'Glambert' finds his voice

Glam rock has never quite been the same since Adam Lambert strutted his stuff on the American Idol stage. Even though he lost out in the final vote to Kris Allen, it was Lambert, with his awe-inspiring performances, sartorial flamboyance and powerhouse voice, who consistently displayed rock-star panache.

That was more than three years ago, yet the 30-year-old shows little sign of slowing. This month saw Lambert release Trespassing, his follow-up to the platinum-selling debut For Your Entertainment.

Lambert admits his earlier album was very much 'for your entertainment' - intentionally 'presentational, showy and theatrical' - but Trespassing is more personal. 'Trespassing is more honest and self-aware,' he says. 'I think it paints a clearer picture of who I am and what I want out of life.'

His 2010 Glam Nation Tour allowed Lambert to gain an understanding of his fans, and of himself - both as a human being and an artist. 'I had a better idea of the type of music I wanted to create,' he says. 'Also, having been through the experience of becoming a 'public' person, I know myself better as an artist. I'm more in tune with the things that I want to express ...'

One of the overarching themes of the new album is the search for balance. And in that search for balance, there's always room for growth; Lambert firmly believes that. Trespassing give him a chance to evolve musically, as it meant working with a host of producers, songwriters and musicians, including Dr Luke, Pharrell Williams, Bruno Mars, Sam Sparro and Nile Rodgers, who allowed him to experiment with new sounds.

The recording sessions Lambert had with Williams were, he says, particularly memorable. The pair wrote the album's title track and the house-influenced Kickin' In. Lambert says the funky tone of the album is a result of Williams' influence on him. After working with Williams, Lambert wanted more rhythmic tunes on the album, resulting in the tracks Cuckoo and Shady.

Despite these collaborations, Trespassing is still very much Lambert. He insists it's an intimate showcase of himself the man who has singlehandedly put modern glam rock on the map.

'This album is the most vulnerable I've let myself get,' he says. 'These are my real ideas, dreams, fears, and struggles - that's what I'm singing about.'

It's all that - with a decidedly 'Glambert' sense of flair.