Plenty of things have changed for the better since Adam Lambert skyrocketed to fame as runner-up on “American Idol” in 2009. Not only in his life but in the world, he told the hosts of “The View” on February 17, 2025.
But the singing sensation, who stars in Broadway’s “Cabaret” through March 2025, acknowledged that the revered musical, which takes place during the Nazis’ rise to power in Berlin, feels “very relevant” as an artist who’s both openly gay and Jewish.
“Right now, in particular, it’s eerie to be up there and talking about things that are happening again in our country,” he told the hosts. But he urged viewers to be a force of “unity and hope” if they’re feeling anxious.
Alyssa Farah Griffin Asks Adam Lambert for Advice for People Feeling ‘Uneasy’ About Status of LGBTQ Rights
During Lambert’s discussion about his Broadway debut on “The View,” host Alyssa Farah Griffin asked the “What Do You Want From Me” singer for his advice to viewers feeling “uneasy” about shifting perceptions and federal protections for the LGBTQ community.
“We’ve seen LGBTQ rights being rolled back in real time in this country,” she said, “and the play feels timely because of that. What’s your message to people right now who are feeling just uneasy about the moment in history that we’re in?”
President Donald Trump’s actions on the first day of his second term, according to Reuters, included repealing multiple policies instituted to combat discrimination “based on gender identity or sexual orientation.”
“It’s hard, this is hard,” Lambert replied to Griffin, who served as in Trump’s first administration. “I think, first and foremost, one of the things I’ve been talking to friends about is you do have to protect your mental health. The doom scrolling on social media can get really taxing on your emotional well-being. It is scary right now. It’s one thing after another, it’s chaos.”
“The best thing that we can do is build community,” he continued. “Be there for each other, especially people in the LGBTQ community and people that are our allies. Our community has always been really strong. We’ve gotten really strong over the years, making big changes. That doesn’t have to change.”
Lambert encouraged viewers to “band together and push back with unity, and hope, and love.”
Adam Lambert Says His ‘Dream’ is to Inspire Others to ‘Be Who They Are’
Before performing “I Don’t Care Much” from “Cabaret,” Lambert told “The View” hosts that once his run in the show is complete on March 30, he looks forward to making new solo music and continuing to be a vocal advocate for issues he cares about.
“I’m just so proud that I get to be visible in this time (whether) I’m making my own music or I’m a part of ‘Cabaret,’” he said. “The last 15 years since I was on TV with ‘American Idol,’ so much has changed, mostly for the better.”
When Lambert was on “Idol,” there was no mention on the show of him being gay, though he’d come out to his friends and family at age 18. A year after being on the show, he was nearly banned from ABC after kissing a male keyboardist during his performance on the AMA’s, he told Entertainment Weekly, adding that “I didn’t realize that that kind of thing would ruffle feathers the way it did.”
Now, in 2025, Lambert told the hosts on “The View” that he’s hopes that by expressing himself authentically he can continue to be an inspiration to others, from his fans to artists like Lil Nas X.
“We’re in a weird spot right now, but getting to be visible, getting to be a gay man — and with ‘Cabaret,’ I’m also Jewish — there’s a nice Venn diagram intersection there,” Lambert said. “Just getting to be visible and daring to be myself and to express myself, I hope that it gives people encouragement and freedom to be who they are. That’s the dream.”
Fans flooded YouTube videos of Lambert’s appearance on “The View,” thanking him for his encouraging words, including one who wrote, “Life advice from Adam, I am here for it! Adam, you are a great light. Sending respect and admiration from afar.”
Another viewer wrote, “You can’t help but like Adam. I don’t care if he’s gay or whatever. He’s a nice person and it shows by how he talks and relates to people. His voice is out of this world as well.”
