Today is May 8th. Yes, this year its Mothers Day and I cherish it for that reason. But I will celebrate Mothers Day no matter what day on the calendar it falls on. Today I have another reason to celebrate. May 8 is one of my most important days to remember because this is the day that Adam Lambert made his visit to San Diego in 2009 for American Idol Season 8s Homecoming! I felt like such a schoolgirl, attending a fan gathering for this celebrity. As Im sure many of you had, I had been spending anincredible amount of hours on the internet meeting others who somehow felt the same way about Adam as I did. How could this be? I thought I was the only one over the top in this adulation that had somehow taken over my life. Could there really be others? And that many others?? Through forums, I learned yes, this was true. Now at the radio station, I had a chance to finally meet some of these other wonderful fans, who felt the same way I did. Meaning, others who were doing all the same things we had told our kids never to do make physical contact with people we met over the computer. I never even gave it consideration as to which one might be a serial killer. LOL!!
Back to May 8. This was my first time to see Adam, feel his presence, and even ask him a question. This is also the day I met Lila Hayes, when we carpooled with four others from the radio station to Mt. Carmel High School, where the mayor proclaimed May 8 as Adam Lambert Day in San Diego.
Yes, that’s my car with the sign telling others to vote for Adam!
Little did I know how significant this day or meeting Lila would become for me. Lila and I joined forces and planned the San Diego Idol Finale Watch Party together, where she introduced me to Fernando, the owner of this website. She and I became best friends, have spent the last 2 years traveling together in pursuit of our music loves, and I cant imagine my life without her or Adam, for that matter! The same goes for the other close friends Ive met because of my devotion to Adam. Ladies, you know who you are!
Last year coincidentally on May 8, Lila and I were invited to the baby shower for guitarist Monte Pittmans wife Lisa, who was pregnant with twins. Lisa had been put on emergency bed rest for the last part of her pregnancy and would not be able to attend, but organizer Lori assured us we would have a surprise guest. We were totally surprised when Monte and bassist Tommy Joe Radcliffe came to the shower and spent the day eating and laughing with the twelve of us, answering questions, and just being real folk. Lori knew Monte was coming, but even she was blown away when Tommy Joe walked through the door!
Tommy Joe, Carol, Lila and Monte
The day was beautiful, spent with wonderful people for a beautiful reason, and became one of the most surreal days in Lilas and my lives. So this year, we have no baby shower to attend, but instead we are going to see Ricky Martin tonight in San Diego. I am so ready to get sexified as Ricky has done to me for 15 years. Hmmm, do I see any similar threads linking my two favorite singers?
Happy Mother’s Day to everyone celebrating today! And, even if you arent a San Diego resident, Lila and I still feel you with us, and wonder what youre doing today? Please fill your comments below and let us know how you spent the day!
Congratulations Glambs and Glamberts your dedication has put Adam Lambert in the finals! Hes already leading David Archuleta by 3%, but thats not enough. Lets rewrite history (sort of!) and have Adam claim victory. Vote now, and keep voting for Adam.
Adam has reached the semi-finalt round, and is now against Clay Aiken for Ultimate Idol. The other bracket has Kelly Clarkson against David Archuleta. Then its the finals. Lets get Adam to the finals!
Vote here. Scroll down and vote in the bubble, not by clicking on the picture!
As I was watching the Royal Wedding kisses on Buckingham Palace’s balcony, as only a romantic insomniac would, I started feeling“is that all there is?” I know they have their British decorum and all, but gee, I wanted more. Their ceremony didn’t even include the usual“you may now kiss your bride.”
Then I got to thinking, maybe they’ve never seen what a real kiss looks like?! Thank goodness another one of the blogs was thinking the same thing, and they posted this. I’m sorry, I can’t find the blog to attribute this to. If one of you can post it in the comments, I’ll give proper credit, thanks!
Let’s compare the two:
And now for the real thing, thanks to Suz526! (WARNING: NOT FOR THOSE TURNED OFF BY ADAM AND TOMMY!)
William and Catherine, you have my best wishes for a long and happy marriage. But if you really want some heirs, perhaps you could take some lessons from our Top Snogger!
Last nights elimination of Casey Abrams certainly brought into focus that the end of the American Idol Season 10 is coming quickly. We turn to Adam Lambert for some honest assessment on this seasons final contestants. We certainly havent gotten any direction from the judges as to who is likely to have a future in the industry. We don’t need to be told who to vote for, but it would be nice to get some direction on technical and industry points. Jimmy Iovine seems to be the only one telling it straight. So lets look to Adam, someone who came from Idol and has successfully transitioned into the biz, a feat not many before him have accomplished.
In this video from theNewNowNext Awards, Michelle Collins pulls out some defining comments from Adam about this seasons Idol finalists, starting at 1:24. While offering a generally positive view of James Durbin, it’s interesting to see the side-stepping. Hmmmm. The article after the video offers more on this.
Love ya!
~ Carol ~
Thanks to Shirley Halperin ofThe Hollywood Reporterfor the following article which appeared on Billboard.com.
“American Idol” Season 8 runner-up Adam Lambert was never one to soft-pedal— not when it came to his performances on the show or his opinions on everything from drugs to sexuality to Lady Gaga. It’s one of the many reasons we love him.
And as season 10 winds down, Adam clearly has a lot to say about the top six finalists, first and foremost, his current favorite: Haley Reinhart.“I love Haley so much because musically and vocally, she’s doing things that are at a top-notch level,” he told THR at Wednesday’s ASCAP Pop Music Awards, where Adam introduced Songwriter of the Year winner Max Martin.“It’s incredible how Haley makes it look so easy and effortless. Plus, she’s having fun up there. I don’t feel like she’s working so hard to prove herself or to prove a point. She’s just singing and taking joy in music.”
But when it comes to Haley, Adam does take issue with judges Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson— he doesn’t think they foist enough positive reinforcement on the girl.“I wish the judges gave her a little bit more praise because what she’s doing is technically superb,” he says.
Similarly, Adam also senses a sort of supreme musicality in Casey Abrams, but is a bit skeptical of the shtick.“The thing about Casey is, the judges will go,‘We like your quirkiness,’ and now it’s almost like he’s parodying himself a bit,” says Adam.“I think he’s so good, and then he starts grunting and I’m like,‘Why? You don’t even need to do that.’ I get distracted by it. But I think Casey’s got vocal and musical genius in him. He’s so talented.”
The constant comparisons of James Durbin to Adam have no doubt been a thorn in the side of both singers, but now the senior“Idol” says, he’s“kind of over” James.“I think he’s got talent and passion 100%, but I feel like he’s trying way too hard,” Adam opines.
“Also, his niche is so limited with the metal. When he did that“Heavy Metal” song {by Sammy Hagar}, James was note-perfect. He was on pitch, which is usually kind of an issue, and I think he sounded really good but it felt like a copycat. I didn’t feel like I was seeing an original artist yet. And I’m not saying he doesn’t have that in him, but it hasn’t been showing. Whereas Haley and Casey, they’re bringing a little more legitimacy to it. They’re more grounded in their own voices. When they did that jazz duet, that was nuts! They give off a good vibe.”
Adam Lambert took to Twitter to get his message out regarding a recent invasion of his personal space and boundaries. It seems some fans gained suspicious entry into the Finale Party for RuPauls Drag Race, which Adam was attending in support of his friend and Glam Nation Tour make-up artist Sutan Amrull, Raja on the show. These interlopers chose to film Adam on his private time and broadcast it on YouTube. From the tweets, it also sounds like they got up close and personal. Adam used his personal skills to make these messages strong, but always with his touch of Lambert humor and love. And just in case you didnt hear, Raja won!
Thank you to Katie Sheridan at HubPages.com for the following article.
Love ya!
~ Carol ~
Adam Lambert is known the world over as one sexy rock star! His onstage persona just oozes sensuality and his fans eat it up with a spoon. Adam is a self proclaimed sexual animal. But he doesnt want to live in a cage. For some fans, like me, theres nothing sexier than self respect. And Adam Lambert exemplifies the meaning of the term. Today he called out a couple of fans for violating his off-stage personal boundaries while he was out and about attending a private party with friends. It seems some fans were following him and entering his personal space in ways he didnt appreciate. Adam posted a Twitter twirade and let them have it in no uncertain terms. But, as is Adams habit, he did it with typical Lambert love, a bold love with grace rarely displayed by rock stars.
Fans: little strange when you walk up to say hi and you have a video cam on and ur trying to hide it. Who are u- paps? #imapersonnotathing
Or just taking a flash shot when I’m not lookin. Hah. C’mon it’s so tacky tourist. Have common courtesy and just ask. #idontbite
#unlessthatswhatyoureinto
But thank you to all the sweet, polite folks who are cool about it. I love meeting you guys out and about and it’s a plus when you“get it”
Oh and also- please don’t touch my face. #boundaries
My new mission is to keep it as real as possible at all times. No more pageant-style p.c. smile and wave, smoke blowin, fake BS. #Realness
Haha but it’s sorta a damned if you, damned if you don’t thing– now some folks will think I’m an arrogant diva. Lol
When in reality- I’m human and just trying to do my best. Day by day. Just like you.love you Glamily.
Did you hear that Adam Lambert had a double Twitter party last night? I was at my computer the moment he announced it, but none of my tweets were answered. There were many tweets asking about the second album, which he answered with a mass tweet that he wasnt talking about it yet.
Here are the lucky people from Part One who caught his eye. This morning I saw the tweet about Part Two, where he asked for questions to go deeper. So if you’re at the right place at the right time the next time he calls for a Twitter Party, your best chance to be answered will be be to leave the feathers and lace behind and go for the cerebral Adam! Thanks toJuneau and Xenafor clicking back and forth to find the questions he was answering on Part One!
And while we’re talking about tweets, did you catch the one a few days ago when his father answered his tweet about his goatee? Hilarious!
adamlambertGoatee. Don’t like it? Suck it! milestougeaux@adamlambert Wouldn’t that make the coloring run?
Enjoy some free time with Adam!
Love ya!
~ Carol ~
adamlambert Twitter party!! rather_sail whoa! are you working on your album while youre in new york? adamlambert @rather_sail no- but getting right back to work when I return to LA juliaxxrawr @adamlambert Have you ever done anything really embarrassing while ~under the influence? adamlambert @juliaxxrawr yeah. Havent you? Lol atomicdawn when will you wear the outfit The Blonds have been making for you? adamlambert @atomicdawn what outfit??! cocooyau I love your wedge boots, did you get them from Paris? adamlambert @cocooyau Rick Owens! One of my favorite designers. PartyGlamGirl Whens the next time youll be in New Orleans boo? adamlambert @PartyGlamGirl I dunno but I love NOLA GlamIntoIt @adamlambert SUBURBAN DECAY? adamlambert @GlamIntoIt haha no. Yall gotta let that one go. I have. JMaslowForever Whos your fave from this season of Idol? adamlambert @JMaslowForever HALEY. boredwallflower How satisfied are you with your life right now? adamlambert @boredwallflower aww. Very happy. And feeling way creative. GlampySunflower @adamlambert DO YOU LIKE NUTELLA??????? adamlambert @GlampySunflower that stuff is GOOOOOOD xoTracyyyxo @adamlambert Whose your favorite character on True Blood? adamlambert @xoTracyyyxo Lafayette. Duh Wild4Adam anything you feel comfortable sharing about Sauli? adamlambert @Wild4Adam nope. Trying to keep private life private. adamlambert @SexualTicTacToe I used to draw during class in high school. I wasnt so bad But Im out of practice. adamlambert @glambertgomez Ive been catching up w dear old friends and saw a few in broadway shows. And eating and drinking Ollipop Do you like sex? adamlambert @Ollipop_ naw AdamazingGlam what do you prefer more spikes , feathers, or glitter?????? adamlambert @AdamazingGlamkinda over all of them. Lol GladamFan Random question why a Mustang??? Fits like perfectly to you. adamlambert @GladamFan I got it for free!! Lol Idol is sponsored by Ford.adamlambert @NuNu_xo Thai food is always good. A good steak is always great curlygirly95 WHAT do you say over and over again in the aftermath remix?? adamlambert @curlygirly95 I actually dont know!! adamlambert @curlygirly95 ask billboard. think he just mashed up some words and chopped/reversed them. dont think its a word more of a sound. sassybuttercup3 when are you& @TommyJoeRatliff getting your matching tats?? weve been waiting long enough;) adamlambert @sassybuttercup3theyre not gonna be matching. Thatd be really cheesy, buttercup. Arachnidkid Zebra or Leopard print? adamlambert @Arachnidkid I like both but I prefer zebra malt_berg @adamlambert since @Monterrific already confirmed you dont have each others phone numbers, what do use to communicate? smoke signals? adamlambert @malt_berg he was being sarcastic. AdamsPeen My favorite of @adamlamberts pants are obviously the roomy harem pants. Any chance those are still around? adamlambert @AdamsPeen def. Forgot who designed those but they were a pretty penny. Super comfy. adamlambert Im not answering any questions bout the album lovelies!! Too early for all that. Patience! vanglam Do you know how much love feel South America for you?? We love you and need Adams tour soon!! adamlambert @vanglam hopefully I will tour there next time. I want to hang out in Rio! Sergiox16 Xtina or Gaga? adamlambert @Sergiox16 theyre so different. I love them both for different reasons. GlitterySun Can u tell me what to do? I told my best friends that Im bi, and now they are just ignoring me. Im so alone. Any advice? adamlambert @GlitterySun if that made them ignore you- theyre not your friends. Get out there and meet some new friends who accept all of u. Nek0Kat I have a question. Do you use any song to try and cheer you up or relax to?? adamlambert @Nek0Kat the Miike Snow album is so soothing. All of Goldfrapps down tempo songs are incredibly dreamy. flygirl814 @adamlambert Loving the goatee Adam, do you plan on keeping it or just teasing us all with it? LOL adamlambert @flygirl814 haha keep it? Its not a dog. Lol. gaaraluver Favorite animal? I think panther or wolf is fitting? Thoughts? adamlambert @gaaraluver yeah I think my spirit animal is a wolf. earlzagurl4Adam @adamlambert Who approached who for a collabo w/ Nikka? adamlambert @earlzagurl4Adam I approached her. Her voice and writing ability is fantastic. AND shes really smart, down to earth and hilarious. adamlambert @LibbyPaigeA Two recent tunes I dig: INSIDE OUT by Britney. SOMEONE LIKE YOU by Adele. lissaboo2 @adamlambert did you go to your prom?? adamlambert @lissaboo2 yup! With Lauren Pittman. We had sooo much fun! Movieym Im 90% sure youre only responding to people w/ Adam related names. Prove me wrong. Favorite Adele song from 21? adamlambert @Movieym clever Someone like you can totally relate TheOneCalledEli You were barefoot on stage a fair bit during GNT. How do you feel about socks/shoes? I have a love/hate relatinshp withem lol. adamlambert @TheOneCalledEli I love a great pair of boots. However, being barefoot onstage helps me feel grounded and comfortable. MeganGlambert what gauge are your ears? are you going to go biggar??? adamlambert @MeganGlambert theyre zeros. Keeping them this big. lizziecuddles Mac or PC? adamlambert @lizziecuddles MAC. vic_righthand do you feel like your still the same person you were 2 1/2 years ago? adamlambert @vic_righthand in some ways. But Ive grown a lot. And my whole life has changed- so Ive had to do some adjusting. AdamLRocksMe @adamlambert can you tie a knot in a cherry stem with your tongue? adamlambert @AdamLRocksMe no! But Im truly impressed by that skill. Just think of how much tongue talent that takes. TommyIsLikeHot You do realize, its 4am in finland, right? Would be really nice to get even one answer from you ) adamlambert @TommyIsLikeHot get some sleep!!! Ha mscheviouslady @adamlambert Awwww, did you stop twatting so you could get in some kissy-kissy time? adamlambert @mscheviouslady exactly
This five-part audio-only series from The Soundbath delves into the operatic and superior vocal quality of Adam Lamberts voice. Angelina, the woman on this series, may only be talking about the technical aspects of Adams voice and performance, but it is so clear that she is a fan. She attended three of the Glam Nation concerts, even flying to New Orleans for her first!
Did any of us know (at least those who arent British!) that Adams music isnt played on UK radio? According to comments on Part 1 of the following series, we learn that this is the case. How can this be?? Even after his concerts across the Atlantic, is this still true? British fans, continue to request him at your stations!
Thank you so much to my dear friend Mary (aka @glitzylady on Twitter and Mary at the Lake on this site) for sending me this wonderful series!
Part One will start with the playing ofCome To Mefrom Brigadoon and discussion about his early career. She then goes on with her background, but only to state her qualification to discuss him in the classical sense. She quickly moves onto present-day Adam. Ive included all five parts, but the last part doesnt involve any discussion about Adam.
*Warning: After clicking on the“play” button, you’ll have to continue to YouTube to continue. But keep coming back here for the rest in the series. They don’t automatically appear on YouTube!
Cheerio!
Love ya!
~ Carol ~
Part 1 (talk about Adam begins at :32)
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
This last part doesnt contain any discussion about Adam, but is still very interesting for music buffs!
I hope you caught this hilarious video of Adam Lambert and one of his favs, Nikka Costa. They have such a good sense of humor and obviously respect each others abilities.
We know the Grammys are over, but I just found this great interview with Lindsey Parker and had to post it for you! It was done at the Grammy Media Summit, on February 11, 2011 at LA LIVE.
They talk a lot about the Grammys, and how Adam wanted to go solo to the event. She also asks if Adam wrote his speech and planned his Grammy outfit when he was a boy!
Theres some great talk about theFor Your Entertainmentalbum. This interview was the first time I heard Adam address the comments from the fans when the CD was first released (almost 16 months ago!) about the vocals being a little buried or overprocessed. He even criticizes this, but gives the reason for this. He talks in more depth about the direction for the new album. Hes moving more in theWhattaya Want From Me?direction, letting us know its because its the one everybody loves! Its the Grammy-nominated song, the hit single, and ultimately the best sound for him.
Theres a lot more to enjoy, so have a good listen! Thanks to devenlane for posting this to youtube.
So we learned that Adam Lambert hit his hand (previously thought his head, thanks to mirror.co.uks typo!) while celebrating at Lady Gagas birthday party. Thank goodness itwasn’this head! We all wondered what was up? Now, thanks to Twitter, we get the answer directly from him. Another reason why he was such a perfect panelist at the Grammy Summit on Social Media!! Sorry, I digressed.
Check out the swollen knuckles on his right hand in the GI-NORMOUS picture above! Also, the lack of rings may be a sign of hurt/swollen fingers too. If I find a picture of the ceiling, I’ll add it later.
Heres his latest tweet explaining it.
Adam Lambert Was trying for celebratory gesture 4 gaga’s B- piata style…instead my fist is all bruised and la cita has a hole in the ceiling.
Ive never been one to give the daily comings and goings of Adam, but its great to see him out with close friends enjoying himself. He attended last nights Los Angeles Lady Gaga concert with Finnish pal, Sauli Koskinen and Terrance. We all knew that his dancers were his friends from before the tour, and its great to see those friendships survived 6 months on the road! Wonder if they got to share any of Gagas birthday cake with her? She turned 25 yesterday.
**UPDATE:I just learned from mirror.co.uk that Lady Gaga threw a birthday bash at LA’s La Cita Mexican Restaurant.“She invited along a bunch of celebrity pals including Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie, actress Kate Hudson, Scissor Sisters Jake Shears, American Idol runner-upAdam Lambert, supermodel Cindy Crawford and, erm, her mother Cynthia.” Later in the story it says,“The Poker Face singer had hired out the whole bar and made sure it was stocked with Armand de Brignac champagne and extra supplies of Jack Daniels. My source adds:Adam Lambertgot a little over-excited while dancing and bashed his head on the ceiling.’”
**2ND UPDATE:Adam just tweeted:My hand still hurts. Lol Maybe mirror.co.uk made a mistake and put head instead of hand??
I’m sure we’ll hear more about this one!! Read the full article on what else went on at the Monster Bashhere.
Nice to see he’s still so generous with the fans!
Thanks to Twitter, we knew he was going to be there!
Adam Lambert Great day to be born!
Adam Lambert So excited to watch @scissorsisters and @ladygaga work it out tonight!
Adam Lambert Concert was amazing!! Gaga and the Scissor Sisters are a true treat!
Fortunately camera-equipped fans read the tweets and were on hand to keep us updated! I do not take any credit for these pictures and apologize because I cant read the print at the bottom, to give proper credit.
Thanks to Kcinkcity for posting to YouTube this absolutely delicious compilation of all the things we love so much about Adam Lamberts best buddy relationship with bassist Tommy Joe Ratliff.
Were you lucky enough to be at any of the shows when some of these things happened? The clips of when hes sitting down and talking on stage were from the second to last Glam Nation Show at The Music Box in Los Angeles so at least I was at one of them. For many of the rest of them, this was the first time I saw these jewels. And speaking of jewels, be sure to catch it at :32! Warning there are many sexually explicit scenes in this video. Beware!!
Just one day after its release, Adam Lamberts Glam Nation LIVE CD/DVD is starting to get national recognition! It was mentioned toward the end of the music report on E! News. They show a small clip of him beautifully singingWhataya Want From Me. I know that was to identify with his biggest hit, but I wish they would have also shown some of his“wild child” side! This is another confirmation of his outstanding talent by mainstream media.
Have you gotten your copy yet? If not, order fromadamofficialwhere you can order a physical or downloadable copy; or fromBarnes& Noblewhere its currently on sale for $13.49. If your purchase is $25, youll get free shipping and just because its on sale at B& N, Im sure Adam is still getting his full share.
EW.com’s Tanner Stransky is definitely a fan of Adam Lambert and shows it in the first sentence of hisreviewof the Glam Nation LIVE CD/DVD. Here’s the reprint, but for more links, go to the reviewhere.
If there’s any newish pop act worthy of a live release, it’s American Idol runner-up Lambert, whose vocal acrobatics make this a terrific complement to his 2009 solo debut. Because he incubated before us in a perform-or-die setting, Lambert’s ability to work a crowd is audible. Everything from his hit”Whataya Want From Me” to his take on”Ring of Fire” sizzles more than the too-too-perfect studio versions. Bonus: Glam Nation Live includes an expertly produced DVD of the concert. A
My only question Tanner, what was the minus for??!!
This isthe original community website, forum and chat of American Idol Adam Lambert. Here you will find daily updates on everything related to Adam with high quality videos, music, picture library, articles, merch and live events.
I absolutely hated last season of Idol. As many here predicted, after watching season 8 there will be no season like it. But I am actually digging this season 10 (even though I didn’t make it). Besides the bad judging from Steven Tyler and JLo it seems that they are a lot more focused on the music, finding a star and less in the drama.
James Durbin currently on this season of American Idol have… not that much in common with Adam except the same range and the 80s rock/metal influences. A lot of people are comparing him to Adam and I’ve been wondering what Lambert fans thought of him. He looks like a geniune guy that is doing his own thing and introducing heavy metal into mainstream Idol. Do you think he’ll make it far this season? do you like him? Please comment below.
Wednesday was a day full of Adam Lambert sightings and events for Carol& Lila, admins of theAdam Lambert Official Unofficial Fan Club, and a few others of us who were lucky enough to join them.We were high on excitement, anticipating seeing Adam livetwiceon Wednesday, February 9, 2011, as members of the audience on televisionsThe TalkandExtra.
Ihadnt attended an audience taping since I was a child, so the whole process interested me.We drove to the CBS lot at9 a.m., parked, and walked to where they were checking IDs, searching our purses for contraband, and walking everyone through a metal detector.Then we walked some more to a holding room simply a room filled with benches and chairs and lots of Adam Lambert fans.
The holding room already had a party atmosphere.Everyone was chatting, laughing, and taking pictures.No pictures, cameras, or visible cell phones were allowed on the set, so now was the time to take photos of each other.I saw some familiar faces from Adams concerts, and chatted with various people.People had flown in from all over just to see Adam Lambert onThe Talk.Chicago,MexicoCity,New Yorkno distance was too far for fans to go to see Adam even for just a few fleeting minutes.
A few CBS nannies dressed in red jackets and black pants babysat and entertained us with antics while we sat there and sat there and sat there.Finally, a more official, very funny guy showed up fromThe Talkitself.His job was to organize us, explain things to us about the show, and choose a few audience members to ask Adam questions and participate in the show.
All he would tell us about the latter was that the chosen few needed to be able to sing, should know Adams lyrics, and couldnt have met Adam before.All kinds of things ran through my head when they announced that.Was an audience member going to sing a duet with Adam?I tried to imagine what was going to happen.
Finally, after what seemed like forever (time magnified by Adam-nerves),The Talkshow funny guy escort led us through the streets of CBS studios past cottages and trailers reserved for the stars.We walked this way and that through a maze of cottages, trailers, and sound stages and walked and walked and walked.
Finally, we stopped.My heart beat a little faster as I realized we were at the sound stage forThe Talk.Adam was just on the other side of that wall!I got more excited, more full of nervous energy every moment.
Let me pause for a side note.I know all of this sounds a bit silly nervousness, heart palpitations, and anticipation running wild something a 14-year old might go through over her crush on Justin Bieber.Trust me, I am far, far away from 14 years of age.Why these feelings over a singerany singer I cant fully explain.No singer, no celebrity has ever affected me this way.Except Adam Lambert.
Yet here I was, in a crowd of women (and a few men) who completely understood how I was feeling about this singer called Adam Lambert.People in my daily life didnt understand.But here, somehow I felt at home with my Glamily fans who totally understood how I felt because they felt the same way.
Outside the sound stage our funny guy escort fromThe Talkpumped us up, got us excited by having us clap and whoop (as if we needed him to get us any more excited than we already were), and finally led us in to the studio, where we were all seated.
More getting us pumped up, more clapping and whooping followed I guess to get us animated enough for it to come across on camera.On camera, it was explained to us, everything needed to be magnified bigger gestures, louder clapping, and so on.Here I thought that those bigger, broader actions were reserved for the stage, not for the watchful eye of the camera that saw virtually every nuance in gestures and facial expressions.Nevertheless, we performed like a good audience should.
The Talkhosts - Sharon Osbourne, Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Holly Robinson Peete, and Leah Remini - finally came out on stage.The stage was set up almost like someones living room or den a book case and staircase stage left, couches and overstuffed chairs in the background.They chatted on about men doing manly things like breaking down doors, changing a car battery, and so on.We politely clapped and laughed.
One of the hosts (Sharon Osbourne I think) at last said, And coming up after the break Adam Lambert!The audience virtually exploded with cheers and clapping.The ladies ofThe Talkpanel just looked at us, the audience, a bit surprised and chuckled at how passionately we reacted to that announcement.
A panel member said something about never having had an audience quite like us we were the most enthusiastic crowd theyd ever had.Well, duh!They had never had a guest quite like Adam Lambert, either!The commercial break ended, and finally the reason for all the anticipation, all the nervous excitement walked through the doors onto the stage.
Adam Lambert entered, a broad white smile gleaming and blue eyes sparkling, the audience showering him with a roar of clapping no, a standing ovation!Whoops and cheers and fervent clapping rose in crescendo and threatened to never end.We waved the various posters we had which, by the way, they had given to us.I want to clarify that, because Ive seenfarbetter posters in concerts than we had onThe Talk.I know the Glamberts are capable of much more.But unfortunately, we were not allowed to create and bring our own.
Adam smiled ear to ear as we continued clapping; then after acknowledging all the applause, he finally sat down.The loud applause continued along with the cheers.But we could see he was about to talk.Immediately we grew so quiet you could hear our hearts beat.
No behind-the-camera prompting was necessary for us to quiet down.The audience monitor who told us when to clap and when to be quiet eventually gave up trying to direct us.We were doing everything perfectly in fact, probably better and more than they ever expected.
Adam talked about being nominated for a Grammy, and the audience again burst into applause. He talked with the panel members about what kinds of manly things he could do, and we learned he could break down doors, change a car battery, and do all sorts of things.Asked if he could do a firemans carry, he didnt just say yes he picked up Sara Gilbert and demonstrated it for us!
Then Adam talked about his charitable contributions.For Adam Lamberts29th birthday on January 29th, he asked fans to donate toCharity:waterinstead of sending him gifts.In the first few hours his fans met the original goal of $29,000.On his birthday itself his fans raised $115,000 in just one day!Finally, shortly after his birthday, Adams fans reached the new goal he had challenged us with - $290,000.
A few members of the audience asked Adam some insightful questions, then later on duringThe Talk, three women participated in a game called Silence of the Lambert.They were shown an Adam Lambert video, and then it was stopped after a minute or so.
The audience member then had to sing the lyrics that came after that point for a few bars.It was funny, fun, and Adam was gracious and smiling, as usual.Kudos to the brave women who got up there to sing Adams lyrics.I would have been so nervous just being that close to Adam I doubt I could speak, much less sing!
Regardless of what was going on during the show, I sat in rapt attention, watching every move Adam made, listening to every word he spoke.Before I knew it, the show was over.The time went by in a flash.It was way too short.
I had never sat in an audience where Adam was just talking live.Before, the only times I had seen Adam was in concerts.But atThe TalkI could have sat there for hours, just listening to Adam talk.Heck, he could have simply read the telephone book, and I would have been happy.But all good things must come to an end, and all too soon the show ended.
After the show was over, Carol, Lila, some friends, and I walked back to our cars and then drove across Los Angeles, straight for The Grove an outdoor mall near Farmers Market whereExtra!was being shot that day.
We had a long wait before Adam came out to be interviewed but none of us minded one bit.Adam Lamberts fans will literally wait for days to see him.When I attended the Music Box concert onDecember 15, 2010, I met some fans who had literally waited for over 24 hours to get into this general admission concert.And they waited with laughter, camaraderie, and eager anticipation, sharing stories about Adam.
Thats one thing that is so very special about being an Adam Lambert fan spending time with other fans that can totally relate to how you feel about Adam.For minutes, hours, or days I feel totally at home with complete strangers the Glamily when I go to Adams events.
Adam finally walked toward theExtra!cameras at about 2 p.m., where in an interview he talked about his nomination for a Grammy and about how excited he was to go to the Grammies.He answered questions about how he felt about American Idols new judges, and continued to answer other questions posed to him.
We fans hung on Adams every word.If you look at the video ofExtra, just notice some of the faces in the crowd.It isnt hard to tell who is thoroughly smitten with Adam.
Even though I was too far to hear what Adam was saying, I still sent adoring looks toward him as did all of his fans there.Just having a whole day that was all about Adam Lambert was such a treat.Carol, Lila, some friends and I had started Adamizing our lives at dinner the night before we went toThe TalkandExtra!Then the day of the shoots we continued talking about Adam, watching him, listening to him, and trying to thoroughly absorb every single Adam-minute we could.
For a few glorious moments we could forget about the Adam-withdrawal we had been going through since the Glam Nation Tour.That dose of Adam we got onFebruary 9, 2011, should sustain us for awhile until once again we grow hungry for more of Adam Lambert.
We were sitting in the 5th row, witnessing these beautiful smiles!
***A word of warning Im writing this and the pre-show awards have started. I want to tune in onlinehttp://www.grammy.com/liveto see Adams category being awarded. This will probably run long as I want to get it posted ASAP, and wont have a chance to edit my long-winded diatribe. Now you know why I dont tweet much havent learned about the Tweet-longer app!
By some miracle, my network of Adam Lambert friends pulled another winner and found general admission tickets for us to attend the yearly Grammy Rock Star Summit on Social Media held at LA Live on February 11, 2011, with Adam Lambert on the panel of five. (I could have applied for Media Admission because of this site, but I didnt know if it would fly!) I know many of you watched it through the live feed, because I got texts from you while it was happening. Im including the links for you to watch the entire summit in this post, thanks to the dedicated suz526. But I thought you may be interested in everything else that went on, that wasnt part of the official summit!
Our group from San Diego included site administrator Lila Hayes - via San Bernardino to take her children to Grandmas because there was no school that day, myself and our new friend Lisa Schenck. Our other group member was Glenda Spence, coming in from Indio who picked Lila up in Riverside, close to her moms house. Man, we coordinated that well!
Everything happens at LA Live youve got the 8,000 seat Nokia Theater where American Idol Finales are held, and Club Nokia, where Adam performed his Glam Nation Finale to 2,300. It also has many meeting rooms, like the Conga Room where the Summit met, in addition to the Grammy Museum and several upscale social restaurants like Wolfgang Pucks and the new LA Market. Theres even Lucky Strike, an upscale bowling alley/nightspot that has great casual food. Across the street is Staples Center, and the LA Convention Center is on the corner.
If you know downtown Los Angeles and especially around the LA Live area, then you know its expensive to park there. The Marriott right across the street is $37 a day for guests. The official lot is about $25 for the day and the area is surrounded by independent parking lots that charge anywhere from $5 to $20 for the day, depending on how close you are to LA Live. But when an event is happening, all the lots are $20. By a stroke of luck not aided by the use of cell phones or texting, both cars arrived within 2 minutes of each other and parked in the same lot across from Staples. They didnt consider the Summit a big enough event, so we only paid $5 for the day. From that moment, we knew the day was going to be magical!
As the four of us approached the Conga Room around noon, we saw there were about 10 people there already. Some had been there since 9 AM. We immediately recognized several as part of our extended group, like the ones many of you have formed from meeting internet friends and spening hours in line with while waiting for Adams concerts. We were told admission would be at 1:30, so some went to eat, while the others held our spot. We returned just before 1:30 PM, and I was surprised there were only about 30 more people, about 50 in total. All in this line were the general admission/Adam fans. All the media were in front of us in a separate line. We were admitted, received our lanyards with our registered name cards, and walked upstairs to the staged area. Sponsors of the event included Turbo Tax, Jawbone, case-mate and Absolut Vodka. The stage had 6 empty chairs in a slight arc formation, backed by poster cards with the Grammys Music Is Life Is Music phrase. On these posters we recognized Katy Perry, Justin Bieber and Cee Lo Green. Carol& Lila in front of the stage
Soon, music journalist John Norris, formerly of MTV came out and introduced the panel. In order of introduction were Foursquare co-founder Naveen Selvadurai, Facebook director of platform product marketing Ethan Beard, Pandora founder/chief strategy officer Tim Westergren, rapper Chamillionaire and superstar singer, social media-user Adam Lambert. The audience had about 250 people, half of whom were media and the other half obviously Adams fans. I suppose there may have been Chamillionaire fans there too, but if so, they were silent! I really hoped that Adams fans would be respectful to the Summit and not make it an Adam-event. Yes, the applause for Adam was greater, but that was to be expected. There was a board to the right of the stage receiving tweets, and it was obvious from all the Adam-comments who was tweeting! It bothered us when so many of the comments were mentioning how bored they were waiting for Adam, even while the others were being introduced. How rude! But Lila and I did laugh when someone tweeted that the moderator looked like Kevin Bacon. He did! Other than that, everyone behaved well and we were on our way.
When John Norris announced the agenda of the summit, he mentioned audience questions would be after twitter and facebook questions. I didnt think Id really have anything tech-y enough to contribute and didnt want to embarrass myself. And no, I wasnt going to be a fan-girl and ask an Adam Lambert question! But during the introduction, it occurred to me that the panel was completely male, and a question about social media usage between males and females popped into my head. When they started the twitter and facebook questions, I stood and made my way to the microphone. I was the first one there. Luckily, they didnt start the audience questions for about 10 minutes. I was glad because my heart was pounding out of my chest and I was sure I was going to flop all over my words. I used that time to rehearse the question in my head and when it came time, I could speak without my heart in my mouth. I was feeling the need to acknowledge Adam in some way. How could I not, but I didnt know how! Fortunately, they started talking about concert audiences and the use of cameras and cell phones to record them. Adam said its good to have that because his concerts can be shared with people around the world, but since it impersonalizes the experience, he wants people to just put their cameras and phones away for the show. I dont remember if it was then or earlier, but he had mentioned his live concert DVD on sale, March 22. BINGO! That gave me a perfect segue to give attention to Adam, but still direct my question to the others. I even figured out a way to mention this website and it brought a big smile to his face! In video 7, at 6:50 you can hear me ask the question. Suz told me that she didnt want to swing the camera back and forth, so I wasnt on camera, but you can clearly hear me. Im glad, because during my question when I mentioned the male-only panel, and it got quite a reaction from the host and panel. Before Pandora- founder Westergren said since he was married that hed field the question, someone said something that Adam and others burst out laughing at. If anyone knows, please comment back what it was! As Westergren starts answering, you can see the top of my head as I was crossing in front of the panel, walking back to my seat. At that moment, I was suddenly afraid that Id come off nasty, so I assured the panel that it wasnt a hostile question!
After the summit was over, we were surprised to learn that there was an after-summit celebration, complete with delicious hors doeuvres from Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant and cocktails featuring Absolut Vodka. The panel disbanded and the media used this time to individually question and photograph the panel. After Adam was through with the professional media, he came to the front of the stage and about 20 fans approached him and were able to get autographs. Since he was looking right at me from 8 feet away during my intro and smiled when I mentioned that I was from this site, I felt that Id had my moment with him and I didnt feel the need to ask for anything more from him. I can hardly believe I just wrote that! Also, I wanted to make sure that I got my swag bag!
Please watch the following videos, courtesy of the fabulous suz526, to experience every moment we saw. They are broken into 8 segments, with an additional recap of Adams moments.
Afterwards, our group went for dinner and was seated at a table next to 3 of our friends, so we just joined tables and had a wonderful meal. We started looking in our swag bags, and found Jawbone t-shirts, a Grammy decorated iPhone/iPod cover, and a Grammy poster. We were really happy. Then Glenda, who had gone to the stage to have time with Adam and initially missed out on getting a swag bag, but did get one from a worker who found a group of 10 more, also pulled a Jawbone Bluetooth out of hers. Lilas eyes nearly popped out of her head, since my techy friend knew the high value of this product. We realized our bags were missing them, so I talked her into going back and seeing if we could find one for each of us. Glenda must have gotten a swag bag meant for more than a general admission ticket holder! Yes, we got back in and immediately passed by the Jawbone table. I saw about 10 of the Bluetooth boxes on the table, but Lila wanted to go talk to a Summit official to see if she could get one. I thought why not ask the table attendees? So we split up. I went up to a Jawbone rep, mentioned that we didnt get one in our bags, and could I have one? He was surprised, said he didnt know that they were in the bags, but said oh well, lets pick out a good one for you! I guess they differ cosmetically on the earpiece. I then asked if I could have one for my friend too. He reached right down and looked for another good one and gave it to me. I found Lila at the other end of the room. She was disappointed that she was still without one and I surprised her and showed her I got them for us! As if the day wasnt perfect already, this just added to it.
On our way back to the parking lot, we passed by a brightly lit red carpet celebration. We were curious to what was going on, so marched over to it. I didnt realize that my friends had sat down while I walked next to the red carpet for a while, and then stepped over the velvet rope gaining admission to the outdoor area in front of the hall. It turned out to be the Music Cares celebration, honoring Barbra Streisand! There was an L-shaped formation behind more velvet ropes where celebrities were posing and moving into the lobby of the hall. I immediately saw Seal so I pulled out my small camera and took pictures, positioning my camera through the gaps of the large professional cameras. I figured that if I was really breaking into a forbidden area, someone would escort me out! I kept looking for my friends and didnt see them, figuring they were crazy like me and were lost in the camera cluster. I checked out the rest of the celebrities, not recognizing any of them, but I saw a group of young men in navy blazers and knew they were Glees Warblers! I didnt see my new favorite Darren Criss, but I took pictures of those who I could see. (The next day I learned that Darren was opening the show, so thats why he wasnt on the carpet.) I then figured I better find my friends. Nope, they werent inside the red carpet area, so I exited, and found them sitting across the street. They couldnt believe I had made it in, and thought I would be kicked out for sure, maybe taken away by the Grammy Police! Im sorry readers, I hope you dont think Im too rude. I just was so excited by the day, and figured that the worst that would happen was that Id be discovered and asked to leave. Fortunately, that wasnt the case and I can share these pictures.
Seal
The Warblers
This was one of the best days of my life. In a weird way, it was almost better than going to one of Adams concerts. We got to be with him for 2 hours, and he was totally at ease, sharing the intellectual side of himself; different from the onstage entertainer or talk-show guest.
I want to say I DO know how lucky I am, and how grateful I am for the wonderful friends I have and the opportunities that have come into my life through my appreciation for Adam Lambert.
Adam Lambert is again going where few artists have gone before. He has been chosen to sit on a panel of industry experts discussing how social media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.) is making its mark on the music industry. Here’s another peacock feather in his crown of confirmations from the industry that Adam Lambert matters and is here to stay.
Ive been lucky enough to get a ticket for this event, and will fill you in on everything. This summit will take place Friday, February 11, 2011 at LA LIVE and will be televised live via YouTube. Read ahead for the details.
I feel Adam has been selected for this honor because of his forward thinking and knowledge about the issue, considering hes smack in the middle of it. Of course his superior conversational ability is always a plus!
From Renee Snyder of LA Examiner.com, With almost 855,000 twitter followers, Adam Lamberts influence on social media has been news for quite a while. Recently, Adams huge twitter influence was even pointed out in a study by Northwestern University which showed that at the time of the Haiti earthquake, Adam had more twitter influence than even news organizations.
Don’t forget to watch Adam onThe Talkon CBS on Wednesday, February 9th. Lila and I will be there with a great group of our friends, many who we’ve met from this site!
Love ya!
~ Carol ~
Here is the event description:
In advance of the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards on Sunday, Feb. 13, The Recording Academy will once again recognize the Rock Stars of Social Media by bringing them together for a summit to discuss relevant issues. This year, we will gather and present an in-depth discussion on how mobile is changing the music industry.
SOCIAL MEDIA ROCK STAR PANELISTS INCLUDE: Current GRAMMY nominee Adam Lambert (Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for“Whataya Want From Me”); GRAMMY winner Chamillionaire (RIAA-certified as the biggest selling ringtone by a solo artist); Facebook Director of Platform Product Marketing Ethan Beard, Foursquare Co-Founder Naveen Selvadurai, and Pandora Founder& Chief Strategy Officer Tim Westergren. The panel will be moderated by legendary broadcast music journalist John Norris.
This forward-thinking panel will feature the worlds most elite group of social and new media trailblazers. This session will go beyond the ringtone and the digital download to cover the explosive growth of mobile devices. The growth of mp3 players, smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices have altered the way consumers interact with music. Additionally, how the industry engages fans/consumers to share new music and content has had a defined impact on the business. The panelists will tackle these issues and related topics of discussion during the 90-minute event before the live audience and online interactive community.
The Social Media Rock Stars Summit will be streamed LIVE on both www.Grammy.com and www.YouTube.com beginning at 2:00 pm PST Sharp. For an additional article, seehere.
Just found this and knew youd want to know too! Adam spoke about his next album on the red carpet of the Season 3 premiere of RuPauls Drag Race. He also commented about the new Idol judges. So great to hear from him! But give the videos an extra moment to load.
I was happily watching the opening of American Idol on Wednesday night, wondering if anyone would make my heart race this season or compel me to put on black nail polish. Wow, the feeling of satisfaction is almost too much - that alll is right with the world when that show goes back on the air. So the opening bit ends and they go into the da-nerr, da-nerr, da-nerr first musical notes and immediately I see Adam Lambert on-screen, right where he belongs with the other Idol winners. Oh, did you think I forgot he didnt win when I said other? No, he just is where he should be. There were two other non-winners flashed on the boards Chris Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson: a proven recording chart-topper and an Academy Award winner. As I said, right where he belongs!
The following video is just from someone shooting it off their television. But it works! Adam appears at :11 and :12 right next to Kelly Clarkson, and Chris Daughtry replaces Kelly Clarkson, to Adams left. When I was watching, I had to advance my DVR frame-by-frame (using the pause key, if anyones interested!) to catch Chris and to write down the names of all others who were appearing in the opening. Did you notice Adam appears right after the first-ever winner, before any of the others?? Oh man Im happy now!
All of us at adam-lambert.org, the Official Unofficial site would like to wish Adam Lambert a very Happy 29th Birthday! Instead of gifts, Adam would like clean water brought to those who are without it, via mycharitywater.org. It’s incredible to imagine that not everyone has water in 2011, isn’t it?
In recognition of his 29th year, Adam has asked that donations of $29 be made, but every amount will be appreciated. Originally he wanted to raise $29,000, but when that was done in a few hours, he raised the goal to $290,000. As of writing this, they’re over 40% successful at just under $121,000. There are 72 days left for this, so if you want to gather donations from a group of people, you still have time! For donations of $100 or more MADE ON JANUARY 29TH, you will receive a signed picture from Adam, via hiswebsite. Clickhereto add to this worthy cause.
While we haven’t organized anything official from our site, we know there are many parties being held by Glambs around the world. Please add your post and let us know how you’re celebrating January 29th.
On Saturday I’ll pull a cork I’m sure, but I have an additional celebration planned. My best bud, Administrator Lila Hayes and I were both lucky enough to get tickets to Adam’s appearance on The Talk on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles. We’re going up the night before the taping and taking several Glambs we’ve met through this site with us. That night we’ll celebrate together at dinner. I’m sure we’ll have some amazing belated toasts to Adam all night long!
Lets put the GLAMB vote in for Adam Lambert! Hes in a close 2nd place behind Michael Jackson. Nothing against Michael Jackson, but I really think Adam’s performance deserves as much recognition as possible. As of the moment Im writing this, Michaels This Is It is at 56.95% and Adams Whataya Want From Me is at 41.79%. None of the other three contenders even have 1% of the vote! You can vote over and over. Lets let our voices be heard!!
Set a voting number - say 20 times - vote then come back when you can and do it over again!
While reading Entertainment Weeklys Oscar Edition (Feb. 4, 2011), I came across Life After Idol by Tanner Stransky. Of course my pulse quickened, hoping theyre heaping praise on Adam Lambert. Yes, hes pictured in the main photo so I know its going to be good!
Ten contestants from Season 8 and earlier are spotlighted with How They’ve Done, Whats Next, and they are given a Career Grade. Adam is the only person from Season 8. I know youre dying to read it! I’ll retype his section, but youll have to read the picture for the others. I couldnt find a link to the printed article, so the picture of the article will have to do.
ADAM LAMBERTSeason 8s envelope-pushing runner up. How Hes DoneLambert recently scored a Grammy nomination for Whataya Want From Me, and his 2009 album, For Your Entertainment, has sold 787,000 copies.Whats NextAnother album, of course. Hell head back into the studio this spring, and the finished product could be out by the end of the year.Career Grade B
Whaaatttt???? What about just finishing the most incredible NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL GLAM NATION TOUR??? Oh well, they didnt really list much detail for the others, and we still have to be grateful that hes listed. Of course we think its a given, but I bet the Claymates are seething!!
A few pages later, under the Music Reviews on p. 112, they’re reviewing George Michael’s Faith: Special Edition. The first sentence:“As latter-day glamazons likeAdam Lambertand Lady GaGa have shown, the Wham! man’s influence still looms large.”
Hurray!! We have visible proof that Glam Master Adam Lambert is through resting after his world-tour and is coming out for fun!
Check out these pictures of Adam from the red carpet at the premiere of Ru Pauls Drag Race, Season 3. Its certainly a new look for us. Hes taking a leave from the manicured professional look weve seen for 10 months starting with Fantasy Springs back in February and giving us a more natural, relaxed side. I just saw Adam one month ago at the Los Angeles Glam Nation Finale. My big question: is it a hair piece or extensions?? No ones hair can grow that fast!! Let us know your thoughts!!
Rested and gorgeous! Full Length
Still hanging with his buddies, Tommy Joe, Taylor& Terrance!
The awards and honors keep rolling in! The latest is Adam heading the list of 100 International Stars voted on by readers of an Israeli teen magazine. Be sure to click the link to read the article in full.
From redblack2 on LiveJournal: The eighth season of American Idol was labeled by many as a war between conservative America and liberal America. On one end, Kris Allen, the good, modest Christian guy with a pleasant voice. On the other end, Adam Lambert, the charismatic, wild, theatrical guy with the huge voice and ambiguous sexual identity. Although Adam came out officially only after the show had ended, backstage his sexual orientation was out in the open. The black nail polish, the stylish outfits and the makeup that were all part of his performances on the show, left little room for doubt- the guy was not straight. Pictures of him kissing guys that were revealed during the show, did not aid the concealment of his secret from America, but did contribute, however, to the surging buzz around him. The liberal media compared Adam to Barack Obama, and hoped that the unusual contender, like the first black president, would manage to win the American conservativeness against all odds. Throughout the duration of the show, Adam kept mum about his sexual orientation. On the night of the finale, the judges urged the audience profusely to vote for the singer with the superior vocal ability. In other words, to vote for Adam Lambert.
This week we get ready to start a new season of American Idol. While we’re starving for any news on our favorite guy in the universe, I came along this interview by Shirley Halperin from The Hollywood Reporter, with one of American Idol’s vocal coaches. Debra Byrd was there during Season 8, the season that gave us Adam Lambert. Most of the interview is about American Idol, as a whole. But you cant talk about American Idol, and not mention Adam. He is one of the few contestants who have really been what the show has been all about since the beginning finding a singer that holds our interest and makes us want to spend our money. Just a handful of contestants have reached that level: Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, David Cook and Adam Lambert. With Adam, we got much more than that. We got an entertainer like no other.
Love ya!
~ Carol ~
Vocal Coach Debra Byrd Looks Back at a Decade of‘American Idol’
From the battle of the divas to an image-challenged David Cook to the sure thing that wasAdam Lambert,‘Idol’s’ resident vocal coach runs down the highs and lows of America’s favorite show.
Its amazing to think that American Idol vocal coach Debra Byrd (known affectionately to one and all simply as Byrd) was initially hired for only a three-week trial during season one. Nearly a decade later, shes still behind the scenes walking the contestants through what will probably be the most trying and unforgettable few weeks of their lives, from the auditions through Hollywood Week to the semifinals and beyond, if one is lucky enough to make the Top 12. Shes seen and heard just about everything, and after all this time, Byrd says, I love the gig and am very grateful for it. THRs Idol Worship caught up with the competitions true taskmaster for a look back at nine years on the show and ahead at whats in store for season 10. THR: In all the time that youve worked on Idol, what sticks out in your mind? Debra Byrd:How overwhelming it is for each contestant every season. That’s a constant because almost every one is the kid next door, the everyman, they come from obscurity to this huge platform where there are photographers, cameramen, sound people, hair and makeup and on top of that, they have to sing great. The constant is the overwhelming nervousness that runs through every season. And there are surprises, too. It never ceases to amaze me when I’m surprised a person’s going home who should have stayed.
THR: Is there one in particular whose elimination youre still lamenting? Byrd:Chris Daughtry. But if you look at the big picture, he won. He’s the one with the ongoing career, the record deal, the sales. But it was such a shocker when he was sent home so early. Jennifer Hudson going home was another one. Those three women— Latoya London, Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia— were in the bottom three, and as I was watching them, I remember thinking, I’m okay if Jennifer goes home. She’ll be alright. But I wouldnt have been okay if Fantasia had gone home. That was a distinct feeling I had. Her sound was so different, it was something we had not heard. And I also remember that during the commercial break when Fantasia found out that they were in the bottom, she burst into laughter, and it helped me that she burst into laughter. That was an extraordinary moment for me as well.
THR: Do you think the kids who train intensely for Idol with vocal coaches and whatnot have an advantage over someone who might be naturally gifted with zero training? Byrd:No matter what type of singer, the advantage comes if they’re comfortable with themselves. The more knowledgeable they are about their talent, the better they do in the competition. If they’re freaked out, nervous, if they have no confidence buh-bye. Those kids go home sooner, they fold faster. But the singers who are confident in who they are do very well on the show, and it doesn’t matter their age— if they’re 28 or 15, theyre the ones who have no problem being on stage through all the madness.
THR: The season 9 contestants have taken quite a beating in the press these last few months and havent really been able to relish in the post-season glory of Idol. Do you feel bad for them? Byrd:I think I felt badly for them when they were in the season. {laughs} The thing is, they weren’t the only season that people said sucked. There are highs and lows to everything. But let me say this: It’s hard to follow the season ofAdam Lambert. Like, what do you do next? Do you set yourself on fire? However, my other theory is, ifAdam Lamberthad been in season one, he would not have survived. Because we weren’t looking for that in season one. The show was so new, he wouldnt have made it.
THR: AndAdamspost-Idol success has been nothing short of extraordinary. Byrd:I never doubted it. You could see it when he was on Idol— this is a guy who was prepared. I think he said this was the last chance he could audition, because of his age, and he and other contestants were really smart about how they presented themselves to the planet. Consequentially, he’s made some missteps, but I’m very grateful that he’s been able to bounce back, so I applaud him. Because he’s very talented, very unique, and I think the music world needs him. I really do. Yes, he’s had a great year, and I’m glad for him.
THR: Whats your take on the new judges? Byrd:They have great chemistry. I’m also noticing that Randy seems to be a bit more comfortable. And I love what Jennifer Lopez brings to the show. Even when she was mentoring, she was succinct and her comments were very helpful. I thought that she got right to the point. And when I heard that she was coming on board, I said,“That makes perfect sense.” It just felt right. She bring that glamour. And Steven Tyler, I love that he has this thing where he’ll sing to the contestant. From what I’ve seen so far, and I’ve only been around them for Hollywood week, they seem to have great chemistry, but I can’t wait until we get inside the show to see how it evolves even more.
THR: What do you think of the show lowering the age limit to 15? Byrd:I think lowering the age is a good idea because there are some extraordinary 15-year-olds out there. I can spot them. Even during the audition process in the large stadium, I can spot their age and I can tell when they’re comfortable in their own skin. And when they’re not, you send them away and say, You’ve got time to come back. Its not about age, its experience.
THR: How has it been working with new musical director Ray Chew? Byrd:He was very patient and amenable to the requests that were made of him. He always maintained a great attitude, he never looked like he was bogged down, he looked like he enjoyed it! He was in control, so I applaud him for stepping up to the plate because we’ve had other MDs come through and the total opposite was their first experience where they’re uptight or a bit agitated. He didn’t have any of that at all.
THR: Another change that was announced is the sudden death round. Does that mean that a contestant cant have a single off performance? Byrd:Yeah, because it’s an endurance test, too. That’s why I say if you’re confident in who you are as a talent, you will do very well. And yes, even people who are confident do have an off day, but you don’t sing out of tune. You don’t crumble. You stand up to meet the challenge. American Idol is a marathon, as opposed to a sprint, so you have to be smart. You must be mentally prepared and have your tools.
THR: What are the tools that every contestant should have?
Byrd:I’m always leery of the kid who comes into my rehearsal room with no tape recorder, or they didn’t bring their music, they didn’t bring a CD player, they haven’t done any homework— it’s like, why are you here? You should never forget to bring your tools: your music, your lyrics, pencil and paper, a recorder, your throat lozenges, tea It’s like if you were building a house, wouldnt you have a hammer? Where are your nails and where is your wood?
THR: What do you like about your job? Byrd:That I get to plant a seed of any kind in these people who end up having wonderful Grammy-nominated, Grammy-winning and Oscar-winning careers. I feel very grateful and blessed that I have had some input into all of that.
THR: You once told me a story about David Cooks early challenges on the show and how he wasnt telegenic enough, care to share it with the Idol Worship readers? Byrd:Well, it bothered me that David Cook wasnt on anyones radar. The media didn’t pick up on him. David Archuleta was in the forefront, Carly Smithson was getting press, Michael Johns but David Cook was totally ignored and I love this guy, his voice is extraordinary! So I have a girlfriend in Florida who I call every season to ask her who she likes. She lists all those people I just named, and I asked,“What about David Cook? She said,“I don’t like him, he reminds me of a stalker.” Huh?
So I stepped back, and I looked at him from head-to-toe, as I do when I’m on the set watching the contestants and the judges’ reactions on the monitor, and really took what she said to heart. He had the goods, I knew he could deliver, but it bothered me that she thought that, and I remember saying to David,“You’re not camera-friendly and I am going to make you camera-friendly.” He said OK, and when people began noticing him, I said, Now I’m going to make you sexy.” And he said,“I’ll take it!” {Laughs.} It just goes to show that vocal coaching goes beyond just checking on your voice, its also how you present yourself to the planet.
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While reading Entertainment Weeklys Oscar Edition (Feb. 4, 2011), I came across Life After Idol by Tanner Stransky. Of course my pulse quickened, hoping theyre heaping praise on Adam Lambert. Yes, hes pictured in the main photo so I know its going to be good!
