Adam Lambert has no “bitterness” about coming out.
The former American Idol contestant publicly revealed his sexuality in 2009. But in a new interview, the 33-year-old singer said he wishes more of a precedent had been set by previous singers coming forward as gay before his announcement.
“At that time, how many mainstream music artists did we have that were out?” he asked Out magazine. “Elton John and George Michael—and his whole coming out was tabloid fun. There hadn’t been a blueprint to follow. That was the one thing I wished I’d had: a little more guidance.
“There were definitely moments of frustration and pressure, but there’s been a lot of goodwill as well, a lot of support from fans and media people, and it’s balanced out. I don’t have any sort of bitterness about it.”
Adam has made a successful career for himself aside from his Idol fame. As well as his solo musical offerings, he recently toured with Queen as the band’s frontman. Now he is promoting his latest release The Original High, which he says reflects a different stage in his life.
“I chilled out a little bit,” Adam said. “I don’t know if it’s just being in my 30s. When you’re younger and you’ve got a skill, you tend to show off more—you feel like you have more to prove. Over the last few years, I’ve gotten into a place where I feel a little more confident in what I do, and I don’t feel I need to prove myself as far as ‘look at all the tricks I can do.’ Now music for me is more about wanting to prove that I can feel something.”
