Adam Lambert got to be unapologetically himself while writing his new EP, Afters.
“[My collaborators] and I had no rules,” Lambert, 42, exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly. “We set out to create work without any fear or shame. These songs came together from a place of, ‘What do we like listening to?’”
The musician, who still tours with Queen in addition to his solo career, shares that Afters felt “liberating” after formerly “trying to do the right thing to please the audience and give the industry what they think they want.” Now, Lambert is “in a place where I’m going to give you what I like and want.”
With song titles like “Lube” and “Wet Dream,” Afters, which was released on Friday, July 19, doesn’t forgo explicit detail.
“I don’t need to go shouting ‘sex’ off a rooftop, but I also don’t need to shy away from topics that are a part of everyone’s day-to-day life,” Lambert says of the EP’s sexual references. “It’s important for people to know that there is no shame in embracing your sexuality. Play with it confidently and enjoy the feeling of liberation!”
Lambert has long been a trailblazer in the LGBTQIA + community. When his second studio album, Trespassing, premiered at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 in 2012, he became the first openly gay artist to top the album charts. Lambert tells Us that although “there’s still a lot of work to be done,” he’s glad to see that the music industry has become “a much better place” for queer artists.
“It’s changed so much since I was first on the scene,” he says. “Sometimes homophobia is direct and clear, sometimes it’s subtle and behind the scenes. For so long [queerness] was behind the scenes because the industry was worried about how audiences would react. Now that queerness in music has been so widely accepted and praised, it’s seen as a viable business opportunity.”
Speaking about the bass-driven Afters track “CVNTY,” Lambert says he felt “inspired by [his] community” and the art that comes out of it.
“[I’m inspired] by nightlife and the acceptance of being in a space where queer empowered energy is celebrated,” he explains.
Lambert also named several specific artists that have caught his eye with their authenticity.
“I’m inspired by what Lil Nas X has done. Troye Sivan, Kim Petras, Slayyyter,” he says. “Anyone who’s creating without fear or shame and just out to have a good time.”
For more on Lambert, pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now.
