Brian May Believes Adam Lambert Is Taking Queen’s Songs To New Places

Queen’s iconic music continues to thrive, and a large part of that is due to Adam Lambert’s fresh take on the band’s timeless classics. In a 2019 interview between Queen guitarist Brian May and Sammy Haggar, recently uploaded to AXS TV’s YouTube channel, May opened up about Lambert’s impact on Queen’s music, praising him for reinvigorating the songs with his unique approach.

May expressed his admiration for Lambert’s fearless creativity: “Adam brings fresh views on things. He’s not afraid to say, ‘Why don’t we try it this way or that way?’” Rather than simply performing the songs as they were originally written, Lambert introduces subtle changes, keeping the music dynamic and evolving. “The songs are not fossils. They’re alive and evolving with Adam, which is great, and sometimes he blows my mind.”

One of the standout moments for May is Lambert’s performance of “Who Wants to Live Forever,” a track that was once a challenge for Freddie Mercury. May revealed that when Mercury was feeling less than perfect, he would sometimes avoid performing the song due to its demanding nature. However, Lambert approaches the song with unwavering confidence. “Adam will always do it, and always pull it off, and he will take it higher and higher,” May shared, marveling at Lambert’s vocal prowess and range. “It blows my mind, the range that he has and the courage that he has to just slightly morph things into a new place.”

For May, working with Lambert has not only kept Queen’s music alive, but it has also allowed the songs to evolve in ways that would not have been possible otherwise. “I love working with Adam,” May concluded, underscoring the guitarist’s appreciation for Lambert’s boldness and artistry.

Queen’s music, with Lambert at the helm, continues to resonate with both longtime fans and new audiences, proving that these legendary songs are far from being relics of the past—they’re alive, vibrant, and constantly evolving.