the works. I think the tone of the album is going to be very much like what I did on the show, something that everyone can enjoy, something that comes out having great songs on an album.
Kris Allen & Adam Lambert Talk About Life After Idol
How is the recording process coming along?
It feels great! It feels great to know that you’ve wanted to do this thing your whole life and to know that you have an album coming out in the fall that you’ve worked hard on that is you.
Can you tell us anything specific about the album — how many tracks, guest appearances?
None of that stuff I know yet. I don’t know if we’re going to have any collaborations and I have no idea how many tracks, but I think the CD is going to be great, I really do. A lot of good songs.
Do you think people will be surprised with your sound?
I actually do think people are going to be surprised, but in a good way, hopefully.
What’s been the hardest thing about recording?
It’s a lot of work. For me, I felt like the songs would come easier writing-wise and collaborating with people. It’s just a process and you kind of have to get used to it and we’re very, very new to this and you’re kind of just thrown into, “Hey, you’re going make a CD in four months. And You’re going to be on tour for three of those months.” … We are music industry virgins, but I feel like we had the best experience and you kind of learn a lot from Idol, and you got to work hard.
What are you taking on tour with you for those long bus rides?
If I got my iPod and my phone, I am perfect because you can talk to people and then you can listen to great music, which I like to do.
Are there any songs you’re excited to perform? I think they let us say one. I’m really excited to perform “Hey Jude” by The Beatles just because it’s such a great song.
Adam Lambert & Kris Allen: They Want to Record Together!
It’s no wonder that the two say we shouldn’t be surprised if, in the end, they decide to record a song together. Allen smiled, “We have to figure it out, but yeah, we should do it.” No surprise, but the American Idol winner and runner-up have become as tight as any two best friends could be. So, just how close are they? They both laugh when I ask Allen if Lambert is his “closest gay.” “As much time as we spend together, I would probably say so,” Allen said.
‘American Idol’ finalists get ready to hit the road
…he’s currently working on picking songs for his debut album to come out later this year. “We’re pretty much in the beginning stages, but I feel like it’s going to be a pop-rock thing, kind of what I did on the show,” he says. Allen says one of his songs in the show will be the Beatles’ “Hey Jude,” a switch from the version of “Come Together” which he did on the show.
Kris Allen, Adam Lambert Reveal Plans Behind “American Idol” Tour
“People want to see you do songs from the show, but it’s nice to be able to throw in something that you want to do and really mold your time onstage,” he says. (His list includes “Hey Jude,” “Heartless” and “No Boundaries.”)
Adam Lambert Details His Big Crush On Kris Allen (On Air w/ Ryan)
Kris told Ryan that he’s releasing a “Pop-rock, soft rock” album. Kris also mentioned that he’s “going to do some stuff from the show” and he’ll also be singing “Hey Jude.” We’re so excited!
American Idol Tour Preview; Radar Talks To The Top 10 – ha ha – the reporter asked Kris about his pecs! Click here to watch the video
Winner Kris Allen told RadarOnline.com reporter Ben Aaron: “We all get our own spotlight. But together we work really well.”
Adam Lambert, Kris Allen Promise ‘Incredible’ ‘American Idol’ Tour – so the set-up is just like last year…
Allen, this year’s winner, also shared his excitement to hit the road, saying that each finalist will bring a different vibe to their sets. “I feel like it’s going to be 10 little shows,” he said, “with 10 really talented people. It’s going to be incredible.”
‘American Idol’ Top 10 Ready To Hit The Road – Kris’ video here is not new, it’s the THR video (I’ve embedded before) where he talks about peeing with Simon/Randy
As the American Idols Live tour gets ready to kick off its 50-city trek, Billboard sat down with winner Kris Allen and Top 10 contestants Anoop Desai, Matt Giraud, Megan Joy and Michael Sarver.
Kris Allen: Adam Lambert Isn’t ‘Stealing My Thunder’ – jeez, nothing about the album! or tour for that matter …
Getting back to business with the Top 10 tour. “It has been really nice. We’ve been crazy busy, all of us. It’s nice just to hang out with everyone and see everyone. It’s going to be a fun tour and it’s just fun to work and do what we’ve wanted to do in the first place.”
Fray’s Joe King Says There’s ‘A Good Vibe In The Studio’ With Kris Allen – really good one – so check out the link! And I might just get that iTunes pass for Allen with the mention of BTS videos!
Allen will also be collaborating with Salaam Remi, a hip-hop producer best known for his work with Nas (“Where Are They Now”) and Amy Winehouse (everything on Back to Black not produced by Mark Ronson). Remi isn’t the only urban influence that Allen is bringing in, as Claude Kelly has also been connected with the winner. Kelly has collaborated on tracks for Leona Lewis (“Forgive Me”) and Akon (the Michael Jackson-assisted “Hold My Hand”). But Allen has already spent time with writer and producer Joe King, the guitarist and songwriter from the Fray. Allen performed King’s version of Kanye West’s “Heartless” on the show, and the pair recently spent two days in Timbaland’s studio in Virginia Beach, where they demoed a song. “I’m literally in the studio mixing the rough demo right now,” King said via telephone from Toronto (the Fray just began the first leg of their North American tour). “It doesn’t have a title yet. It doesn’t even have lyrics — but there is a lot of gibberish.” Above all, it was fun. “At the end of the session, we cranked up ‘Bounce’ in the studio and got down,” he said. “They’re following Kris’ progress on film, so there’s video of us white boys shaking it to Timbaland songs in his studio, which I hope doesn’t get out there.” Since the song is still in its infant stages, King said it doesn’t yet have a real identity. However, King is confident that whatever it becomes, Allen will have success. “He has all the elements it takes. He has a phenomenal voice and an incredible work ethic,” says King. “He’s passionate about what he’s doing, and that’s what’s going to sell him.”
Kris Allen Working With Fray Frontman, “Idol” Vets On Debut
So far, Allen has nailed down collaborations with songwriter Claude Kelly (Kelly Clarkson’s “My Life Would Suck Without You,” Britney Spears’ “Circus”), producer Salaam Remi (Amy Winehouse, Nas) and former Evanescence keyboardist David Hodges, who previously worked with Idol alumni Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry and David Archuleta. “I’ve been writing a lot with a lot of different people, and it’s going well,” Allen told Billboard. “Each writing session has been a learning experience. I think that we are trying to figure it out and that it’s going the right way and I’m really excited about it. I can’t wait.” Despite the dance/rap influence of his current writing partners, Allen is reportedly hoping to make a disc in the Jason Mraz mold. Allen also recently spent time in Timbaland’s Virginia studio, not to work with the Shock Value producer, but to collaborate with the Fray’s Joe King, who inspired Allen’s Idol performance of Kanye West’s “Heartless.”
Kris Allen: The Reality Rocks Interview (videos are embedded below)
In part 2, we got down to what always mattered most: The music, man. In this section I admit I got a little fangirly myself discussing Kris’s genius decision to cover the Once soundtrack’s “Falling Slowly” (one of the most musically credible moments of AI 8, and my favorite performance of his), especially when Kris emotionally spoke about the reaction his version elicited from the song’s composers, Glen Hansard (of the Frames) and Marketa Irglova. We also talked about what his debut album will sound like and, perhaps most excitingly, the big singalong number he will be performing on the Idols Live Tour. When you go to the concert make sure to bring your cellphones, kids (or your Bic lighters, if you’re old-school), ’cause you’re going to want to whip them out and hold them up, high and illuminated, when Kris gets his big, non-humble, victorious stadium moment
Picture of Kris, Anoop & Allison chillin’ with their macbooks (during rehearsal downtime?) – care of Danny’s Twitter
Adam Lambert, Kris Allen Team With Top Hitmakers For Debut Albums
“I’ve been writing a lot with a lot of different people, and it’s going well,” Allen says. In fact, sources tell Billboard.com that he’s been working with some of the top songwriters and producers, including David Hodges (Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry), Salaam Remi (Nas, Amy Winehouse) and Claude Kelly (Akon, Leona Lewis). Allen also hit Timbaland’s studio in Virginia Beach to work with Joe King of the Fray, whose take on Kanye West’s “Heartless” inspired Allen’s own performance of the song during the competition. Allen attended the group’s show that evening after the writing session. While Allen has been experimenting with some urban-influenced styles, he’s honing the material for the album in a John Mayer/Jason Mraz direction. “Each writing session has been a learning experience,” he says. “I think that we are trying to figure it out and that it’s going the right way and I’m really excited about it. I can’t wait.”
Web Extra! Kris Allen (video also embedded after the jump) – Not much info, but Kris has 5 solos on the tour! (And if video won’t play, download from this link). ‘Idol’ Top 10 Live Chats: Kris Allen (relevant excerpts – darn it! Kris just wants all of us to remain in the dark!)
can u tell us about ur album like the name of any songs?
Kris Allen: We haven’t started on any of that stuff yet. We’re still writing, so we don’t have any song names or anything like that. I wish I could throw those out there. But not right now.
Hey Kris, huge fan here! what kind of album do you think you will put out? acoustic? or more upbeat?
Kris Allen: It’s going to be more of a… I think it’s going to have that acoustic feel, but not too much. It’s going to have probably a little more rock feel than people think it’s going to, which is cool. But also good stuff that people will want to listen to. More along the lines of pop rock.
Kris, the friendship you’ve forged with Adam this season is amazing…I’m wondering if you think you two will be friends for the long haul? And do you guys have any plans to work together in the future? (Duet on your album/on the Idols tour perhaps?)
Kris Allen: Me and Adam, yes, we are very good friends and I have a feeling that we’re going to be friends forever, just because when you go through something like this with someone until the very end — and we were roommates from the beginning. I don’t know if we’re going to work together. We’ve already started bouncing ideas off each other for our own albums, but our styles are so different, I don’t know if it would work. I respect what he does and he respects what I do, but I don’t know if it would mesh together well. Maybe, who knows?
What’s the most imporant thing for you in terms of your music? What won’t you compromise about?
Kris Allen: I will not compromise lyrics … I have to get emotionally involved and cheesy lyrics I will not get emotionally involved with, so that’s one thing I will not compromise on
Your performance with Keith Urban at the finale was AMAZING! Is there any chance you might ever come out with a country record?
Kris Allen: Definitely not. I had a great time with Keith Urban, but that’s not the route that I want to go. But I’m glad everyone enjoyed it, because I enjoyed it. I had a great time with him and it was a lot of fun.
Are there any songs you wish you could’ve covered on AI, but the theme weeks just never coincided?
Kris Allen: There were a couple of songs I wanted to do that didn’t cleared. I am not going to say what they are, because I am going to do them on tour. So you’ll have to come out and listen.
Q&A with American Idol Winner Kris Allen (from Oprah.Com) – Kris refuses to play & keeping all his cards to himself …
SS: Next up is the Idol tour. Excited?
KA: Very excited. Doing 53 shows in the biggest arenas in America. I actually talked with friends about doing shows, I think we were watching like a YouTube concert or DVD, [and I thought] it would be so cool to do that. And I’m getting to do stuff like that. It’s a dream, and I’m so excited.
SS: Do you know what you’re going to perform?
KA: I do.
SS: Can you say?
KA: No.
SS: Darn the secrecy!
KA: [Laughs] There are going to be some songs from the show. But there’s going to be some songs that I actually wanted to do on the show but they would not clear them. It worked out.
SS: Now you’re working on your album. Where do you find your creative inspiration?
KA: Someone asked me awhile back, “Why do artists always write about love?” And I was like, “Love is the coolest thing that’s ever happened in the world.” I feel like that’s definitely an inspiration. And in different situations as well—loving friends or going through a hard time with love, or me and my wife…or seeing other people love each other. That’s definitely like the biggest inspiration. When it goes good or when it goes bad. That’s something creatively I think about it.
Article links for Adam Lambert:
Adam Lambert, Kris Allen, Allison Iraheta LPs Won’t Be ‘Cookie-Cutter,’ Producer Insists By Jim Cantiello
“American Idol” season-eight alumni Kris Allen, Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta are as wildly different from each other as possible. But the trio — who are all set to release their debut post-”Idol” albums later this year — have one thing in common: They’re running to Kevin Rudolf for material.
Rudolf … also had positive things to say about runner-up Adam Lambert, even though he only worked with him for “five or six hours” right before the American Idols Live! Tour kicked off in July. “He’s so cool, so open. … His voice is incredible. He can do anything he wants. It’s just a matter of choosing the right direction and homing in and saying, ‘This is my sound.’ ” Rudolf believes he knows what’s best for Adam. “We started a song that was … kind of like an updated, futuristic-rock, disco-ish thing.” As is the case with all post-”Idol” projects, Rudolf was not at liberty to reveal any song titles or lyrics, but he did announce that he plans to complete the “disco-ish” song with Lambert now that the “Idol” tour has wrapped up. “I’m gonna do some more stuff with him,” the visibly excited producer promised … Rudolf admitted that there are “a lot of chefs in the kitchen,” but he views that as a positive. “I don’t think it’s gonna go wrong. I know they’re all working with mostly really good-quality people.”
Idols share a thought or three before War Memorial show in Syracuse by Mark Bialczak
Last up for me in the rotation was Adam Lambert, this year’s runner-up to Kris Allen. Lambert said he didn’t get the chance to explore the cities he visited on the tour much, but he knows where he’d like to return. “I was really refreshed by the deep South,” says Lambert. “It was an area I hadn’t visited, and I was impressed by the warmth and enthusiasm. There was a charm and noblesse oblige to the people.”
Lambert says he’s convinced that his appearance on “American Idol” has brought him to a status he’d not have achieved otherwise. “The music business now is so tough,” he says. “To be signed (to a record deal) you have to be a sure thing. I thought the only way I could make it would be to have a platform like ‘American Idol.’ “
His debut recording is half finished, Lambert says. “We’ll jump right into recording after the tour. It will be a lot of work,” says Lambert, who added that he’s “co-written in large handfuls” for the album. Asked about the style, he said he came up with his own perfect description just last night. “It is a sonic dress-up party,” Lambert says. “It has it’s theatricality. It has a pop vein. It’s very catchy and radio-friendly. It has a lot of rock elements, and dance elements.”
One-on-one with the Idols by Donna Reynolds
Of all the Idols I interviewed, Adam was the most relaxed and chatty. He told me he is still amazed at the level of fan support he’s gotten and that he was so grateful that people accept him for who he is. He said he’s tried to stay true to himself throughout the experience and figured people would either accept him or not. Still, the fan mania blows him away every night and he is still in awe of the way people behave towards him! He said that before Idol, he was making a good living as, in his words, a “chorus boy” and understudy, but wanted to go in a different direction. He took a shot at Idol because he thought the national TV might land him better gigs. He said at each point in the process, he was surprised that he had progressed to the next level, but that in January, he had what he described as an “epiphany” where he knew he needed to think positively.
We talked about his upcoming album. While it’s due out November 24, he said he isn’t anywhere near finished. As soon as the tour is over, he’s headed back to L.A. and will work fulltime to get it done. He said he works better under pressure and is pretty excited about the process. We talked about the type of music he’s recording and he says not to expect “classic” rock. That’s been done, he said, and he is going in a different direction, more dance/pop oriented. He said it’s hard to explain, really, and said people were just going to have to wait to hear it!
I asked if he’d seen Lady GaGa’s performance on the VMAs and he lit up! He truly admire her theatrical style and when I asked if he saw himself as a similar type of artist, he nodded. He’s excited about the future and can’t wait for the next phase to begin.
Hope and Regret, Recorded and Live
ADAM LAMBERT Will the flamboyant runner-up of last season’s “American Idol” manage to throw a wrench in the blanding machine operated by 19, the multimedia outfit connected to the show itself? Will he opt for a different touring concept, one that includes burlesque revues and “Rocky Horror” singalongs in B-markets, amid the usual Ticketmaster shed-shows? Will he tame that outrageous falsetto? November. RCA. (B. R.)
EXCLUSIVE: Adam Lambert Has Elton John’s Number, Talks New LP – by Ralphie Aversa (you can download the audio) – an interviewer who asks new questions!!! how rare is that…
“Hmm… the most famous contact in my phone?” Adam Lambert pondered before answering, “Elton John.”
During our conversation backstage before American Idols Live, Lambert revealed Better Than Ezra’s Kevin Griffin is not possible songwriter for Lambert’s forthcoming LP… “I don’t know who Kevin is. That was actually a surprise to me, when I read that on MTV,” said Lambert. “We haven’t talked to him at all. He hasn’t written anything… we don’t have any of his songs.”
Lambert himself described the LP as an audio version of playing dress-up. After the Idol tour wraps up, he’ll focus on picking around 12 songs from a list of 20. Also on the docket is a photo shoot for the album – as well as a title – which Lambert says won’t be picked until the track listing is set.
Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta Close To Finishing Debut Albums By Gary Graff
Lambert tells Billboard.com that his set is “about midway” to being finished. “We recorded a bunch of stuff before the tour started, and I wrote a handful of stuff,” he reports. “We have three or four weeks after the tour ends that I have to record like crazy, but we have a lot of material to do that with.” Lambert says the album “has elements of rock, of course, but it has a lot of pop sensibilities to it. It’s really current, really fresh and yet still melodically and vocally it’s nodding to the ’70s and ’80s classics. I know I got most of my credibility on ‘Idol’ doing those songs from those eras, and it wouldn’t make sense for me to do an album that runs away from it.” Among Lambert’s collaborators so far have been RedOne, Linda Perry, Max Martin and Greg Wells. The album is so far unnamed — “I want to see what ends up on the album before I come up with a title,” he says — and will likely be comprised of all-original songs, though he says that “there might be a cover on there. It’s a maybe.” Similarly, he has not yet recorded any duets but says “the jury’s still out. It really could happen.”
Lambert, meanwhile, acknowledges the weight of expectations. “I do feel a little bit of pressure,” he says. “There’s a lot of hype. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot of attention, which is a great thing for somebody in my position, with an album coming out. I think people are going to like what they hear. I hope they do, at least.”
Adam Lambert ‘Halfway Done’ with ‘Eclectic’ Debut Album by Aaron Parsley
… Adam Lambert has been hard at work on his debut album, which he says is well underway. “We did a lot of work on it right before the tour started. I wrote a lot with various producers and writers and recorded a handful of songs,” he told PEOPLE on a call during a stop in Columbus, Ohio. “We’ve been doing a lot of work on it during the tour as well … We’re still gathering material and we’re scheduling more recording sessions for when it’s over, so we’re about halfway done.”
Lambert, who’s already done a photo shoot for the album, promises it will be “quite eclectic.” “There are songs on there that are anthems; there are song that make you want to dance; there are songs that make you feel sexy; there are songs that touch you, hopefully, with more emotional, insightful, deeper lyrics,” he says. “There are songs that are more in the line with a rock sound. There are some that are really pop-oriented.”
There’s something for everyone, according to Idol’s reigning runner-up, which “I’m really proud of,” he says. “I can’t wait to see people’s reaction. It’s just going to be fun.”
Interview with Adam Lambert from American Idol Season 8 by Kim Reed
Lambert said his fans are “not demographic specific.” He has found that his “range of fans has little to do with age and geographic location.” He was pleasantly surprised to find that the south, home to Kris Allen, gave him a warm welcome on the tour and that his home state of California equally embraced Kris Allen. “We receive a warm welcome from fans wherever we go, that’s the beauty of the show and this tour.”
Even though Adam Lambert lost to Kris Allen on this season of American Idol, he brought up Allen twice during the interview … He said both he and Allen have similar deals with 19 & RCA and their albums will come out in November. “I’m excited! There’s a lot to be done. I put a dent in it right before the tour and I am actually co-writing some material.” He said the album will be “pop which isn’t about one genre.”
He admitted that he was apprehensive about the process. “I was worried that I would be locked in to a bad deal based on what I’ve read in the past and the stigma with 19. But my experience has been very different than what I have read. They [19] really do facilitate what we [Allen and Lambert] want to do. We have control over the material.”
Before the show in DC, the Idols had a day off to explore the city. While the other Idols played tourist Lambert made a surreptitious trip to the Ritz Carlton camouflaged by a “trucker hat and dark glasses” for a facial and massage. He then ventured west on M Street in to Georgetown to buy clothes and hair products.
“Idol” Conversation: Adam Lambert by Rich Heldenfels
What’s the album going to be like? Good. (laughs) I really like it. I think it’s great. I’m working with great producers. I’m co-writing a lot of the material. I, uh — it’s great. It’s catchy. It blends — it’s definitely pop-rock with electronic production. … It has a lot of good beats. It’ll get you dancing. It’ll get you singing along. It’ll get in your head.
If people only know you from seeing you on “American Idol,” are they going to be ready for this album — or are you going somewhere different? It’s a hard thing to say, because a lot of the music I did on the show was music from the past. It was cover music. I think I got most of my credibility doing a lot of the classic rock stuff. And then “Mad World,” like an ’80s, New Wave song.
So I kind of think that all that matters [on the album] is that I’m singing on it. You know? Hopefully, people will be into it. I think that it’s a hard thing to judge — original music versus songs that you know work. Very different pieces. So I hope people like it.
You have always seemed focused on making something Adam Lambert’s, that you find your way into that. Yeah. So I guess it’s kind of the same strategy. … I think that it’s also kind of funny because I’vd gotten asked what genre it’s going to be. At this point I don’t know if it’s really necessary to place one label on it or not.
Isn’t one of the risks — talking to Michael, for instance, about people assuming he’s a country artist — that people assume from “American Idol” that they’ve got what you are when maybe they don’t? Yeah, I can see that being a risk. Luckily, my experience on “Idol” was colored with a lot of different styles. Like, I took songs from different genres and did them. So hopefully, people will be ready for an album that is eclectic, and a collection of different sounds.
* Check out RollingStone’s photogallery – On the Road with Adam Lambert and Kris Allen
RollingStone scans – Rock & Roll – Adam Rocks the Idol Revue – thanks to bam__x3 of ONTD.
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‘I do feel like I won’ by Linda Laban
“The first show we did, I stepped out and I was blown away by the size and the amount of people in there. This is definitely the biggest amount of people I’ve ever played to. I’m constantly going, ‘Oh my gosh!’” he exclaims in a mock Valley Girl tone. “It truly is a dream come true, all of this.”
All of this includes a deal with RCA to record his first album. “Right after [‘Idol’] ended, we began preproduction and I started meeting with producers and co-writers. We produced a handful of tracks and I’m continuing the creative process while I’m on the road. We’ll do the bulk of it when I get back.”
Those producers include RedOne (Lady Gaga), Linda Perry (Pink), Ryan Tedder (Jordin Sparks) and Greg Wells (Katy Perry). “They said, ‘Well, which direction do you want to go?’ I said I kinda want to do everything. I’m a lover of pop music, but I have a fondness for classic rock and the electro stuff from the ’80s as well. I want to figure out a way to fuse that together.”
Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta Answer Your Questions by Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna
Adam, I would love to hear more about the soundtrack. When will we find out?
Adam: I still can’t say anything. It’s definitely happening, but it’s not my call to be the one making the announcement. Sorry!
How are the new albums coming along? What’s the latest?
Adam: We’re kind of looking at everything and kind of hanging on to as much as we can and choosing from there. If we’re feeling a song, we’ll record it. If we’re not feeling it, we don’t. We’re going to powerhouse it after the tour is over as far as getting songs recorded and writing some new material. We’ve made a nice big dent in the process, but I think the majority of it will be done afterward.
Allison: I’ve been going through material on tour. My favorite person to work with is Kevin Rudolf because his energy is great, and he’s just a great guy and has already done so much.
Adam, is your album gonna have songs like “Whole Lotta Love,” “Cryin’,” “One” and “Born to be Wild”?
Adam: I don’t think that’s actually really going to happen. I think the record needs to be new material. I do know we recorded some [of the live material from tour] that will be available on iTunes as a special offer.
Adam and Allison, do you bounce ideas off each other for your albums?
Allison: We definitely do bounce ideas off each other. We’re showing each other tracks we have like, “Hey I got this new track. What do you think?”
How do you manage to keep your voice from getting hoarse after such intense performances almost every single night?
Adam: It’s definitely a learning experience in trying to learn to pace yourself. I found out that I can’t do all the super, superhigh notes every night, or else they won’t be there the next night. I’m just trying to learn to pick and choose my moments to really wail.
Adam Lambert’s “Sexy” November Debut Stocked With Surprises
The American Idols Live tour is in full swing, but Adam Lambert still has one eye on his debut album, due in November via AI’s 19 Recordings through a licensing deal with RCA … he stayed tight-lipped about any possible song names, lyrics or the album title — “Nope, can’t tell you yet — it’s all a surprise,” he says — but stressed that assembling the album quickly is only adding to its intensity.
“We did a surprising amount of work before the tour started, we had about a month,” he says. “I got a lot of co-writing done, some great initial vocal material recorded, and just general collaborations with different producers.” His list of collaborators has grown to include OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder (Kelly Clarkson, Beyoncé), along with Lady Gaga producer RedOne, Linda Perry, Greg Wells and Sam Sparro. His only promises: “a lot of surprises” and “it’s going to feel really sexy.”
After after a month on the road with the Idols tour, Lambert says he has definitely learned a few things that’ll come in handy down the line. “When you dance and move around it creates a different reaction from the audience — they love it,” he says. “And getting a sense of interaction with them, I love that. It’s like a trial run, a test audience for things to come. I would love to do a live show with dancers and fashion and scenic elements — definitely bring my love of the theater to a concert-style performance.”
Not-so-glamorous life of an Idol star on tour by BRUCE DEMARA
“It is a bit tiring but it’s definitely worth it. Any time I feel a little bit tired when I get onto the stage for my set, I’m immediately charged up by the audiences,” Lambert said. “The audiences have been so positive and passionate about what we do and they definitely make you forget about being tired when you get out there,” he added.
“There’s 11 of us on one bus and the bus is not that large so it’s definitely close quarters. It’s a good thing that we all get along as well as we do,” Lambert said. “It’s a lot of work but … we’re all goofy together, we make each other laugh. The food is not great, I’ll be honest with you … but you live with it.” Down time is virtually non-existent, though Lambert got to spend four hours recently in the tony Washington, D.C. suburb of Georgetown, wearing dark glasses and a trucker hat to retain his anonymity. “This is the first time I’ve gone from city to city, like, daily. So it’s definitely learning experience and it’s a kind of initiation for all of us for the rest of our careers, I think,” Lambert said.
Like Season 8 winner Kris Allen, Lambert is in fact on a project of his own, an as-yet untitled album set for release in November. When the Idol tour ends on Sept. 15, he’s got about four weeks to “really hit it hard and finish it all up.”
Adam Lambert: The ultimate interview, Part Four by Fred Bronson
In the final segment of this four-part interview, the Season Eight runner-up discusses his “American Idol” experience. Part One of this interview can be read here. Part Two can be read here. Part Three can be read here.
So while you were on “Idol,” you were reading what people were writing about you. Did it affect you? I’m pretty objective, pretty resilient to that kind of thing. I didn’t take it personally. I try to take it as research, like how people were responding to it, and I felt the same way about the judges. They had objective opinions and everybody has one. Listen to their comment and if it’s a good critique, take it. Make notes. Fix it if you agree, and if not, just keep doing your thing.
It’s not about them and what they think. It’s about that I get to be on TV in front of millions of people and I get to sing. It’s about the opportunity and the experience and it’s not about “Did the judges like it?” I didn’t want to be too concerned with that, and by having a sense of humor about it, it made me more OK.
And now you’re recording your debut album. What is your vision for your first record? I want to do pop-rock electronic, like dance rock. I want it to be rock and roll, a nod to all the ’60s and ’70s rock that I love, the classic and the glam rock, but with a very current, futuristic sensibility for dance floors. I want people to have fun. I don’t want to sound like I have this social cause, but I think that music in the ’70s was so cool because it was about partying. It was about bringing people together and celebrating and not about all this dark sad [stuff]. I want to bring back the fun stuff. I want to bring people together and get them to dance and smile and feel sexy and celebrate our similarities, not our differences.
American Idols By Elisa DiStefano
Then came Adam Lambert full of energy … He said he didn’t think he would get as far as he did because he thought people would think he was too weird. I brought up his celebrity nickname “Glambert”- and he said he liked it and thinks it’s very appropriate. He joked (or maybe not) that he should call his next album “Glambert.” I told him he should have his own Eyeliner product called “Glambert”– and he said it’s already being talked about! I always wondered how he gets that liner to stay put. He told me his secret. You have to put powder on top of it to make it stick…
We talked about being on tour. He said , “I am physically kind of worn out but every time I get on stage I feel like I am plugging in, like I am recharging the battery. The energy coming at me is amazing, the audience is like – every audience we have has been super supportive, there are signs out in the audience, there are bras being thrown at me on stage which is hilarious.” I asked if he throws the bras back. … “yeah, if there is something on the stage you have to acknowledge it. Sometimes it gets overwhelming. There’s litter all over the stage so I have to pick and choose what I play with. There’s been a whip, handcuffs.” … As far as his new album, expect it in November and a single in October. Here’s how he described it. “Its going to be a blend of the great things about 70s and 80s rock music and pop music mixed with today’s current dance floor type sounds, some of the stuff you can shake your butt to, feel sexy, empowered, most of message on songs are positive and uplifting, then you’ll have your emotional ballad in there too to feel something, there’s going to be some funky stuff on there. It’s going to really run the gamut on everything. ” He pinky sweared me that he would come back to perform after his album drops.
Adam Lambert on the Idols Tour
… Adam describes an average day on the Idols Summer Tour as “jam packed.” They arrive at the venues at around 1pm, head to the dressing room for a snack, take part in press events every other day, attend meet and greets with the fans, prepare for the show, and have dinner. In addition to that busy schedule, Adam finds time to do his own makeup before every show. Adam said it wasn’t his theater background that taught him how to do makeup, “I used to do my own makeup when I went to the clubs in Hollywood,” Adam said.
… Meeting his fans in 50 cities across the nation has “been a pleasant surprise,” Adam said. “I have a diverse range of fans which is really cool. I’ve met fans that range from people in their late fifties to kids.” In the middle of July, Adam got to perform at the Staples Center in his hometown of Los Angeles. “I have lots of friends and family in L.A. It was great getting to visit with them for a while. We got to be in one room together. I try to be good at keeping in touch with them.”
On a couple of the tour stops, fans have thrown some interesting objects and garments on the stage as Adam performs. “It’s become a bit of a tradition for people to throw things on the stage while I’m performing ‘Fame’ during the Bowie medley. They’ve thrown bras, panties, handcuffs, a blue boa, and most recently a red leather tassled whip.” Ever the performer, Adam doesn’t just let the objects rest on the stage. “I have fun with it and I pick up the items and play with them. I hope none of the undergarments hit me in the face!” Halfway through his set, Adam strips down to a vest without a shirt underneath. When he was asked if he did anything special to get his arms in shape, the modest Adam said, “My arms are not in shape. I’m just in the moment when I perform and get hot, so I take my jacket off.”
During our call, he opened up a bit about his upcoming album, which is expected to be released this fall. “I’m working with lots of great producers. Linda Perry is one amazing producer that I am working with, as well as RedOne. I will also be doing some co-writing, and Ryan Tedder will be writing on the album as well.”
Adam would like to thank his fans for all of the extremely thoughtful and beautiful gifts he’s received on tour, but he is running out of room on the bus and would prefer if the money went to charity. If you would like to give Adam a gift, he suggests that you check out DonorsChoose.org to make a donation in his honor.
View photos of Adam Lambert on the American Idols LIVE 2009 Tour.
The Highs and Lows of Being an ‘American Idol’ By ARI PINKUS, excerpts…
… Lambert, is also very much in his element on stage. “I like getting an emotional reaction out of people. There is an energy exchange that takes place between artist and audience that gives me a huge rush,” Lambert exclaimed. Lambert keeps focused on the positive aspects of entertainment fame, hoping that it will provide him with financial security, he said. But the dark side does rear its ugly head sometimes. “A drawback is that the negative opinions people have toward the famous, successful, and alternative is now aimed at me,” he said.
… Adam Lambert was living in Los Angeles, yearning to stretch his talents beyond theater. “I was looking for an opportunity to promote myself as a solo artist,” said Lambert. “Although I’m not in any way turning my back on my experience in the theater world, I am looking forward to performing as an extension of myself as opposed to an already written and directed character.”
… In his time away, Allen has become very friendly with Lambert. Earlier this year, they roomed together on “American Idol.” While on tour, they’ve become more familiar with each other’s hidden talents. While Allen said he has maintained the “weird talent of blowing bubbles out of my mouth,” he’s also discovered his former rival’s quintessential quirk. “It takes [Lambert] longer to do his tour makeup than the show,” Allen joked.
For his part, Lambert said all the time together only solidified his initial impression of Allen. “He’s further proved my opinion that he is one of the nicest, most laid-back and gracious guys I have ever met,” he said. “He has a great sense of humor and nothing fazes him. It’s refreshing to be friends with someone so comfortable in his own skin.” In one way, it shows what Lambert has realized about having a career as an entertainer. “In order to make a living in show biz, you have to be good with people and be a team player.”
He is upbeat about working alongside Allen and has become one of his ex-rival’s biggest fans. “I am so excited for his future success,” he said. Lambert’s also looking forward to his own success, as he works on releasing his solo album in November, which is expected to have some sexy songs. But he has more far-reaching plans as well. “In five years, I see myself making more records and music videos and hopefully crossing over into other forms of entertainment media,” he said. Acting is one possibility. “I would love to try film and TV. Movie musicals are back,” he said excitedly. He holds out hope for one part in particular. “Dream role would be Judas in an edgy version of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar,’ ” he said.
Adam Lambert’s Fans Throwing Sex Toys Onstage! by Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna
“It’s going further, and somebody threw onstage a red-leather tasseled whip,” he tells us. “Yeah, and then the next night, I got one that was made out of, like, purple fur. It’s getting really S&M.” “It interesting,” he says. “I got some glow-in-the-dark handcuffs. It’s really getting creative. It’s exciting. I think they really want me to play with these toys during the number.” So does he? “I always try to because I enjoy that,” he says. “But then somebody threw a bra on during ‘Starlight,’ and, literally, it missed my face by three inches. Yeah, I am going to be a little bit more passive-aggressive, so I decided not to even acknowledge the bra that got thrown on stage, because I didn’t want to condone the behavior.”
The upside to the new X-rated projectiles? “I’m glad it was a soft material and wasn’t anything hard. I’m not really into S&M, but it’s definitely tempting.”
Adam Lambert, ‘American Idol’ crowd pleaser, still on stage By Sam Sessa
“American Idol” runner-up Adam Lambert is anything but subtle… “I remember getting into the competition and feeling like, ‘Oh, I hope I crack the top 10,’ ” he said. “I never thought I would get that far in ‘American Idol,’ considering that I’m a little bit more alternative.” “I learned a lot in theater as far as how to please a crowd and create a ‘number,’ ” Lambert said. “I tried to do that each week with ‘Idol,’ from what I was wearing to how I used the stage to lighting things and sound things I used along the way. I just wanted to create a mood and theater definitely gave me that knowledge.” “I’m surprised that people looked past a lot of the other stuff,” he said. “Maybe I suspended their disbelief and allowed them to be entertained. I think that’s what music should be.”
On the American Idols Live tour, Lambert opens his set with Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” then segues into “Starlight” by Muse and “Mad World” by Tears for Fears. Audiences can also expect “Slow Ride” by Foghat and a medley of songs by David Bowie – an artist Lambert looks up to. “Bowie’s a great example of somebody that brought out visual theatrics to help him tell his story,” he said.
When Lambert gets a day off between cities, he works on his forthcoming solo album, he said. He’s booked a couple recording sessions along the tour, which continues through mid-September. After it ends, he’s going to devote all his time to finishing the album. So far, he’s pleased with how it’s coming together. Lambert said he has even co-written some lyrics on a handful of songs.
“I’m excited that I have some creative control and input as to what is going to be in the album,” he said. “Contrary to popular belief, they do not puppet us around after ‘Idol.’ They’re giving me a lot of creative control.” As for the songs? “They’re sexy,” he said. “There’s a lot of sexy songs – songs that are fun to dance to. There’s a lot of anthems and stuff you can sing along to. It pretty much just kicks ass.”
Though it doesn’t yet have a title, the album is slated for a November release. And Lambert isn’t hiding his enthusiasm. That wouldn’t be his style. “We’re really, really, really excited.”
Lambert wants to see where the music takes him By WALT BELCHER
Lambert says the “American Idols Live” tour has been a “whirlwind of excitement” that is hard work but “totally worth it to get up on that stage.”
Lambert signed a record deal with 19 Entertainment and RCA Recordings. Lambert is scheduled to record that album while on the road with the show’s finalists for the “Idols Live Tour.” The untitled album is expected for release in the fall. Like most of the finalists, he looking ahead to the end of the tour and the release of his album, a mix of all styles of music. “It will be a diverse collection of pop, rock, jazz, blues, ballads and everything,” he says.
Forget any talk about him becoming a Broadway star. He toured in “Wicked” and performed in other stage productions before “Idol.” “Now I want to be me,” he says. “I don’t want to play a character. I want to see where the music takes me.”
He says he is cool with a second place first because “honestly. I didn’t go in it to win.” “I went in for the experience,” he says. “I am competitive on stage but it was more about getting the exposure for my future.” He adds that he is pleased that he went as far as he did considering that he is an alternative style of performer. “It shows America was ready to judge based on talent.”
Pre-show interviews with the American Idol gang (starting with Adam) by Darla Atlas
“We’ve had major support in every city we’ve gone to – even in the more conservative cities, and I didn’t expect to have that much support,” he said of the tour so far. “It’s been amazing. Onstage, there’s just so much positive energy coming at you.”
About that album, which should be out in November: “It’s everything – rock, pop, dance, funk, a lot of electronic production and a lot of rock production. I really don’t feel like there’s any need to stick to one genre; that’s not me as a performer.
A Watched Pot finally boils for Bleu By Jed Heneberry – This guy is another songwriter working with Adam…
… Having other outlets to exercise those impulses comes in handy as well, and Bleu takes full advantage in his “other” gig as a songwriter for musicians like the Jonas Brothers, Kate Voegele, and most recently America Idol star Adam Lambert.
Adam Lambert – what you probably don’t know by Bill Pinella
- And what does he think of the AI Tour? “The Tour is just great. When we get out on the stage it’s like WHOOOOAAA! It feels great.”
Fresh LA Artist: Alisan Porter (Exclusive) by Viviane Feilhaber
And you’re working on Adam Lambert’s album?
I have submitted a couple songs and written a couple songs with him, so it’s definitely a possibility. He’s busy and everybody wants him, he’s quite in demand at the moment, [but] I think there’s a strong possibility I could end up on something as a writer or a singer, sure, yeah (you heard it here first).
Idol chatter: Five American Idols open up about life on the road By PAM KRAGEN
It’s press hour, and a handful of print, online and television reporters have arrived for interviews. In each city on the tour, five Idols are chosen at random to meet with the press (though Lambert, the media and crowd favorite, always seems to end up in that random draw).
Adam Lambert: He’s friendly, funny, informal and far more spontaneous in his answers than the others. L.A.-based Lambert grew up in North County, so he’s excited to be home, but he’s also a little bummed … a persistent stalker has hacked into his Twitter, e-mail and iPhone account, forcing him to change numbers three times in recent weeks and cutting off his communication with his friends and fans… “They just rib me about it,” he said of his glowing reviews. “The guys read them aloud and it’s just a way of relieving tension. We all get along really great.”
On the subject of his new album, he says a couple of songs are already in the can. The goal is to record as much as possible during the few off days of the tour, and then pick the dozen or so of the best tracks for an album. The first single, a pop track, will be released around September/October with the album release slated for November. Lambert says he’s helping co-write all of the songs, and perhaps one track on the album will be a cover. Among the producers he’s working with are RedOne (Lady GaGa), Linda Perry (Pink, Christina Aguilera), Ryan Tedder (writer of Beyonce’s “Halo”) and Greg Wells (Katy Perry). He’s cautious about talking about a solo tour, saying the success of the album will dictate whether a tour will happen.
Speaking of not holding back in interviews, Lambert said he purposefully spilled his guts in the recent Rolling Stone cover story … Lambert said he thought he’d pull open the closet (and all of the cupboards, too) so there wouldn’t be any “skeletons” left for the tabloids to dredge up later. “I didn’t want to always be looking over my shoulder wondering what would be printed next.” So, then, there won’t be any Adam Lambert sex tapes turning up online? “Noooooooo,” he answers with a laugh. “I’ve never made a sex tape … thank goodness.”
Backstage Pass: American Idol Season 8 – Part Two by Anna Altheide
TC: Awesome. How’s it been on the tour bus with all the guys?
AL: It’s good, it’s a bit crowded, but it’s really fun. I mean, it’s definitely gotten us closer together. Lots of inside jokes and we tease each other a lot, which is great, like brothers. It’s cool, it’s bringing everyone closer, and it’s important—considering how much we’re going to be together the next couple of months—to figure out how to really live with each other. It’s a good experience.
TC: How’s the album progress going on the road? How much time do you actually get to dedicate to it?
AL: Well, I mean, it’s not a lot of time. I recorded the other day right before the L.A. concert. I had a day off, and I recorded. It’ll be a couple writing sessions on a couple days off, some recording here and there. And then we’re going to pick it up more heavily, I think, after the tour is over for about three weeks following.
TC: I look forward to that. So what is the CD is the soundtrack of your life that you can’t put down?
AL: I love Goldfrapp. They’re a group I’m really, really fond of. They’re a British group, her and her husband. They have up-tempo and down-tempo music and a handful of albums. But I have a playlist of all their down-tempo stuff on my iPod and it is the most relaxing music I know of. When I’m really stressed out or when I can’t sleep, I listen to that playlist and I’m out like a light. It’s the most relaxing music.
TC: Now, I want to talk about the bromance a little bit with Kris. Got to admit, I like the Kradam. I think you guys are great friends. My question is, when did you first meet Kris and when did you guys first hit it off?
AL: Well, we were in the same top 36 group together, because there were three groups of 36. And him and Allison and I made it through together from that group, so the next morning we did a press junket at, like, four in the morning, all three of us together. And that’s a bonding thing, being up so early, having been the only three that made it out of the twelve. We were like, all right. It was cool. We got to know each other really well. And then a couple of days went by, we all went out of town. I stayed at the hotel because I was in L.A. anyway, and my first roommate left. Kris came knocking on the door and he was like, “Oh, I’m your roommate now.” So we ended up just having to share a space together and we just got to know each other.
TC: Doesn’t hurt that he’s cute.
AL: [laughs] Right? He’s the nicest guy. He’s great. And his wife is a sweetheart. They’re adorable together, so cute.
TC: Does it ever just make you nauseous though?
AL: No, I think they’re adorable. I love it, it’s inspiring.
Adam Lambert To Fuse Classic-Rock Sound With ‘Dancier’ Vibe On Debut By Katie Byrne, with reporting by Jim Cantiello
“It’s kind of taking the best parts of music from the ’70s, like the classic-rock era, and trying to somehow fuse it with modern, dancier, electronic production,” the “American Idol” runner-up explained. “It’s kind of a fusion thing.”
We already told you Lambert was teaming up with Lady Gaga producer RedOne … He’ll be working with Greg Wells, the producer and songwriter behind hits by Pink, Katy Perry and original “American Idol” champ Kelly Clarkson. OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder, who wrote Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love,” is also onboard, as is Linda Perry (Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful,” Gwen Stefani’s “What You Waiting For” and much more).
“It goes back and forth,” he said. “There’s some ballads, there’s some uptempo, there’s some songs that are a little bit more straightforward, current pop. There are some songs that are more dance; there are some songs that are straight rock.”
Whole Lotta Lambert by Nick Arnold (for Grammy Camp)
Nick Arnold: What has American Idol taught you about the music industry?
Adam Lambert: “It’s really complicated! I think it’s taught me a lot about the marketing side of it, because there’s so much more than just me. You would need a whole notebook to write it all down. It’s nuts! But it’s cool, it makes sense when you think about it from an outside perspective when they start to explain it.”
AL: “It takes a HUGE team to make everything work. It’s like gears in a watch: every piece has to be going for anything to happen.”
NA: Has your singing style changed since your experiences with Idol?
AL: “Well, I’m not going quite as high as I did on the show, because I’ve got to save my voice so it’s not strained on the tour. But for the most part I’m still singing the same. I’m opening with Led Zeppelin. I’m doing “Whole Lotta Love,” and I’m doing a Muse song as my second song.
Adam Lambert, Kris Allen Step Out in Los Angeles
Idol runner-up Lambert, 27, recently revealed what the world can expect from his upcoming debut (official) album. “It’s really about finding the sound that I want to communicate my ideas to people,” he said. “On Idol, you’re doing cover music that’s tried and true material. I went the route of doing a lot of classic rock because I knew that that was the more vocal and it was songs that everybody connected with. In creating new material, I want to do something modern that will stand the test of time, and something that’s new. I’m being careful not to stay stuck in that sound, because it could end up being dated. So, I’m going to try to take the best musically from that era and make it mix with modern pop electronic production. It should be really different.”
Adam Lambert Has a Secret by Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna (check out full article, it’s good!)
Ask Allison to talk about how she felt about the bra incident in Vancouver.
Allison Iraheta: Adam and I were singing “Slow Ride,” and all of a sudden a bigass pink bra is thrown on the stage, and I picked it up with my foot and threw it to him and we had fun.
Adam Lambert: That was my favorite moment on tour so far. It cracked me up. And then wadded-up panties came onstage, and it looked a bit funky. I picked up the bra and flung it back out in the audience. But the panty, I just slid it around the stage with my foot. I didn’t want to touch it.
Question for all Idols: How did you feel about that ridiculous protest outside the San Jose concert on July 12?
Adam: Oh, that was fun. It was six people, and I don’t give a s–t. The amount of support, even in Utah of all places, everywhere else has been overwhelming. There will always be people who have their opinions. I don’t care.
Adam, how are you working on the record on the road?
Adam: It’s been double duty, and it’s been rough. I recorded all day yesterday [Wednesday] in L.A. But that’s a secret. It’s not for my record, possibly for a soundtrack. That’s all I can say. It’s not for New Moon, but that would be cool. It’s a lot of work. It’s like, OK go tour, go record, go write, go do press and photo shoots. But I stay pretty cool under pressure. They have a masseuse backstage, and that helps.
Interesting interview with Sarver where Adam is mentioned: “American Idol” interview series: Michael Sarver by Louis Peitzman
SFBG: Is there anyone you didn’t really have a chance to bond with during the show whom you’ve gotten to know better on tour?
MS: Actually, I have to say that during the show, Danny [Gokey] and I seemed to hang out a lot because we have a lot in common. During this process, the tour, where we’re all together a lot more, I’ve really begun to bond with everybody. Adam would probably be the biggest growth in relationship. It’s no secret that Adam and I are from different worlds and different backgrounds and different lifestyles. And because both of us are very open and very understanding and very loving people, we’ve embraced each other. And I’ve learned all the great, amazing things about him, and he’s learned all the things that hopefully he thinks are great and amazing about me. And I would say that the most growth in a relationship beyond the show would be Adam Lambert. He’s an amazing artist — everyone knows that part. But what they may not know is how great of a person he is behind the scenes, and that’s what I’ve come to learn. So yeah, we’re having a great time.
SFBG: I was actually talking to Scott and Allison a bit about how this is the first drama-free top 10. But the gossip blogs still find stuff to talk about. Is that hard, or do you just kind of ignore that?
MS: We ignore it. The gossip blogs tend to really harp on me being from Texas and Adam being gay. Why it seems necessary I don’t know. You know, I’ve made comments that were misconstrued and taken out of context, and it made me look as if I were a hateful person. Those blogs just like to elaborate on the bad things. What they don’t understand is the type of people we are. The top 10 this year are some of the most genuine people you could meet. They’re normal, they have real lives, they have families, they have people that they care about, just like you do. And what people don’t seem to understand is that being different is a good thing.
“American Idol” interview series: Adam Lambert by Louis Peitzman
I didn’t know what it was going to be. I didn’t know what the bus was going to be like, and it’s surprisingly comfortable. I didn’t think I was going to be able to sleep and I can actually fall asleep on that thing. It’s like being rocked to sleep like a baby. It’s just a lot. It takes a lot of energy, and it’s not just the actual getting on stage and doing your set. That’s not the most tiring part. It’s the interviews and the meets and greets — we do one before the show and one after the show. I always try to sign autographs after the show for all the fans. And I want to do all that. It’s just — it takes a lot of energy.
I’m just looking forward to this album. I’m having fun with the tour. I’m having fun with the paycheck. Trying to get enough rest. Finalizing ideas of what I want to do when it comes time to promote my album, and being inspired by certain artists out there on the scene right now. I keep talking about her, but Lady Gaga is like rocking my socks right now. There hasn’t been an artist in a while that has had balls like her. She is just so aggressively creative.
Idol on Tour (US Weekley) – of course it’s Adam-centric
Riding a rocket By Karla Peterson
The “American Idol” tour will find him belting out a set that includes Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” and a David Bowie medley through September. At the same time, he will be writing and recording songs for his solo album, which will pair him with such high-profile producers as RedOne (Lady GaGa), Greg Wells (Pink, Rufus Wainwright), OneRepublic singer Ryan Tedder (Chris Cornell, Natasha Bedingfield) and Linda Perry (Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale).
Three questions for Adam Lambert on ‘Idol’ tour
Aside from my duet with Allison Iraheta (which is a reprise of Slow Ride from Rock Week on the show) each of us has our own set to perform. I sing four songs solo and one duet within my set… These songs were chosen with the director and musical director of the show. We wanted a balance of songs I sang on Idol and new material.
Here’s an AWESOME interview with Adam’s mom Leila Lambert – Lambert’s No. 1 fan, his mom, gives the backstory on ‘Idol’ runner-up – she is as unfiltered as her son, read the whole thing!
Just before Adam was to appear onstage,the crowd went wild. The energy was so powerful. I was asked last night by one of the fans “What was your favorite part?” and I would definitely say that as I stood there it appeared that everyone was on their feet. Watching Adam perform, I took a moment to do a 360-degree turn to take in the crowd and realized at that moment that Adam’s dream had come true. He was singing “Starlight” and I just started to cry. That was my favorite moment.
I’m moving because of Adam. He thought it would be great for me to start a new life in L.A. I will be working for him. I’m not sure what I’ll do. I’ll help with the fan mail, I think, and we’ll play it by ear. I think I’ll just be a mom; that’s always been the best job in the world.
American Idol Tour Show Comes to SLC: FOX 13 Interviews Adam, Megan, Michael – there’s also video at that link
FOX 13 asked Adam Lambert about how his finanical situation is now after American Idol.
“The money is good, the best I’ve ever made, ” Lambert said. “I will definitely be helping out my mom and my dad and my brother out when they need it. It doesn’t mean anything unless you can share it with the people you love and who love you.”
Lambert said his father helped him out with rent and also bailed him out in numerous financial situations throughout his music career. For Father’s Day, he bought his father to return part of the favor.
Adam Lambert — the second-place finisher was wearing more make-up than Joy and was very gracious. Instead of going out of the hotel Monday night, he stayed in bed and paid for an in-room movie, “Wolverine.” He said he was very into the X-Men when he was growing up. He depends on “throat coat” to treat his voice over the rigors of the 52-date tour, specifically the brand called “Traditional Medicinals.” He has been recording an album on off-days of the tour, and said that it will be stuff you can dance to, with some classic-rock-inspired elements. When asked if he was worried the album would be too slick, he said, “I love slick.”
So, Adam & Kris co-hosted AT40 this weekend, and one kind soul ripped it for the rest of us who didn’t want to sit through 40 songs… Click here to download the MP3. Another fan actually transcribed it – wow – click here.
ETA : A fan ripped the entire 4 hours (songs and all) – it’s available for download here (c/o joannacullen)
3 ‘Idol’ alumni target holiday season for debuts
Adam Lambert is unlike any “American Idol” contestant before him, and not just because of his Goth-glam fashion or seemingly infinite vocal range. The eighth-season runner-up is recording an album for 19/RCA Records..
The singer has so far teamed with producers RedOne (Lady GaGa) and Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic (Beyonce, Jordin Sparks), while Sam Sparro and Jim Jonsin have contributed as well.
Tedder says his songs with Lambert have a new wave, Tears for Fears vibe, but that choosing a musical direction for Lambert results in an embarrassment of riches. “He can sing so many different styles of music,” Tedder says. “I think he can be a global superstar; there’s not a doubt in my mind.”
Adam’s essay for MJ – Michael Jackson Remembered: Adam Lambert on Icon’s Imagination
For the Idol finale, we were rehearsing at his space in Burbank and so were the Michael Jackson dancers. And I happen to know their choreographer, and he pulled me over into the rehearsal space and I watched a number. They were rehearsing “Jam,” and it looked incredible. The dancers were amazing. I was really excited for Michael: I thought, good, he’s got a chance to do a comeback. I was told he was really interested in meeting me and I’m really disappointed that we never made it happen.
We were in the middle of rehearsing the tour when we heard the sad news. I was singing “Whole Lotta Love” and Lil Rounds ran into the room and whispered something into the producer’s ear. And we were all like, “What’s going on?” I kept singing and looked over at them with a confused look on my face and one of the producers mouthed to me, “Michael Jackson just died.” I went, “What?” and stopped singing. Everybody just stopped. We canceled rehearsals for the rest of the day. No one could really believe it. He affected us through entertainment.
Taking Idol on the road Lambert’s ‘fantasy’
Lambert, who is signed with 19 Entertainment and RCA Recordings, is working on an album between stops on Idol’s 52-city tour.
Although some critics view Idol as a glorified karaoke contest or a get-famous-quick scheme, Lambert said he is grateful for the opportunities the show has given him. “I constantly have to pinch myself,” he said.
It was only a year ago that Lambert was just another performer living in Los Angeles trying to eke out a living. “I feel like in some ways that I have paid my dues and worked really hard to get to where I am, to be the type of performer I am.”
Adam on US Weekly – whoa – 7 hour recording sessions already???
Adam is on the cover of the July/Aug edition of Out Looks (Canada’s GBLT magazine). You can download a copy of the magazine here
24 seconds with Adam Lambert
24: This whole experience must have been quite a whirlwind. What have the last few weeks been like for you?
AL: It’s been really busy but really exciting. I’ve been rehearsing for the tour – which just kicked off this week in Portland – and at the same time, I’ve been working on my debut album, so I’ve been doing double duty, but it’s been so exciting.
Adam Lambert On Coming Out & the ‘Idol’ Tour – Excerpts:
ET: Can you talk about how you envision your upcoming album?
Adam Lambert: I am so excited, because I am getting to write with the top people in the business and that is such an honor. I never would have never gotten that opportunity if it hadn’t been for this. A lot of people go, “Are you rock, or are you pop? What’s your genre?” I did a bunch of different genres on “Idol,” so I don’t know why I have to pick one. It will definitely have elements of rock, but the production on it, the instrumentation sonically will be very modern and electronic. The word “pop” as a classification means that it is popular. All that really entails is that it is catchy. So, I want to write a bunch of catchy, rock-electro, dance, disco things with a lot of glam to it. Glam is about the visual presentation. It has very little to do with the actual music.
ET: What will you perform on the tour?
Adam Lambert: I am doing a David Bowie medley at the end of my set: “Life on Mars?,” “Fame” and “Let’s Dance.” We are doing it much like I am doing my album. We are trying to produce them with an electronic, dance-driven edge. Hopefully, it will set the tone for the type of material I am doing.
ET: What is the must-have item you are going to take on the tour?
Adam Lambert: My iPod. I definitely need music. It is a great escape when you need to separate from everybody. Throw on the headphones and you are in your own little world.
ET: How will you deal with the stress of the tour?
Adam Lambert: I am going to try to be a little more physically active, get into some stretching. I want to use the gyms at the hotels we end up at and do some cardio. I think when you keep in shape, it keeps your head in shape. We don’t always get that opportunity. “Idol”’s schedule was really full and we didn’t have time to work on our physical selves.
ET: What are your personal goals?
Adam Lambert: I just want to make cool music and wear cool clothes. It is not much deeper than that. I want to entertain people and figure out new ways to get people’s attention, keep them dancing and maybe cross over to other forms of media — maybe TV and film in the future, maybe fashion. We will see what the future holds.
ET: What part of America are you looking forward to seeing the most?
Adam Lambert: It will be interesting to go to places I have never been before, but we don’t get a lot of time outside of the tour venue. I think I am most excited about doing the shows in California because I have a lot of family in the Bay area and tons of family and friends here in L.A. and San Diego, my home town. Also, I am excited about the New York shows because we are there like a week.
Chatting with Adam Lambert: From Google to going all the way on American Idol By Shelley Fralic
“When the Idol thing first started, I was excited and wanted to know what people were saying. but it started getting kind of ridiculous,” Lambert laughs, on the phone from his hotel room in Portland, Ore… “I had a Google alert thing. Then, a month ago, I said, ‘This is getting a little narcissistic, Adam’ and I disabled it. There’s a certain amount of relinguishing you have to do.”
Lambert, who’s been both rehearsing for the Top 10 tour and writing and recording for his new CD out this fall, says no one was more surprised than he to find himself in the spotlight … He recalls auditioning in San Francisco in August 2008 and, presto, now he’s getting advice from Madonna and Katy Perry, has a newly signed record contract, appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone (where he officially outed himself) and is touring like a rock star.
And when you ask Lambert, who has a musical theatre background, where he expects to find himself in a decade or so … “In 10 years? I hope I’ll have a good large handful of albums out, and be making appearances, and maybe doing films.”
American Idols Live! by Shelley Fralic
“I like to control what I create and what I perform. And with Idol, they let me do that. There’s this perception out there that they control you, and that’s not the case.” “They consult about everything . . . it’s all been kind of up to me.”
And if the post-Idol chaos, from his non-stop rehearsing schedule to the endless media interviews, is handled by experts, that’s fine by him. “The day-to-day stuff isn’t up to me, but to be honest, it takes a lot of pressure off my shoulders. “I’d be a mess if I had to look after that at the moment.”
Lambert’s set includes a David Bowie medley — Life on Mars, Fame and Let’s Dance — which he’ll deliver with an electronic spin while decked out in a blue metallic silver bomber jacket with tails and spikes.
Lambert has also been busy in the studio, writing and recording songs for a CD that will be released in November, as well as meeting some of the pros in the business, like Usher and Enrique Iglesias. And Madonna, who he says told him to keep his eyes on the prize. But the best advice so far, he says, came from songbird Katy Perry who told him, simply, “you gotta stay happy.”
Lambert, Iraheta Get Pumped for American Idols Live’s First Gig
Despite his rock god status, Lambert again confirmed he’ll be exploring a variety of genres — pop, dance, electronica, funk — on his upcoming album, which includes collaborations with producers Linda Perry, Sam Sparro, RedOne and Greg Wells. Iraheta, on the other hand, is happy to be nixing disco night and doing what she does best — rocking out. The raspy-voiced teenager is working on an alternative rock album with David Hodges and Kevin Rudolf.
Idol Chatter Review : Number Two: Adam Lambert (by By Brian Mansfield)
…Adam kicks off his set with Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love, and the stage fills with smoke. He’s wearing a blue-and-black metallic-looking studded jacket that comes down to his knees, along with a sleeveless black T-shirt and black pants. The crowd may have been dancing for Allison and Danny — for Adam, they’re screaming. Suddenly we’ve gone from the world of AC pop into a real rock show.
Second song is Muse’s Starlight, and the six disco balls hanging above the stage turns the Rose Garden into a planetarium. It’s Adam’s typically impressive song choice — for the arrangement, imagine Erasure’s Andy Bell fronting the Sisters of Mercy — and he sings it flawlessly, beautifully, slipping in and out of falsetto… this is the first of the new numbers I’d lay down cash money to hear again.
Low-level fog creeps in, as Adam takes a seat on a stool to sing the Tears for Fears/Gary Jules song Mad World. The crowd is still on its feet, and they’ve brought out their cameras — you could practically read in here, the flashes are so steady. Some people are singing along; most of them just look entranced.
The guitarist cranks out the opening chords to Slow Ride start, and the audience knows what’s coming — or, rather, who. Allison Iraheta walks on stage, and the place goes ballistic.
Now, he’s doing the David Bowie medley he promised, which starts with Life on Mars (and the big red planet is behind him on the video screen). As he slides into Fame, the crowd shrieks again, but it’s not for the song: Adam has shed his jacket, revealing the sleeveless T underneath. He’s obviously been working with JaQuel Knight on choreography, too; he’s moving lithely across the stage in a way Idol viewers never saw. The third number, Let’s Dance, assumes a pulsing, throbbing club rhythm under his command, barely resembling the pseudo-horn-band arrangement of Bowie’s original.
He finishes, then descends on the center-stage lift.
Idols on tour: Talking with Adam Lambert and Lil Rounds
I told Adam about all the tweets from fans in Asia and asked him he expected to tour over there. He said he hopes so, especially because they’re viewing the new album as “a world release.”
Back to Adam: Got a release date for the first single yet? “Well the album’s slated for November, so I expect either October or November, but nothing’s set yet.”
Then came the uneven guy-girl ratio on the tour buses again. I suggested that they should have sent one of the guys over and Adam interjected: “I asked!” Couldn’t really tell how serious he was about that. Lil didn’t seem to mind that idea though.
Adam Lambert says he will rock you with his new album
“Before, I was doing the lyrics and the melody more on my own, with somebody that was creating the tracks,” he says. “This is a situation where I’m co-writing everything, melodically and lyrically. I actually prefer it. I feel more secure with somebody else to bounce ideas off of, and then we kind of share, throw the ball back and forth and come up with a finished product. I work better like that. I’m so happy to be working with top-line people, the best. And these producers are bringing in top-line writers that they know to help.” “There’s a lot of anthems,” he says. “You know how We Will Rock You by Queen is an anthem that you can put in stadiums and people will sing along to it? There’s a lot of that on the record so far. A lot of power-anthemy, sing-along stuff.
Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta — American Idols to dye for
Adam has blue highlights in his jet-black hair. They weren’t always noticeable under televison lights, but they’re very apparent when meeting him in person. “They’re a little punched up now from where they were,” he says. “The inspiration was one of those black feathers, you know, that are kind of iridescent? I took that to my hairdressers and said, ‘Make my hair look like that!’”
And maybe I just wasn’t watching closely enough, but I never noticed the tattoo inside Adam’s right wrist. It’s the Eye of Horus, and Eqyptian heiroglyph that “symbolizes protection — it’s like an evil eye,” Adam says. Adam got the initial tattoo shortly after he made the Top 36. “A close friend who has lots of tattoos dragged me in,” he says. Adam has made added to the tattoo since the end of the show. “Right after the New York press circuit, I went and had additions put on to it — put more color, put extra lines into it. In a way, it’s cool, because it kind of completes my experience.” Besides, it matches his hair. “These are my colors,” he says. “I love these colors — turquoises, blues and greens.”
PORTLAND LAUNCHES IDOLS – I feel bad for the others, are all the media ads going to be like this?
This edition should be lively, at least, because of Adam Lambert, the runner-up who lost out to Kris Allen in the Guyliner vs. Guy Next Door showdown. Allen’s appealing, but as season eight showed, Lambert is a showman of the first order. Recently, Lambert made news by coming out as gay in Rolling Stone magazine. But the bigger story is that Lambert manages to be compulsively watchable whether he’s interpreting a hushed song (“Mad World”) or going over-the-top with a bold reinvention of a standard (his jaw-droppingly strange take on “Ring of Fire”).
American Idols Live! Tour Kicks off in Portland – WOW, this is how they’re advertising the tour? And interesting – Portland is not sold-out – I have a feeling this year won’t sell as well as last year …
The stage is being built, the musicians are rehearsing, the Adam Lambert fan mail is piling in, and the vibe at the arena is ever-changing since the arrival of the Idols! Highly publicized Adam Lambert will be headlining much of the Idol tour along with, Allison Iraheta, Anoop Desai, Danny Gokey, Kris Allen, Lil Rounds, Matt Giraud, Megan Joy, Michael Sarver and Scott MacIntyre as they embark on the North American tour, which launches in Portland, OR at the Rose Garden on July 5th, 2009. From the covers of Entertainment Weekly to Rolling Stone, Lambert has captivated audiences of all ages since taking second place in the Idol final. Even Idol judge Simon Cowell commented on Lambert’s talent saying, “The whole idea is to find a worldwide star, and I think we found that with you.”
The Top Ten Q & A: Adam Lambert by Joshua Miller – check it out!
What can we expect (differently) from you on the American Idol Tour?
Well first off, expect sickening wardrobe and eye makeup! I’m also closing my set with an amazing David Bowie medley that gets disco- house at the end. Let’s dance!
Describe your music-making process.
I am a team player. I enjoy co-writing where a couple people sit around and throw ideas out and everyone picks the best lyrics for the song. I also make suggestions for the production of the track as well. As long as I am involved in the creation of the song, I am thrilled.
Don’t stop believing: 10 Idols get ready to roll to 50 cities
Adam Lambert has said he’ll close his showcase with a medley of three David Bowie songs: Life on Mars, Fame and Let’s Dance.
American Idol: Kris Allen, Adam Lambert & the Gang Dish on the Summer Tour
Adam Lambert: As we reported this week, Adam said, “I’m closing with a David Bowie medley that goes from ‘Life on Mars” into ‘Fame’ into ‘Let’s Dance.’ It’s doing major justice to the original Bowie intention behind them, but we’re adding synthy, dancey electronic elements to it. I’m wearing a custom-made blue, metallic silver bomber jacket with tails and spikes and studs by Skin Graft. They’ve hooked me up with some really sick fashion.”
Adam Lambert on Getting Jackson News: “Everybody Just Stopped” – so we now know ALL the songs Adam is singing…
Last Thursday, Lambert was at rehearsals for the American Idols Live tour, where early in the day he spoke with Rolling Stone and revealed the David Bowie songs that made his set list and other plans for the jaunt, which launches July 5th in Portland. In the afternoon, “I was singing ‘Whole Lotta Love’ and Lil Rounds ran into the room and whispered something into the producer’s ear. And we were all like, ‘What’s going on?’ ” Lambert says. “I kept singing and looked over at them with a confused look on my face and one of the producers mouthed to me, ‘Michael Jackson just died.’ I went, ‘What?’ and stopped singing. Everybody just stopped.”
Kris Allen & Adam Lambert Talk About Life After Idol
How is the album coming along?
I am so excited! I think it’s going to come out in November. We haven’t found a title yet. And I’m working with RedOne — he’s an incredible producer who did Lady Gaga’s hit material. I’m working with Linda Perry, with Greg Wells, with Ryan Tedder, Sam Sparrow — amazing writers and producers. And I’m getting to co-write. I wrote a song with Kara Dioguardi from the show. It’s awesome.
What will the vibe of your album be?
It’s really about finding the sound that I want to communicate my ideas to people. On Idol, you’re doing cover music that’s tried and true material. I went the route of doing a lot of classic rock because I knew that that was the more vocal and it was songs that everybody connected with. In creating new material, I want to do something modern that will stand the test of time, and something that’s new. I’m being careful not to stay stuck in that sound, because it could end up being dated. So, I’m going to try to take the best musically from that era and make it mix with modern pop electronic production. It should be really different.
How will you pass the time on a crowded tour bus?
Definitely iPod. You know, escape in music is the best way to kind of be in your own little world. Books as well, I’ll probably grab some books.
What else are you excited for?
I’m looking forward to banking that paycheck. I’m not going to lie, I mean, that’s not my first priority, but, you know, I think for all of us, having gone through experience, to be able to walk away with some financial security in these tough times is really nice.
Adam Lambert & Kris Allen: They Want to Record Together!
It’s no wonder that the two say we shouldn’t be surprised if, in the end, they decide to record a song together. “It could happen,” Lambert told me yesterday during my exclusive sitdown with him and Allen. “Maybe we’ll write a song on the road.” “He’s definitely becoming my closest straight,” Lambert said. “That’s something I am trying to get across—that it doesn’t frickin’ matter. Just like when people were dealing with race relations. The moment we started getting over it as a society was the moment we stopped paying attention to the differences and paid attention to the similarities. He continued, “People get so scared and uncomfortable with the ways in which they are different. I think it’s a testament to Kris that he’s completely comfortable in his own skin, comfortable with his sexuality. He’s a straight man, he’s married, and it’s not threatening for him to be friends with a gay guy.”
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Lambert Attributes Appeal to Eyeliner – there’s additional video from the RadarOnline Interview they didn’t show before, click here to watch!
While RadarOnline.com brought an exclusive interview with all ten American Idol finalists as they prepare for their national tour–we know you want more Glambert and you want it now.
‘American Idol’ finalists get ready to hit the road
“I feel like I was preparing for this all my life,” Lambert says of the future that’s quickly unfolding for him. “I’m not a very patient person, so I kind of like the accelerated pace, that everything is happening all at once. He’s in the studio when he’s not preparing for the tour – along with Allen and Iraheta, he’s the other Idol to have already inked an album deal. Lambert says he’ll perform a David Bowie medley of “Life on Mars,” “Fame,” and “Let’s Dance,” “arranged with an electronic sound mixed with the original style.”
Kris Allen, Adam Lambert Reveal Plans Behind “American Idol” Tour
Adam Lambert promises a “post-apocalyptic-rocked-out-space-disco-funk” look to his ensemble … and for his part, Lambert chose tunes by a couple of his idols, Muse and David Bowie. “I like to be associated with Bowie in any way because he’s a huge inspiration for me,” he explains. “So I’m performing the song as a way to honor him as an artist.” Lambert’s set list includes “Life on Mars,” “Fame” and “Let’s Dance.”
Adam Lambert Details His Big Crush On Kris Allen (On Air w/ Ryan)
Adam’s album will incorporate “Pop-rock, electronic, [and] funk.” He said he “[doesn't] want to stick to one sound.” What he’s more excited about, though, is the outfits he gets to wear on tour, which kicks off July 5th. Adam revealed that he’ll be singing “a David Bowie medley at the end of [his] set which is really, really cool. We have it orchistrated with a lot of modern electronic elements so it’s really 2009.”
Idols Gearing Up For Tour (video embedded in page 2)
“It’s gonna be really high energy. The jacket that I’m wearing is like a show in itself you know, I’m really really into it,” said Lambert. About the chance to work with big name music acts, Lambert said, “There are opportunities left and right. Artists that I respect and honor are saying ‘Hey you wanna do something together? Do you wanna collaborate? Do you want to write together? You know, we’d love to have you come and guest on this thing.’ I have to pinch myself. It’s nuts.” Lambert is already hard at work on his debut album and said it will have a little bit of everything. “Vocally you’ll expect a lot of classic style harmonies and and vocal riffs and lines and production,” Lambert said. “But hopefully with the actual instrumentation, it will be really fresh and really new.” And as thousands of fans wait for their favorite Idols to come to town, they can expect Lambert to deliver what he does best. “There will be a grand entrance, amazing lighting, screen action behind me, a great band, [and] some songs that are familiar to the audience and then some new stuff. It’s going to be quite a show.”
Adam Lambert Talks New Moon and Glee Rumors, Bowie Medley and New CD – Oh, wow, now we know which Bowie songs!
“The show’s set list is in order of elimination. So I’m the second to last person in lineup, and we each have our own set. I’m closing with a Bowie medley that goes from ‘Life on Mars” into ‘Fame‘ into ‘Let’s Dance.’ It’s doing major justice to the original Bowie intention behind them, but we’re adding synthy, dancey electronic elements to it. I’m wearing a custom-made blue metallic silver bomber jacket with tails and spikes and studs by Skin Graft. They’ve hooked me up with some really sick fashion.” As for Adam’s new CD on 19 Recordings/RCA, he’s working not only with Red One (Lady Gaga, Akon) but also with Linda Perry (Christina Aguilera, Pink, Gwen Stefani), Greg Wells (Mika, Katy Perry, OneRepublic) and OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder (Beyoncé’s “Halo,” Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love”). “They are all so amazing. We don’t have any song titles yet,” says Adam. “It’s still in development, but it’s sick, sick, sick, sick stuff. It’ll be under my name, but I want a band present for the live thing. I don’t want to hide them in the back like some pop stars do.” As for his recent shout-out to Lady Gaga, he says he is indeed inspired by her. “But she does her thing and she’s genius. I’m a huge fan,” he explains. “I’m not trying to be a male version of her; we have our own sounds. But I love her theatrical ability. She’s fearless and over-the-top and inspiring for sure.”
‘American Idol’ Hops On My Journey Train (New York Post Pop Wrap)
…Adam Lambert absolutely slays the last note
American Idol Tour Preview; Radar Talks To The Top 10 – Tons of cute Adam moments, plus love that snippet of Adam singing the Journey song 
Click here to watch the video
Excited runner-up Adam Lambert told us: “I’m doing an electronic version of David Bowie. I’m getting to experiment with music I wasn’t allowed to on the show.” Adam also spoke about his fashion sense and showed Ben his stud encrusted motorcycle jacket. “I hate the term, ‘I can’t pull this off,’ if you like what you are wearing then you can pull it off.”
In other news pertaining to the popular Idol alumnus, a source close to the singer revealed exclusively to EW.com that Lambert recently met with acclaimed producer Linda Perry (Christina Aguilera, Pink, James Blunt); had writing sessions with Idol judge and in-demand songwriter Kara DioGuardi and Grammy nominated Sam Sparro (“Black and Gold”); and hit the studio with One Republic’s Ryan Tedder, the white-hot tunesmith behind Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love,” Beyonce’s “Halo,” and Jordin Sparks’ latest single “Battlefield.” It was previously reported that Lambert laid down some tracks with Lady Gaga producer RedOne.
Adam Lambert, Kris Allen Promise ‘Incredible’ ‘American Idol’ Tour
Lambert revealed that his outfits will include “studs, rivets and spikes.” “I’m really excited to do the songs that people fell in love with on the show, but then also to bring some new stuff to the table,” he said. “I’m actually going to be performing a David Bowie medley at the end of my set, and we’re bringing a lot more of an electronic element in to that, make it very 2009.”
Picture of Adam and Megan on the Idol Tour press day today – care of richard rushfield
Update from HBIC himself – therealGlambert
On my way to songwriting session w the brilliant Sam Sparro!!
Hanging with the Idols at tour rehearsal – videos embedded below
Lunch over, they were soon shepherded into rehearsal, where the giggles continued during a run-through of the tour’s finale: Journey’s classic power ballad, which the group sang while being put through their paces by a choreographer and a voice coach. They reached the last lines of the Journey song, when it transitioned into “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye,” and then back again to “Don’t Stop Believing’s” final crescendo. Despite the giggles and the jokes, the group delivered the concluding harmony with force, fists raised in the air. As the rest teased Matt about the weak angle of his extended arm, the perfectionist Adam Lambert stepped forward to confer with the vocal coach. “That transition to ‘nah, nah, nah, nah, hey, hey,” felt sloppy to me,” he said. The others, however, revved up for the final leg of their “Idol” journey, seemed to be thinking of little but jumping on that midnight train going — as the song says — anywhere.
Adam Lambert Gets Advice From Madonna (video of Adam dishing on his new CD is embedded below) – love what RedOne says about Adam!
Lambert, who is busy laying down tracks with producer RedOne at the Jim Henson Company in Los Angeles, insists he got exactly what he wanted from A.I., despite coming in second place. “Look, I’m in the studio with this guy—a wizard,” Lambert said. “And I’m getting to make an album. I mean, that’s why I entered the show. I wanted an opportunity like this and I’m getting it.” Meanwhile, RedOne had very strong feelings about Lambert from the moment he saw him onstage. “Before the finals or anything, I called the label,” RedOne told E! News. “I was like, if that guy wins, I gotta work with him. And if he doesn’t win, I gotta work with him.” Both, however, are being tight-lipped about Lambert’s new songs, which RedOne predicts will “shock the world.” But it does sound like the singer will be sticking with his signature, glam-pop sound, saying the vibe “is going to be rock at the center of it, but in a pop fashion,” and will have a ’60s and ’70s rock feel.
`Idol’ rat pack: 10 finalists prepare for tour – it’s about all 10, but kinda zeroes in on Adam & album news!
How will Lambert, for one, manage to record and tour? “You tell me,” he responds, with an easy grin. “We’re doing a lot of great preliminary work on the album right now. … It’s just double-duty, you know, multitasking.” He’s co-writing material for the CD and is enthusiastic about working with RedOne, who’s produced hits for Lady Gaga and Sean Kingston, as well as Greg Wells (his artist list includes Katy Perry, who played favorites on “Idol” by wearing a cape emblazoned with Lambert’s name) and Ryan Tedder.
‘American Idol’ Alumni Prepare For Tour
Between rehearsal sessions, Lambert and Iraheta have also been discussing recording a song together. “I’m definitely down for that … that would be so much fun,” Iraheta said.
Adam Lambert’s Early Recordings Unearthed for New Album
As for Lambert’s post-Idol material, he’s working with Lady Gaga producer RedOne, who says “I want to go rock — David Bowie and Queen, but make it more easy for people to get.” The “Poker Face” hitmaker also said, “It has to be rock, but with an interesting dance angle to it.” Lambert himself told RS, “I want to do something that has theatricality, a nod to the glam rockers that I love, but is also contemporary.”
Adam Lambert: The Reality Rocks Interview (video also embedded after the jump) Adam Lambert, Kris Allen Team With Top Hitmakers For Debut Albums
Lambert has teamed up with hotshot producer RedOne, the studio wizard who’s had a hand in crafting Lady GaGa’s worldwide chart-topping hits “Poker Face” and “Love Game,” as well as working with Michael Jackson, Usher and the Backstreet Boys. RedOne revealed to the L.A. Times that he hopes to record at least six tracks for Lambert’s record (although he wasn’t sure if they’d all make the cut). “I want to go rock — David Bowie and Queen, but make it more easy for people to get,” the producer said of his vision for Lambert. “It has to be rock, but with an interesting dance angle to it, you know? You’ll like it. “You can go almost whatever direction with him. People know him from being on ‘American Idol,’ singing other people’s songs, but you can take him in a new direction, and this will be the first time you hear Adam Lambert with his signature. My goal is to get his signature out from him to the world.” Lambert is also working on songs with David Hodges, the former Evanesence member whose songwriting talents have appeared on a number of “Idol” contestants’ albums. Hodges is currently the only writer who has worked with both Lambert and Allen.
Seriously, get on Adam’s Official Site and sign up for updates, because believe-it-or-not, you do get updates (his RCA team is totally on top of things)! I just got this little gem in my inbox (click on thumbnail to expand)…
From the Comcast Chat (Relevant excerpts) – ‘Idol’ Top 10 Live Chats: Adam Lambert
Adam, are you going to be singing Mad World on tour
Adam Lambert: I am performing “Mad World.” I am not performing Ring of Fire.
Will there be a giant dance number during the tour? Like disco night?
Adam Lambert: I don’t think so. We’re not dancing that much on tour.
What are the tour colors for your fans?
Adam Lambert: Blue and silver… and definitely a lot of black. And bring your black nail polish and your eyeliner, people! And just sprinkle glitter all over everything!
Adam, I would cut off my right arm just to meet you, will there be a meet and greet for fans on tour?
Adam Lambert: Hahaha… yeah, I believe so. I hope so. I think that after our performances, we’ll definitely be signing autographs and seeing you guys and taking pictures. Because you guys are why we’re here.
Will you consider doing a video diary during the tour (as David Cook did last year), so your fans can see some behind-the-scenes things? (will be even more awesome if they involve Kris & Allison!)
Adam Lambert: Yeah, we’ve actually begun doing that. There’s a video up already on my official web site, which is adamofficial.com, and we’re definitely going to be contributing more and more to that. Not only the tour, but the creation of the album and various activities I’m involved with right now.
Adam Lambert: Thank you guys so much for chatting with me today. I’m so excited to perform for everybody live on tour this summer. Be sure you check it out. There’s definitely some new music that was not on the show. And wait until you see my outfit. It rocks!
I know it’s way early, but have you thought about what the name of your first album was going to be? Do you have any ideas yet?
Adam Lambert: It is a bit early. I’m fond of the idea of taking a line from a song that’s going to be on the album and taking the title from that. But it’s still early. We’re just starting the writing process. It’ll be provocative, nonetheless.
How would you classify your music genre or is it a blend of many?
Adam Lambert: I think it’s a blend of many. I don’t think that I fit into one category, so I am inspired by many different kinds of music, so I hope to create, like, a fusion.
Adam, you’re awesome and I can’t wait for your album. Do you have any plans on doing any duets with any of the other idols on their or your album?
Adam Lambert: We do not have plans — yet. But that’s not to say it’s not going to happen. it’s all in discussion. Basically, we have to acquire a bunch of songs, then decide which songs make the album. So as we collect songs, we’ll see where a duet would fit in. As far as performing with any other singers, I have a huge list, but I think Lady Gaga would be a blast to perform with. She’s innovative and brave and really, really fresh.
Adam, in several interviews you said you want to make music with an “electronic” sound. How will you keep that from overpowering your beautiful vocals?
Adam Lambert: The electronic element is mainly for the instrumentation, it has very little to do with the vocals. You can play an acoustic bass, an electric bass or a synth bass. It’s all bass. It just has to do with the sonic aesthetic. The vocals will remain very true to the kind of vocals you heard on Idol, with added layers and harmonies. There’ll be a lot more depth.
There are noticeable differences, mainly in melody, in some of your AI live and studio versions. Were the studio versions the way you originally intended to perform the songs on the show or were you making a conscious decision to present a distinct live version?
Adam Lambert: To be honest, a lot of the times when I sing, I have the basic melody that I rehearse with, then most of the time I just kind of improvise certain melody options and kind of go with whatever strikes me at the moment. I kind of like singing in a fly by the seat of your pants type of way. So when recording a studio version, we do multiple takes and I’ll do it a bunch of different ways and the producers of the track pick what they like the best.
Would you ever consider acting in films?
Adam Lambert: Yeah, that would be amazing. First goal is the record, maybe a music video, and touring and everything that comes with an album. Then we’ll see what happens after that.
Q&A with American Idol’s Adam Lambert (on Oprah.Com!)
SS: Let’s talk about that album. It’s coming out in the fall, right?
AL: Yes, that’s what I’ve been working on. We started right away with meetings about the sound and the vibe. They asked me, “Do you know of any producers that you would really want to work with?” and I have short list of producers, and fortunately we connected with all the ones I wanted to connect with. We started writing, and I’ve been able to co-write on a handful of tracks and there’s more to come.
SS: Nice. Okay, back to business. You have the American Idol tour coming up. Excited?
AL: I’m super excited. I just left rehearsal a few minutes ago. A little sneak preview: We’re doing a David Bowie medley as a closing part of my set. It’s so fresh. Three different songs. We’re kind of adding very modern touches to them so that they feel relevant, like 2009 interpretations of Bowie. I think people are really going to enjoy that. I’m excited. I’m singing ["Slow Ride"], the duet with Allison on the tour every night. She is awesome, and I love sharing the stage with her. I’m excited to connect with the audiences that didn’t get to come see the show live. There’s something lost in translation between you and the audiences at home through the camera. I’m glad we were able to connect how we did, but nothing compares to how it is live. Live is a whole different world.
Adam Lambert: ‘This Whole Experience Is Liberating’ (on Parade Magazine!)
Rumors that he’s working with Lady Gaga’s producer, RedOne.
“I can say that is true. We have been writing the past couple days and I think we’re going to come out with some amazing tunes. I’m going to have my own sound but I do love Lady Gaga. I’m a huge fan.”
Preparing for his debut album.
“I have been doing a lot of writing, actually. It’s been really exciting. I think something that people can expect from the album is that, lyrically, everything that I’m singing about is true to my life. That’s important to me, its something I can connect to personally. I think this is the album that’s going to be fun and exciting and sexy and also going to have positive hopeful messages.”
Reuniting with the Top 10 Idols for their summer tour.
I missed a lot of them so much. We’ve built quite a bond during the process of the show. Once we hit the road we’ll have more time to spend with each other.
Going Gaga: RedOne riding a hot streak, working with Usher, Adam Lambert (in LA Times)
…RedOne said he had about five hours scheduled with “Idol” runner-up Lambert. “I want to go rock — David Bowie and Queen, but make it more easy for people to get,” the producer said of his vision for Lambert. “It has to be rock, but with an interesting dance angle to it, you know? You’ll like it.” RedOne said he hopes to record at least six songs with Lambert, but that doesn’t guarantee that they’ll all make Lambert’s RCA debut (a Lambert representative was unable to be reached prior to posting). An “Idol” finalist comes equipped with a built-in fan base, and RedOne said he’s eager to play with people’s expectations. “You know what I like about him? He’s fresh,” said RedOne. “You can go almost whatever direction with him. People know him from being on ‘American Idol,’ singing other people’s songs, but you can take him in a new direction, and this will be the first time you hear Adam Lambert with his signature. My goal is to get his signature out from him to the world.”
Adam Lambert Goes Gaga for Debut Album (eOnline)
Living up to his American Idol reputation, and nickname, Glambert has sought out the musical services of hit-making producer RedOne, the man behind Lady Gaga’s two biggest hits and the person frequently credited—aside from the teacup-loving singer herself—with the recent resurgence of glam rock. Sources tell E! News that Lambert spent the weekend holed up with the “Poker Face” and “Just Dance” producer in a Los Angeles recording studio.
Ferras talked with Out.com about writing love songs for big-time straight singers, breaking free from his Capitol Records contract, and how Lambert has already changed the game for guys like them. (He was unfortunately mum on more details about the song he’s writing for Lambert’s album beyond what he’s Twittered and blogged — other than saying that it wasn’t one of several new and very catchy tunes he played that night.)
Who are you working with that you can tell me about?
Well, of course you know about Adam. I’m just trying to write big hits for major artists.
Adam Lambert heads into studio with Lady GaGa’s producer by Melinda Newman (former West Coast Bureau Chief for Billboard Magazine)
When you think Adam Lambert, think David Bowie and Queen, says producer RedOne, who is working with the “American Idol” runner-up on his RCA debut.
ADAM VIDEOS ON PAGE 2, KRIS VIDEOS ON PAGE 3, TOP 10 VIDEOS ON PAGE 4
Good to know Adam has something going although that really was never in question, was it…lol. Love his style, voice…whatever! Have to say I also like Kris…and probably, if he sticks to the Jackson Browne/James Taylor genre (for me, seems to suit his voice better) I’m probably more likely to buy his music than Adam’s…but I’d rather watch Adam. He’s totally visual…..
I’m buying both their music
Just coz I want a second album from both … And tours … and all that jazz.
Adam is really in his element in the tour show. Kris would be showcased better if he opened the show and returned at the end; following the dynamic Adam is too much of a transition from all that raw sexuality and energy.
That’s actually a very good point. About Kris opening with three songs and closing the show with three songs and Hey Jude. Perhaps more people would actually get to the concert in time for poor Michael Sarver and Megan Joy instead of milling around in their seats or buying food or what have you. Kind of rude, if you ask me….