Adam Lambert has revealed he and mega rock stars Queen are back on tour. Performing a small number of exclusive dates in the UK, the band and Adam will play their classic hits. On The Jonathan Ross Show, Adam revealed all.
TV host Jonathan Ross, whose show airs tonight, asked Adam what it is like to take on iconic Queen tracks as a stand in for the late, great Freddie Mercury.
Lambert said: “Eight years, it’s such an honour to be up there with Brian May and Roger Taylor, to sing these incredible, iconic songs.
“To see audiences full of nostalgia, going through their youth. It’s a dream come true.”
On filling Freddie’s shoes, Lambert said: “Yes, that’s why I wear giant platforms. Absolutely.
Adam Lambert on stage with Queen (Image: Getty)
“I actually first heard about them through Wayne’s World.
“We left the movie theatre and I said, ‘Dad, what’s that song?’
“He pulled out some Queen albums from his collection, opened them up, I’m looking at Freddie and his black nail polish and his make-up, with all the guys, I thought, I like this guy, he plays dress up like I do.”
“It’s surreal, it really is. I auditioned for American Idol with Bohemian Rhapsody.
“I always think to myself, ‘What would have happened if I didn’t choose that song?’”
Adam Lambert Queen performing (Image: Getty)
He called Brian May and Roger Taylor is “mentors” before discussing which of the band’s classics make him struggle.
Lambert said: “Who Wants To Live Forever is a tall order, it’s big and dramatic, big notes.
“Show Must Go On is very hard, Another One Bites the Dust is hard, Don’t Stop Me Now never lets up – it’s so fast, so many words, can’t breathe.”
He even admitted to having had a small role in the Bohemian Rhapsody film, where he cruises Freddie in a car park, leading him into the toilet.
The band’s involvement with this film meant Adam had the chance to perform Queen’s hits at the Oscars, a moment in his career which he will never forget.
Freddie Mercury (Image: Getty)
He added: “When they called me and asked me to do it, I said, ‘Yes obviously’, hung up, ‘[I thought] what am I going to wear?’ I started thinking about, ‘Oh my god, the Oscars…
“It’s nuts. I had to kind of talk myself down, say to myself, ‘We’ve performed this dozens of times.
“‘Let’s just go out there and look at the lights and not at the audience…’ then at the end I looked at the audience.
“I felt like I was at home watching TV – it was everybody that I love [in the crowd].
“I saw a couple of people – I saw Queen Latifah was having a great time.
The original line up of Queen (Image: Getty)
“Lady Gaga and Rami Malek were in the very front… It was such a beautiful night.”
How to get tickets to Queen + Adam Lambert tour
Tickets are on sale now on Ticketmaster, for seven exclusive dates in June 2020.
The band will be playing five nights at London’s The O2 Arena from June 2-9, 2020, before heading to the Manchester Arena for two nights on June 11-12.
Queen + Adam Lambert perform in the UK in June 2020
