See, I don't think this is what happened at all.
I think wbr gave Adam the choice of what he wanted to do (and that is a great luxury and I am grateful that he has that choice).
The resulting conversation went something like this:
you can either ask us to give you producers who write radio hits, because radio hits is what they do, and you sing what you guys come up with together, and then we promote to radio using the producer's credentials to get the music through the door...
or
you write the lyrics 'two fux' to a slow waltz, because that is what your artist's heart dreams up, and then you can do that, but those producers don't want to write slow waltzes or flamingo lyrics and they are not on board then.
And Adam said, I want the flamingos.
And if you ask me why I am a fan of Adam, then it has never been for the chart topper, it has been for this butterfly that dares to fly freely where everyone else tells him he can't or shouldn't, and yet, he has found a way past all the walls and fences that society has put in his way. He has found a way to fame without the chart toppers that others need to be in the public eye and have a social influence.
And I am sooooo happy for him!