Adam Lambert biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Adam Lambert, born on January 29, 1982 in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the eldest of two siblings. He and his family moved to San Diego, California, soon after Lambert was born. Lambert dreamed of being an entertainer at the age of 10—around the time that he was cast in his first role, as Linus in the Lyceum Theater's production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown in San Diego.

Thrilled by the stage, Lambert took private voice lessons and later appeared in more musicals at local theatres, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Grease and Chess. His voice coach, Lynne Broyles, along with Alex Urban, artistic director of the Children's Theatre Network, were influential mentors for Lambert during this time.

Lambert attended San Diego's Mt. Carmel High School, where he participated in theater, choir and jazz band. After high school, he moved to Orange County to attend college. Shortly after enrolling, however, he had a change of heart, and decided that his real desire was to perform; he left school after only five weeks.

Early Career

The aspiring singer and performer moved to Los Angeles, California, where he cobbled together a living from odd jobs while trying to make it in the theatre. He also tried his hand at music, performing in a rock band and doing studio session work.

By 2004, Lambert was making a name for himself in the Los Angeles area. He played a small role in The Ten Commandments at the Kodak Theatre, alongside film actor Val Kilmer. He also began regular performances in The Zodiac Show, a touring revue of live music and talent that was co-created by Carmit Bachar of the band Pussycat Dolls. During his time with Zodiac, Lambert wowed fellow performers with his vocal range. He also began writing his own music with the revue; one particular original song, "Crawl Through Fire," was written in collaboration with Madonna's guitarist, Monte Pittman. In 2005, Lambert landed an understudy spot as Fiyero in the play Wicked, first with the touring cast and then with the Los Angeles cast of the production.

American Idol

Lambert stepped into the national spotlight in 2009, when he became a finalist on the eighth season of the popular vocal competition show American Idol. His performance of Gary Jules's 2001 arrangement of "Mad World" earned a standing ovation from the show's harshest critic, Simon Cowell.