Adam Lambert

The biggest risk I've ever taken is going on American Idol and trying to be myself. I wasn't going to try too hard to conform, and I knew that it could possibly not work out.

I have crushes on women all the time. I don't have intimate relationships with them, but I find women beautiful.

Los Angeles can be a really sad city.

I'm so happy to be in a committed relationship.

Pop is a little bit theatrical. That's the whole vibe. That's the point - is that it's great music, great melodies, great hooks. But, on top of it, it's a presentation. There's a showmanship about it. And that's why I wanted to be a pop star.

I listen to crazy, robust rock music where they sing their faces off, and soul music, which can be similar.

In middle school, I really didn't have music, but in high school, I remember taking a lot of choir and drama.

I was a big fan of Middle Eastern elements of music and experimental electronic and tribal sounds.

I think the difficult thing is the transition between TV competition series and going into the actual music industry. There still seems to be a slight disconnect there.

I think Lady Gaga is great and is changing pop music and bringing back a certain rock 'n' roll spirit, swagger to the game.

I'm very inspired by past music.

I've sung other people's music all my life.

It's been a transformative period and I really wanted to make music from what I've experienced.

Right now, I'm not really thinking about marriage.

After my tour I had time to stay at home, be with my boyfriend and hang out with friends and that brought me down to earth and helped me write music from a more relaxed place.

I'm inspired by history, different periods.

'Come out' is so funny to me because I've never been in.

My dad is a Deadhead, my mom's a Jewish-American princess from Jersey.

When I was kid, I remember playing 'Vogue' by Madonna over and over and over again. And ah, you know, something about the beat was really cool, and Madonna, visually, was on TV all the time and I thought she was just so beautiful.

Conforming is not cool.