Adam Lambert Joining Queen: Singer Teaming Up With Brian May And Roger Taylor (UPDATED)

UPDATE: Lambert tweeted that he was not confirmed to tour with the band, and that he was referring to a performance at the European Music Awards:

Oooh them clever reporters takin my quotes outta context.... I haven't confirmed any guest appearances. I was talking about the EMA'S. :)

— Adam Lambert (@adamlambert) February 4, 2012

He added that he was "flattered" by the fact that the story was widely reported, but unfortunately for Lambert's fans, Queen has not adopted the "Idol" runner-up as its new frontman.

The original version of this article appears below.

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Adam Lambert has quite the pair of shoes to fill -- the "American Idol" runner-up claims he's replacing Freddie Mercury as Queen's frontman.

"The intention is to pay tribute to Freddie and the band by singing some f*****g great songs," Lambert told the Daily Star. It's to keep the music alive for the fans and give it an energy that Freddie would have been proud of."

While he's looking forward to teaming up with 64-year-old guitarist Brian May and 62-year-old drummer Roger Taylor, Lambert insists he'll be honoring Mercury's memory.

"There's no intention in my mind of replacing Freddie. That's impossible," Lambert said of Mercury, who died in 1991.

While this may come as a surprise to die-hard Queen fans, Taylor had spoken highly of Lambert back in December.

"He has grown into a really great performer with an astonishing voice with a range that's great," the drummer told Billboard. "There's nothing signed just yet but we're talking about live dates. It could be very exciting."

Spinner notes that this is not the first time someone has taken Mercury's place in the band -- Paul Rodgers did a five year stint with the band that ended in 2009 (the band went by the name of Queen + Paul Rodgers). Guitarist Brian May even flirted with the idea of Lady Gaga joining the famed rock group.

What do you think about Lambert joining Queen?

A previous version of this article said Lambert was referring to an upcoming performance. The European Music Awards performance Lambert refers to took place on November 6, 2011.

CORRECTION An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Lambert won "American Idol." The singer was a finalist in on season 8 of show.

Related on HuffPost:

Comments

[adamsminion]

12:36 AM on 02/07/2012

OMG! If I have to read another "No one can replace Freddie" comment I am going to rip my eyes out!! These people didn't even read the damn article! Adam doesn't want to replace Freddie! "The intention is to pay tribute to Freddie and the band by singing some f*****g great songs, It's to keep the music alive for the fans and give it an energy that Freddie would have been proud of."

DON'T DO IT ADAM!!! Queen fans hate you. YOUR fans adore you doing your own thing!

And, ADAM, Freddie wore just as much make up as you do on stage. F*** Queen Fans!

[bizzaro birdman]

05:56 PM on 02/06/2012

Dude wears way too much makeup.

[bluetta]

12:35 AM on 02/07/2012

You're living in the past. This ( http://twitpic.com/8gi7g8/full ) is what Adam looks like these days - completely natural. And he looks incredibly beautiful! he has been in Europe the past week doing promo performances and interviews - no makeup whatsoever in any of the pics I've seen.

[bizzaro birdman]

10:33 AM on 02/07/2012

You obviously didn't see him judge the last season of Project Runway. The dude wore more makeup than the models.

[mikeyaz17]

05:33 PM on 02/06/2012

as an openly gay man who came out when he was 19 and pretty much accepts everyone on their terms i have one thing to say about adam lambert

EWWWWW

[bluetta]

10:21 PM on 02/07/2012

It sure doesn't sound like you "accept people on their own terms". Stop hating on anoither gay man - he doesn't deserve it. Gay folks are so unwilling to see how very much Adam has
changed people's minds about gays, just by being his beautiful self and inspiring people by his
example. He is loved all over the world (except for Queen fans and some members of the gay
community, who are making amistake in not supporting someone like Adam). Gays now have alot of straight allies because of Adam. Adam is beautiful inside and out and is a mega-talented singer and performing artist. He should be cherished and honored. Adam is
changing the world!

[enfant terrible]

04:20 PM on 02/06/2012

Is this the Adam Lambert that beat up his gay friend?


Bullying a gay? Isn't that a hate crime?

[bluetta]

12:27 AM on 02/07/2012

You've got the story completely wrong. NO ONE WAS "BEAT UP" - not even a little bit. There was no violence, no punches or blows, no injuries. Adam and his BF had AN ARGUMENT fueled by jetlag and consumption of too much alcohol by both of them. Nothing unusual, nothing that doesn't happen in every relationship. They were not arrested, just detained for questioning. No one pressed charges and everyone was OK. "Hate crime"? WHAT?? There was no crime committed at all. Adam and Sauli were reconciled immediately and returned home together to LA. The media exaggerated and sensationalized the story and blew it all out of proportion. Whoda thunk that could happen?

[Sunflo]

02:17 AM on 02/06/2012

More foundation!

[rotorhead1871]

09:18 PM on 02/05/2012

its young adam teaming up with 2 old queen guys.....he aint the new freddy....

[colin72]

04:32 PM on 02/05/2012

I'm an Atheist but this update has me rethinking things.

[Helene Anderson]

07:48 AM on 02/05/2012

Didn't even need to read the rest of the article once those reports were disputed. Thank goodness! There will never be another Freddie Mercury!...he is legend! I'm actually shocked Queen would even play with Adam Lambert...

[Nina Wolfson]

11:19 AM on 02/05/2012

So you think Roger and Brian are idiots for asking him to front them at the MTVEMAs where he absolutely brought the house down? Enlighten yourself: http://vimeo.com/31735295

[lisaman]

12:59 PM on 02/05/2012

They took it away.

[ennui the third]

07:15 AM on 02/05/2012

Whew!..that was a close one!...there is a god after all!

[felula]

04:06 AM on 02/05/2012

i don't know where u people got the idea that the survivors of Queen want and try to find somebody to replace Freddie, before Brian May and Roger Taylor starting the whole Paul Rodgers thing, they already told people whoever they tour with is just a guest, not a replacement. Just watch some videos(i strongly recommend Brian's love of my life in Sheffield, UK, 2005 ) from the tours with Paul, U will find how much Freddie is missed and respected by Brian and Rodger . These guys just want to do something they really like and enjoy, and they got the rights. As a big fan, i'm really glad Queen continued their music after Freddie's death, maybe that's what Freddie want.

[MindyM]

03:47 AM on 02/05/2012

I guess we all got up in arms over nothing. To be honest, I am glad that Lambert is not going to tour as the frontman for Queen. I wasn't against the idea, but it just doesn't seem like a great career move. You want to sing your songs your way. To try to be an imitation of the great Freddie Mercury, to sing his songs with his bands, doesn't make sense to me.

Lambert should stand on his own merits. Those of us who loved Freddie Mercury and were blessed to watch him do what he did better than anyone else, have our precious memories. In our hearts and minds, that truly majestic voice of his always will always live on.

[Nina Wolfson]

11:23 AM on 02/05/2012

Lambert IS standing on his own merits. He's got his OWN album coming out in March already to phenomenal reviews from everyone who's heard the previews. He's NEVER stated he wants to "replace" Freddie, and he certainly DOES NOT imitate him. Roger and Brian asked HIM to join them for the MTVEMAs. Do you think they don't know immense talent when they see it? Watch: http://vimeo.com/31735295

[MindyM]

03:46 AM on 02/06/2012

You know what? Your response is way too defensive! Calm down, for heaven's sake! I like Adam Lambert! Good grief! People read things into what you say and then go nuts defending someone who needs no defense. I am on Lambert's side! But after your comment, I have nothing more to say to you.

[colin72]

04:33 PM on 02/05/2012

"I wasn't against the idea, but it just doesn't seem like a great career move"

Lambert has a career?

[MindyM]

03:47 AM on 02/06/2012

Please! After that other response where a Lambert fan went ballistic on my harmless comment, I am done even commenting on it anymore. Obviously, you are not a Lambert fan, so maybe this person should take it up with you.

[AltEvil]

03:33 AM on 02/05/2012

Ohhhhhhh, Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,!

[Leond]

01:56 AM on 02/05/2012

I'm denying that I'm having sex with Kate Upton.

[AuntieLoieAZ]

01:51 AM on 02/05/2012

That's too bad. I was looking forward to seeing him as frontman for Queen. It was a stellar idea!

[proudHB]

01:20 AM on 02/05/2012

Few can deliver Queen songs as good as Adam does. In fact even Freddie himself couldn't reach some of the highest notes on live performances and sung many of them (notebly "Love of my life") way below the original key (well, not that below, it was mostly one half step.) According to one CD booklet that I read once (I think it was from a Japanese version of "A night at the opera" CD) he messed his vocal chords during an American tour in the early 70's when he performed two stages a day for months (allegedly booked by the then manager Norman "death on two legs" Sheffield.)