“This album is a throwback to the ‘90s,” explains Adam Lambert. “It’s the soundtrack to my life.”
He’s the only gay man to debut at number one on the Billboard charts, and he’s the first openly queer singer to launch a career with a major label, but despite the forward-thinking nature of his career, Lambert looks to the past—his time before breaking through with American Idol—as the inspiration for his upcoming third album, The Original High. A mix of acid house, loudly belted lyrics and slick production, the album is an exploration of gay Los Angeles, from West Hollywood to Silver Lake.
“I want to wipe the slate clean,” he says, referring to his past sound and Idol-influenced work. Out June 16, the album is grimier, darker and more introspective than his first two, For Your Entertainment (2009) and Trespassing (2012). Still, Lambert wants you to dance. Though the beats and lyrics are more contemplative, the goal is to move not just a WeHo dance floor but the rest of America as well. As the country gets comfortable with its gay idols, Lambert’s unrepentant and honest approach to pop stardom has gained a following beyond any traditional gay fan base.
The new album’s first single—“Ghost Town,” which dropped on April 21—with its driving beat and sparse production, is the perfect gateway to the rest of the project. The song, with its black-and-white music video, sets a new tone for the artist, who has just signed a new record deal with Time Warner music.
Lambert has worked inside the entertainment business for almost a decade and a half, years before his American Idol debut. While he believes the show certainly jumpstarted his career, his 15 years as an Angeleno also shaped him creatively and personally. The Original High is an attempt to capture that sense of joy—Lambert’s happiness before he became the biggest gay pop star in America.