by Gina Scarpa

It really doesn’t matter if he won American Idol or not.  Adam Lambert has a huge career ahead of him.  When the results were read on the live finale, late Wednesday evening, fans were shocked when his name was not called as the winner.  Instead, wholesome, boy next door Kris Allen got the title but Adam has no plans to slow down.  Today, he spoke to reporters in a conference call about his experiences on the show and what lies ahead for him.

Q. After the tour, if you had an offer to do a Broadway show, would you jump on that?
A. Adam: I think my direction is to become a recording artist.  I’ve spent time doing the theater thing for a number of years.  I’m not turning my back on it but I’m definitely going in the other direction right now.

Q. Can you talk about the importance of adding a theatrical quality to your performances?
A. Adam: I think it’s just all in the name of good entertainment.  First and foremost, it is about the music.  It packages it in a little bit more of a flash, interesting, dynamic way.  Theatricality is just one way of performing.  It’s just my way.  Bowie is a great example of someone who did.  Michael Jackson is great example of someone who used drama.  I was just really lucky that American Idol embraced it.

Q. How did it make you feel seeing Katy Perry with the jacket with your name on it?
A. Adam: Oh my gosh, I was shocked and honored.  I had a huge smile on my face the minute I saw it.  I gave her a big hug and she was really, really cool.  She had some good advice for me.  She said, “Make sure that you keep your friends that you had around you before this started and keep them close.”

Q. Do you think all the talk about your sexual orientation had any impact on the voting?
A. Adam: Probably. 

Q. Would you like to form a band or go solo?
A. Adam: Probably solo but there’s options there but I’m not sure yet. 

Q. What does it take to make your performances and high notes look so effortless?
A. Adam: I don’t know.  I think it’s just something I’ve been doing a long time.  I don’t think about it.  I just do.  The thinking really comes into play when I’m planning on what I’m singing and how I’m singing.  I think it out beforehand.  When it comes time to perform, I just go.

Q. What was the after party like when the Idol finale was over?
A. Adam: It was crazy!  It was pretty crowded and the whole evening was overwhelming.  Trying to interact with as many people as I could was so excited.  I got to speak with Paula and Kara.  It was really nice being able to be off the record, off camera, and just interact.

Q. If you had to pick a favorite performance, what would it be?
A. Adam: I really had a lot of fun doing “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin.  We were really excited that it cleared.  It’s an all time favorite tune of mine and I felt very empowered on stage.

Q. Why do you think you weren’t discovered before?
A. Adam: I might not have gone through the proper channels.  The idea of being discovered is kind of a dying art.  You have to put yourself out there.  I was doing the theater thing, I had a band for a while, and then I started writing music.  I was probably at the point where I was ready to start submitting music to labels but then this opportunity came around.

Q. What celebrities were you most excited to meet this season?
A. Adam: Wow, I was starstruck every time.  Smokey Robinson was amazing, Jamie Foxx was amazing.  I can’t even name one.  Every single celebrity was coming up to me and knew who I was.  That was the weirdest part.  I was like, “Wait a minute, I’m a fan of yours.  You can’t be a fan of mine!”

Q. How do you feel about the outcome of Idol?
A. Adam: I know it sounds cliché but I really feel like I won by getting to the final.  To me, it’s not about the title of American Idol.  It was about the experience.  I made music and I got to do a different performance every week.  I was able to use American Idol as a platform to get myself out there and now I have a career.  I couldn’t be happier for Kris!

Q. How much of a creative hand will you have in your first album?
A. Adam: In my talks with 19 Entertainment, I've expressed my desire to have a lot of involvement in the creative process.  I'm definitely a collaborator.  I don't like to be told what to do and I don't like to hold all the reins myself.  I'm hoping that they pair me up with some amazing producers.  I plan on being present and involved. 

Last not but not least, a question from RealityWanted!

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You just spoke about your creative input for your first album.  How much input did you have on Idol and did anyone ever try to hold you back from doing what you wanted to do?
A. Adam: No the really cool thing about the show is that they've been 100% supportive of everything I've done.  I would go into a vocal session with an idea and they would say, "Let's try it!"  It's been very creative and never once, did I feel stifled in any way.


(Image courtesy of FOX)

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