The Cost of Being on 'American Idol'

By Jay MacDonald | Bankrate.com – Mon, Feb 4, 2013 10:02 AM EST

Did Adam Lambert buy his own clothes?

Adam Lambert (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Just then, a production assistant pushes the switch on his walkie-talkie and barks: "We need the three guys back on set. And get ready to release the dogs."

A nearby handler motions toward three menacing German shepherds that will stalk the Idols on the next shot.

"The dogs seem nice," says Lambert, flashing a wary I-hope-they-don't-bite smile. "Here we go again."

What's it like to be an Idol in the final throes of competition?

A three-day tag-along reveals that an Idol finalist's constant companions include physical fatigue, mental exhaustion and a constant stream of choices: What song? What note? What outfit? What take?

One thing is clear: Television's top-rated series is less reality show than boot camp for wannabe stars. Survive incessant tasks — song and wardrobe selections, rehearsals, music-video recordings and shoots, iTunes recording sessions — and there won't be a Hollywood pitch you can't hit.

Saturday: Shopping incognito

It's late morning in the City of Angels, where the frenzy has slowed to a manageable weekend pace. Families of Hasidic Jews walk leisurely to synagogue past the nearly empty parking lot of CBS Studios. Inside, Lambert sits in a dimly lit windowless room and sings Aerosmith's Cryin'.

"Should I say the word 'Cryin' ' at the end, or is that, you know, too show-tune-y?" Lambert asks Michael Orland, who, along with Dorian Holley, has proffered vocal and musical advice to Lambert and Allen throughout the competition.

Orland agrees he should just draw out the last "me" of the verse.

Lambert nods, then starts talking about a few recent performances, praising recently departed Idol Allison Iraheta, 17, with whom he dueted last week on a raucous version of Foghat's Slow Ride.

"I tell you, give her two years and, bam! She'll be a star," he says with genuine awe. "She is just so, so talented."

He runs through U2's One, which the judges picked for him to sing. Aside from hearing it a few times on the radio, the song was mostly unfamiliar to Lambert until a few hours ago. The three men spend much time working out how to make the last words of the song ("sisters and brothers") a whisper.

"You've got the huge voice, we know that," says Holley. "But sometimes it's more powerful to go the opposite way."

Ten minutes later, Lambert stands up and stomps a single snakeskin boot: "All right, we're done. Let's go shopping."

After a trip of a few blocks by car, Lambert and stylist Miles Siggins walk freely through the posh Beverly Center mall. No one stops the Idol finalist. This is L.A., and Lambert isn't yet A-list.

Inside the hip-with-cash store Traffic, Lambert and Siggins fall in love with a faded denim shirt by Dolce & Gabbana. At $695, it comes close to his two-song budget of $800. Not that that would stop Lambert.

"He's broken Taylor Hicks' record for spending the most out of your own pocket," Siggins says, laughing. "And I'm not telling you by how much."

Lambert says the white suit he wore to sing the Rat Pack-era tune Feeling Good cost $1,700. "But in this competition, the visual is as important as the voice," he says. "I'll spend what I have to."

Says Siggins: "Adam's my modern-day David Bowie."

With that, the two are off to admire a sandblasted pair of jeans from Hysteric Glamour for $855. "I love this," whispers Lambert.

In the end, though, nothing makes Lambert's cut, and he moves on to other stores.

'American Idol' Stylist Describes Dressing Adam Lambert

May 20 2009 2:01 PM EDT
By Eric Ditzian

When most "American Idol" hopefuls show up primped, plucked and shining for their auditions, they probably think they've nailed their signature looks. But by the time the season finale rolls around — if they're lucky enough to have made it that far — they've been working with professional stylists for months.

The man tasked with readying the male "Idol" contestants for prime time is fashion and celebrity stylist Miles Siggins. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Siggins revealed the inside story of dressing finalists Adam Lambert and Kris Allen.

"Adam's image you can do so many different things with," Siggins told the Times. "I think that is his image, he's a modern-day David Bowie to me. ... It's his theatrical background — he's used to wearing costumes, so he thinks a different way about it."

For the "Matrix"-esque trench coat that Lambert rocked during his Tuesday night reprise of Tears for Fears' "Mad World," Siggins took the singer to meet with Los Angeles-based designer Michel Berandi, whose glam-meets-goth style meshed perfectly with the 27-year-old singer's sensibility.

"Adam is at the point now where he says, 'I've made it this far, I just want to be exactly who I am,' " Siggins said. "So we've really, really gone for the theatrical, and we're not so worried if it will scare people."

Style Idol: Miles Siggins

Speaking of punk, Adam Lambert is the guy everybody’s talking about in the menswear industry.

He’s inspiring a lot of people because he’s showing that you can just have fun with dressing up. I actually have to pull the reigns in on him sometimes! But it’s nice that he pays attention to all the little details of what he wears. He’s done stuff that we’ve never ever done before on the show, which for me is fantastic. Everything from customizing leather jackets, to putting a really low-cut, silky Versace shirt under a suit—just to throw it off.

Link: www.mrketplace.com/10621/style-idol-miles-siggins/#

Ask A Stylist : Mile Siggins of American Idol

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Q5. Give me a really crazy anecdote/story. Something that has happened with a celebrity or on American Idol.

A. Probably the craziest, most excessive thing that's happened to me is when I was prepping for the American Idol finale a couple of years back. Adam Lambert and I had found this amazing pair of silver Dr Martens by Raf Simons we wanted to use for an outfit. I called the PR company in New York, who duly dispatched said boots. one problem...there were 2 left feet. we found out Raf Simons had the other in his apartment in Amsterdam. Dr Martens actually sent a private jet to pick up the boot, whch was flown, on its own, in its own seat (!) to me in LA overnight...I thought they were joking when they told me!

Link: rebelrebelantistyle.blogspot.com/2011/06/ask-stylist-mile-siggins.html

HQ scans of INROCK Magazine (Japan), February 2013 issue - http://bit.ly/VQUVrp 

by Byron Flitsch

Adam Lambert shows off his Unity Award at the We Are Family Foundation gala.

Remember when we flipped our ish over Adam Lambert earning the We Are Family Foundation's Unity Award?! Well, it's pretty much a given that we'll flip over ANYTHING Adam does (see: this and this), but seeing the most GLAMOROUS HUMAN BEING EVERholding his trophy reminds us of why Adam is absolutely the winner of life (and why all the haters should just quit trying to keep up). Also, Adam's smize totally says: "THIS is how you rock guyliner at a black tie gala like a boss. BAM! *Drops mic, walks away*"

The "Let's Dance" singer shared his proud moment on Instagram along with the caption, "U-N-I-T-Y," which he obvs did just to remind us that he also happens to be a pristine speller. So, to clarify, Adam's 31st year in life has not only included a GIF shrine created by your fellow Glamberts here at Buzzworthy, but it's also gotten him a super shiny award that will no doubt look amazing on any mantle it touches. What would make this year EVEN BETTER? How about some new tunes, Adam? We're wearing our Trespassing MP3s out as we strut the streets like they're a fashion runway (true story)! Wait, can you really wear out MP3s?

Photo credit: @realadamlambert

IT'S OFFICIAL! Trespassing will be officially released in China on Feb 20th!

Available on Amazon China right now for pre-order and as of 6:00PM ET 2.6.13 ranks #1 on Best Sellers, Hot New Releases and Movers & Shakers!!






Tracklist

Google translated tracklist......a bit like a poem.

01 Trespassing gorgeous invasion
02 Cuckoo madman
03 Shady barely see the sky
04 Never Close Our Eyes never sleep a wink
05 Kickin 'In the role of alcohol
06 Naked Love naked love
07 Pop That Lock to open the lock
08 Better Than I Know Myself know better than my own
09 Broken English Broken English
Under 10 Underneath
11 Chokehold shackles
12 Outlaws Of Love Love desperadoes
13 Runnin 'escape
14 Take Back recover
15 Nirvana Paradise

Limited exclusive attached with the album to Trespassing beautifully folder! (Schematic, prevail in kind)

Basic information