Lambert has been playing with Brian May and Roger Taylor in recent years, performing the masterpieces made famous by the late Freddie Mercury, who died in 1991. Singing in the place of such an icon would be nerve-wracking for anyone; and Lambert, it seems, was no exception. Speaking in an interview last year, the singer called Mercury “irreplaceable”.
He told People: “When we first got together to perform a whole show, I’m happy to say it went really well.
“It was a success, and we pulled it off — but man, I was really nervous beforehand.
“Not only did I have to make sure my voice held up and I know all the words… But it was also the perception of the fans; I definitely had some concerns.
“This is not my music that I wrote: This is me, as a guest, with one of the greatest rock bands of all time, singing the songs that one of the greatest rock singers of all time brought to life.”
Luckily, things have gone very well – with Lambert, Taylor and May making an irresistible trio on stage.
Lambert continued: “Freddie is irreplaceable. There’s no way to compare to him.
“It was always my hope that audiences would understand that I’m up there just excited to sing great music that everyone knows.
“And also to facilitate an opportunity for Brian [May] and Roger [Taylor], to keep being onstage and playing. Watching them delight in this connection with their fan base is really, really inspiring.