A Minute With: Adam Lambert "For Your Entertainment"

Former American Idol contestant Adam Lambert, who performed the song ''Time For Miracles'' on the soundtrack for the film ''2012'', arrives for its premiere in Los Angeles, November 3, 2009.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Adam Lambert may have lost the battle to be crowned "American Idol" but the glam rocker with soaring vocals says he got what he wanted from the TV singing contest -- an album deal, exposure and a chance to make and present music his way.

Lambert's debut album "For Your Entertainment" will be released on Nov 23. The 27 year-old from California spoke to Reuters about his music, his hopes and how his life has changed.

Q: How would you describe the music on the album?

A; "I think there are a lot of throwback elements to it. There is a lot of 70s and 80s influence. The first track has a little bit of kitschy-ness to it. But 'For Your Entertainment' has a very current pop/dance with a kind of T-Rex feel. I didn't want to turn my back on my love for classic rock and the audience won't appreciate that either because I got most of my cred on 'Idol' singing songs from that era. (But) I love commercial pop music and I wanted to make something commercial."

Q: Do you think there is a gap in the market right now for a glam rocker?

A; "Yes. There are females doing it, theatrical and a bit over the top. Lady Gaga, Pink, Christina Aguilera -- they all put on a show in the spirit of Madonna, dressing up and creating a theme. But there hasn't been a guy do it for a while. In the '70s and '80s there were a lot of artists that did it but for some reason it kind of fizzled out."

Q; You had already enjoyed professional success in musical theater, appearing in "Wicked" and "Hair", before you auditioned for "Idol". Why did you want more?

A: "I wanted to be more active in the creation of what I was performing. Theater is a great art form but I was not contributing much to what was going on in terms of dialogue, costumes, and staging. I just wanted to make my own thing."

Q: Despite coming out publicly as gay, I hear you had women throwing their panties at you on the "Idol" summer tour?

A: "Yes! What's that about? It's crazy! What am I, Tom Jones now?"

Q: What's the biggest way your life has changed this year?

A: "I am more financially secure. I'm renting a cute house rather than a studio apartment. I got a Ford Mustang convertible from Ford so that is pretty exciting. The lack of anonymity is interesting. But if I need to, I put on a baseball hat and some glasses and there is a way to blend in, there really is. That's the good thing about being in L.A. People are used to seeing members of the entertainment community. They don't geek out as much."

Q: You're looking pretty good today (eyeliner, four finger rings, blue plaid shirt, black nail polish, black calf length boots). How long does it take to get ready in the morning?

A: "Today I'm camera ready. It took under an hour. But when I'm just living my own day-to-day life, I roll out of bed and I'm a guy. But when it comes to this (promotional) stuff, I'm on girl time."

Q: The album cover has already got people talking. Why did you choose that picture?

A: "That image to me seemed really striking and kind of wild. I felt I looked almost inhuman. It was that whole David Bowie-Ziggy Stardust thing where you think he is an alien. It is a weird image and I liked that it was weird. I am weird."

Q: Are you really?

A: "I'm nice. But I'm weird. Maybe eccentric is a better word. I'll pick that label."

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)