Adam Lambert Loses 'American Idol,' The Glam Mistress Is Not Surprised
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 10:05PM 
I’d like to say that Adam losing the title of American Idol shocked me – but it doesn’t. After all, this is America: the land of the free and home of the brave. If you are middle of the road “normal” you’ll be embraced. In America, mediocrity is king.
Kris Allen, often referred to as “that other guy” by every legitimate artist in the business will have a fine career. He’s not without talent: the guy can sing in his own, laid back style. He’s not a star, he’s not a super talent, he’s safe.
A lot of people were surprised at my enthusiastic support for Lambert. There’s no denying the guy can out sing anybody – but he’s so much more than that. For everyone that thinks Adam is a phony or cocky, I disagree, but that is neither here nor there. I don’t know Adam and neither do you – so really such arguments have no merit. Since American Idol has evolved to the largest popularity contest in the world, we need to look at both Allen and Lambert as the entire package: excellent vocal chords aside.
So much has been written about Lambert over the past three months. In short, Adam became a media darling, thanks in large part to his immense talent, but also for his good looks and interesting back story. See, Allen is a cheerful newlywed from nowheresville USA. Lambert is an over-the-top androgynous creature from Los Angeles. What a lot of casual fans don’t know about Lambert is that he’s been trying to make it in music for years – and that includes singing in off-Broadway productions, in cabarets, at Bar Mitzvahs and in a band on the Sunset Strip. Yep, Adam is the lead singer for a band called The Citizen Vein and he’s played in some of the same clubs as our beloved Glam heroes.
Moreover, Adam didn’t need to be styled for the stage. What you see is what you get: a man who likes to experiment with stage persona, to match song to performance. Sounds like a star to me. That voice certainly doesn’t hurt anything.
A lot of people will immediately point to Adam’s sexuality as to why he lost the prize. I don’t discuss a person’s sexual orientation on this site, but I will say this: I’ve never understood why straight people would want to keep others from the same rights and happiness? Why is it better for a straight person to get married and divorced six or seven times, but Glam forbid someone else from choosing one life partner and being happy. I guess unhappiness is next to godliness in some people’s eyes.
But maybe that’s the point. Maybe America really is just a backward nation, where the ones with the loudest voices and biggest platforms – and Bill O’Reilly, I’m looking at you here – always prevail. I think America made a giant step forward electing Obama to the presidency – but please believe he benefited a lot from the anti-Bush vote. You know, the “anyone but another Republican” mentality – and that isn’t great either. Republicans are not the enemy, any more than Democrats are a bunch of freewheeling baby killers. It’s all perspective. I have no doubt in my mind Kris won because of the Christian “anyone but a gay Jew” vote. I also wholeheartedly believe Kris has millions of fans who genuinely prefer his voice. Is he a better singer than Adam? No, not by a long shot. Then again, American Idol has never been about the voice: it’s always been about the most popular kid in school.
The real contest begins in a few months when Adam and Kris hit the studio to record their debut albums. There’s no doubt both will be on the opposite end of the rock spectrum, with Kris sounding exactly like Jason Mraz and Adam sounding like...well, no one knows what Adam will do. That’s the endgame right there: far too many people would rather go with what they know instead of the unknown.
Being different is always, undeniably, METAL. Good luck Adam!
Kiss with Adam Lambert - American Idol Season Finale
Reader Comments (63)
Hehehehe.. what do you mean you weren't going to rock concerts in the 80's? Weren't all 8 year olds doing it?
I'd say Adam fit right in with KISS, and it goes to show how amazing his showmanship is. His voice is to die for (I've said it reminds me of Axel Rose, though I think it is better...and quite fitting considering the Velvet Revolver rumors), and I hope he reaches a level of fame of Madonna/Michael Jackson/Jesus proportions, because in my eyes he's better that the first two for sure...
Are you serious?
What's the story morning glory and Definitely Maybe are two of the greatest albums that has been done EVER. You cleary dosent know anything about music, have you ever listen to The Verve, The Stone Roses, The Beatles, Oasis, Blur and those bands, have you really listen?
And yeah I love Glam, and Allyson beside this Adam Lambert crap, this blogg saves my day.
Cheers!
Stones Roses , The Verve , Blur?? Dude , this is ALL mindless indie British GARBAGE that has absolutely ZERO talent. I used to see all those bands when I was in England and they were a joke.
Where's the guitar solos? Where's the big hooks? Where's the outstanding singers??
I can't remember ONE song after I've heard it.
Sorry dude , I'll stick to Metal. Music that actually means something.
Stones Roses , Verve, Blur , Oasis??
LMFAO.
One band that blows them ALL away.... JELLYFISH.
Okay everybody, now it's your turn to discredit everything I've said as if your opinion is somehow more valid than mine, or anybody else's for that matter.
If you like music you like those band, Jellyfish.
I bet that your like 15 years old, otherwise it's just ...
The problem with the other contestants is that they DIDN'T!!!
Look , if you like those bands that more power to ya , I mean SOMEONE has to like them - it sure isn't America.
But if you think for one minute that Oasis has more talent than a band like Dream Theater then I'm realizing why you aren't in the business and never will be and why guys like me run record companies and you don't.
And he oversings. Sorry, but he does. By making songs 'his own', he consistently seems to go 2-3 registers above the actual lyric, and it appears to me that he does it not because it fits the song, but because he can. On some of the songs, it works. On others, it doesn't. Listening to it last night with Kiss is like putting Geoff Tate or Rob Halford in Poison. Yes, I'm sure they hit notes that would make all the hair on Bret's head fall out (oh, wait.......), but really, what's the point? It doesn't fit.
In any event, they're both talented, I wish them both the best, I certainly wish I had the voice that either one of them has. And Alyson, certainly no offense intended. Love the site, love that you're strong in your convictions and you don't back down.
Cheers.
It's pretty simple. Even with all the pomp Idol tried to give this glammed up copy the performance mister Dark Horse gave with Keith Urban was much better. Controlled, disciplined, even showmanship.I liked Adam with Kiss but that's because I like Kiss. I'm not so blinded by my own likes and dislikes that I can't give credit where credit is due.
KISS loves Adam.
"KISS frontman Gene Simmons was so impressed by Adam Lambert, he told Extra, "Adam was fantastic. What a powerful and attractive man he is. He can come on tour whenever he'd like. Of course he'd have to put his armor on because the fans, especially the KISS fans, take no prisoners. You gotta go big. Gotta be strong. You gotta be a rock, baby!''"
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/idol_watch/2009/05/gene-simmons-sends-big-kiss-to-adam-lambert.html
I know you find this hard to believe, but a lot of REAL musicians like Adam Lambert and really think he's a great singer/performer.
Heather needs to get a grip!!
And Jr. lost his privileges for blatantly attacking me and my age. Considering most people would kill to be in their 20s again, I'd say Jr's assertion makes him look like an even bigger fool.
Allyson