Since 2011, Adam Lambert, the dynamic frontman for Queen, has been electrifying stages all over the world as Queen + Adam Lambert. He has given the renowned band’s timeless tunes new life with his powerful vocals and captivating stage presence. However, Lambert recently opened out about one song, masterfully delivered by the late Freddie Mercury, that he has purposefully decided not to perform in an interview with Forbes.
Adam Lambert and Queen have collaborated on two live albums since their 2011 union, including ‘Live in Japan’ from 2016 and ‘Live Around the World’ from 2020. Their initial performance in Kyiv in 2012 marked the beginning of a string of lucrative tours that have since followed.
Queen and Adam Lambert have traveled the world extensively over the years, playing in locations such as North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Japan. Both reviewers and fans have praised their performances, demonstrating that Queen’s music still has a special power. Adam Lambert and Queen are now preparing for their much anticipated North American tour.
Lambert made the touching admission that there is one song in particular he loves and would want to perform but won’t do so out of respect for Freddie Mercury’s incredible voice. He said that after hearing the song, he was struck by how well Freddie had sang it. He thus advised they perform the song in a way that would not in any way obstruct Freddie’s vocals.
Adam Lambert remarked:
“There was a song that I particularly love called ‘Take My Breath Away,’ that is just the most beautiful recording of Freddie. I was so in love with it, but I realized, ‘I don’t even want to touch it. It’s that beautiful.’ And that’s when I suggested, ‘Let’s play a little piece of it, of Freddie singing it just as a way to set the mood for something.’
We do that now; we’ve been incorporating it for a while right before we do ‘Who Wants To Live Forever.’ It’s just this beautiful palette cleanser in that moment. And I love hearing his voice on it. So that’s one I dreamed of singing, but then decided that I shouldn’t try because it’s just too good.”
Brian May, the well-known guitarist for Queen, also spoke on the matter and emphasized the need of preserving Freddie Mercury’s memory in their performances. May stated that they were able to include Freddie in the act without the use of artificial means such as background recordings.
May said: “It’s nice because Freddie is very much in the show. You will hear Freddie during the show, and you’ll see him a bit through various little methods that we have. But what you won’t hear is any clicks or backing tracks. You’ll just hear us and a few little nuances of Freddie in there, which we love. Freddie is part of the origin of all of this stuff, and he’s still there. His spirit is very strong.”
The choice by Adam Lambert to forgo singing “Take My Breath Away” is a heartfelt homage to the inimitable Freddie Mercury, whose voice still mesmerizes and captivates listeners. The legacy of Queen + Adam Lambert’s timeless music is kept alive by paying tribute to and embracing Freddie’s memory, demonstrating that certain icons never truly die.
