Adam Lambert Reveals What Fans Didn’t See From His ‘American Idol’ Audition

Throughout over two decades on the air, “American Idol” has brought some truly unforgettable talent into America’s living rooms. It all starts with auditions, where contestants sing their hearts out for a chance to make it to Hollywood. For Adam Lambert, appearing on the show was life-changing, but the audition fans saw on television in Season 8 wasn’t the whole story.

“It’s funny, because they didn’t air my entire audition,” he explained on an episode of “The Jennifer Hudson Show.” As Lambert shared, he first tried to wow the judges with a song by Michael Jackson. “I tried to sing ‘Rock With You,'” he said, adding that the judges were completely unimpressed. Luckily, they gave him a chance to sing a different song, and the rest is “Idol” history.

Lambert Was Determined to Make it to Hollywood

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As soon as he finished trying to sing “Rock With You,” Lambert knew he’d made a mistake. “They were not getting it,” he explained to Hudson. “And I saw their perplexed faces, and I thought, ‘Okay, I’m not leaving without getting through.'” From there, Lambert sang “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a much more successful audition that eventually aired on the series.

All four judges gave his audition a resounding “Yes” to moving forward in the competition. Paula Abdul also called his performance “brilliant,” and even Simon Cowell had to admit that the 26-year-old stage actor had serious potential. Lambert would go on to finish as the Season 8 runner-up.

He and Hudson Shared Stories From Their ‘Idol’ Journey

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Hudson and Lambert weren’t part of the same season, but the ‘Idol’ alums had plenty to share about the show that made them both famous. “Do you still get the jitters on Wednesday nights from elimination nights?” Hudson asked. “Cuz I do!”

Lambert shared that his mid-week anxiety subsided over time, but seeing reminders of the show still gave him flashbacks for years. “It was a strange and exciting experience,” he said. “I had a great time, but it was surreal, you know, very surreal.”

Both former contestants became stars in their own right, proving that winning the series isn’t the only way to gain fame. Hudson earned EGOT status with her 2022 Tony Award win, and Lambert is a force to be reckoned with across song, stage, and screen.