Heavy/Getty American Idol
Former “American Idol” stars Adam Lambert and Todrick Hall are set to co-headline “Pr!de in London” on July 1.
Lambert, the runner-up of season 8 in 2009, and Hall, who placed in the top 16 of season 9, are both members of the LGBTQ+ community, and they’ll perform during the city’s Pride celebration along with other artists, including Idina Menzel, Jack Hawitt and Victoria Scone.
Lambert is one of the biggest success stories for “American Idol.” Although Kris Allen took home the trophy during the singing competition’s eighth finale, Lambert has dropped five studio albums and several singles, and he received a Grammy nomination for his performance of “Whataya Want From Me.”
The “Ghost Town” and “If I Had You” singer has amassed hundreds of millions of streams on Spotify, and he released his newest album, “High Drama,” in February.
Although he didn’t have the same sort of “American Idol” experience Lambert had, Hall leveraged the star power he earned on the show and has gone on to release several studio albums, host HGTV‘s “Battle of the Bling” and appear on other series like “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “Celebrity Big Brother.” “Roach Killaz” is Hall’s most recent album, which came out in May 2023.
Adam Lambert’s Newest Single, ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real),’ Will Serve as ‘Pr!de in London’s’ Anthem
Lambert shared his excitement for his upcoming performance at “Pr!de in London” in an interview published by Advocate on June 2. The pop star’s new single, “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real),” will serve as the event’s anthem, according to the outlet.
The song is Lambert’s rendition of the original performed by the late singer-songwriter Sylvester on his 1978 disco album “Step II.” Sylvester is viewed by many, including Lambert, as an important pioneer of the Pride movement. He began performing professionally in 1973, launched his first solo album in 1977, and eventually died in 1988 at the age of 41 due to AIDS-related complications.
“I’ve always loved the song, and I am really excited to put my style behind it,” Lambert said. “I have always been fascinated by San Francisco in the ’60 and ‘70s, and I saw a documentary about the intersection of the queer and hippie communities. Also, I was fascinated by the performance art of the Cockettes, which Sylvester was a part of for a few years. The modernized version is a tribute that honors Sylvester.
“He was way ahead of his time in terms of his attire, flamboyance, and his performances. He was such a pioneer, and I only hope that my version maintains the original soul of the song.”
“The song speaks to celebrating self, freedom, and uniting everyone, so it’s the perfect song for Pride,” Lambert said.
Lambert Will Perform for an Hour & More Than 60 Other Acts Are Scheduled Across 5 Locations
July 1’s “Pr!de in London” will have acts going on in five different locations in England’s capital: Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Soho Square, Golden Square and Dean Street. More than 65 acts included in the day’s festivities, with Lambert’s name atop the event’s official poster.
“I put together an hour-long show that will be held in Trafalgar Square, and I’m so excited to do this,” Lambert told Advocate.