Arts & Entertainment
Adam Lambert releases new single ‘Welcome to the Show’
the singer returned to the ‘American Idol’ stage to perform
Adam Lambert dropped the single “Welcome to the Show” on Thursday, featuring singer Laleh, before going back to his “American Idol” roots and performing on the singing competition show.
āI wanted to surprise my fans with a new, uplifting anthem for the spring,” Lambert said in a statement. “I asked Max Martin for help and he paired me up with two great writers and producers; Ali Payami, who worked with me on āGhost Town,ā and Swedish star Laleh who is also a featured vocalist on the track. I feel this song will give people strength to be exactly who they are.ā
Hours after releasing the song Lambert returned to the stage where his career first took off, on Thursday’s episode of “American Idol,” and performed the song with Laleh.
This is Lambert’s first single since his third LP in 2015 Ā “The Original High.”
a&e features
The ultimate guide to queer gift giving
Fun and memorable ideas for everyone on your list
The holidays are an excellent distraction after a difficult election cycle. Instead of churning out endless political memes on social media (really, give it a rest), turn your attention to making memories and exchanging gifts, like these carefully curated selections thatāll lighten the mood, facilitate festiveness, and bring joy to those on your Nice List.
Le Creuset Bread Oven
Honed your sourdough skills during COVID lockdowns? Level āem up in Le Creusetās handsome enameled cast-iron bread oven, available in seven of the French manufacturerās signature ombrĆ© hues, for stunning artisan loaves ideal for gifting or your own private gluttony. Make it a meal with Julia Turshenās Fastest Chicken Noodle Soup recipe from the queer cookās latest book, āWhat Goes with What.ā $300, Food52.com; $26, Amazon.com
Imogene + Willie Tees/Accessories
Streetwear takes the sophisticated track via imogene + willieās audacious selection of graphic tees and accessories, like its popular āboltā in black and increasingly prescient āburn it allā tees, along with accessories that include the standout ābroncoā trucker and ādead wrongā knit watch cap. For queers of a certain age (you know who you are), these style-forward mix-ins give edge without looking desperately trendy or ā God forbid ā completely out of touch (you know who you are, too). $38-$68, imogeneandwillie.com
Cedar Ridge The QuintEssential
If you need a drink that packs a punch this holiday season, Cedar Ridge The QuintEssential is the American single-malt whiskey up to the task with its notes of caramel and vanilla combined with a persistent pepperiness thatās H-O-T-T-O-G-O. $60, CedarRidgeDistillery.com
Beekman 1802 Advent Calendar
Thereās no place like home when youāve got Beekman 1802ās luxurious storybook-inspired advent calendar to see you through the holidays, each door revealing one of 24 cult-fave face and beauty products, including 16 full-size bestsellers. Bring the somewhere-over-the-rainbow sentiment 360 with a few selections from the boysā āWickedā-branded lineup, like the Glamorous Gal Bodycare Gift Set or Make Your Own Magic 3-Pack Bar Soap Set, for all the good witches (and bad bitches) in your life. $179, Beekman1802.com
La Boule Dinnerware Set
Villeroy & Boch brings a splash of panache to the home cookās table with its multicolored, premium porcelain La Boule seven-piece dinnerware sets ā in Miami and Memphis styles ā which include two stackable regular bowls, two pasta bowls, two plates and one serving tray that form a single nesting round and an artistic conversation piece after the dishes are done. $450, Villeroy-Boch.com
Pasturebird Chicken/āHot Onesā Season 25 10-pack
Read the reviews for Pasturebird free-range chicken products (five stars across the board, including its holiday-ready party wings), and youāll be an instant convert ā especially after you light āem up with Heatonistās āHot Onesā Season 25 10-pack, featuring flavors like Little Dickās Ghost Pepper Pear, Pepper Northās Jerk & Scotch Bonnet, and Hot Onesā own The Last Dab: Xperience, an apropos name for the Pepper X-based sauce with a Scoville Heat Unit rating of over 2.6 million. (For reference, a classic buffalo clocks in at a mere 1,800 SHU.) Santa might be S.O.L. on milk this year. $10-25, Pasturebird.com; $120, Heatonist.com
Pepper Pong Game
Pepper Pong ā a 2023 Best New Game winner ā is ping pongās āgo-anywhere, do-anything, challenge-anyone cousinā¦ with a mean mullet and pickleball-infused DNA,ā according to its website, and that translates to a whole lot of fun for the whole family. $70, PepperPong.com
The EnergyLounger
Need a timeout? Youāll get one with a kickback on the EnergyLounger wellness platform offering cutting-edge, full-body red and near-infrared light therapy sessions designed for relaxation and rejuvenation in the comfort of your own home. Benefits include reduced pain and stiffness, improved blood circulation, and cell regeneration for an experience thatāll take you away when Calgon aināt cuttinā it. $7,500-$9,998, EnergyLounger.com
DC Comics Style Guide/Batman DVD set
Pair a reissue of the 1982 DC Comics Style Guide ā designed to assist licensees in delivering a consistent look for the brandās celebrated Super Heroes ā with the Batman 85th Anniversary 10-Film Collection, which includes fan-favorite animated classics like āThe Killing Joke,ā āThe Long Halloween,ā and āSoul of the Dragon,ā among others, for a gift thatāll instantly elevate you to Super Friend. $95, StandardsManual.com; $200, Amazon.com
FinaMill Grinder
Save your knuckles from skin-chewing microplanes and graters with a convenient automated replacement in the rechargeable FinaMill Grinder that allows kitchen whizzes to season with ease thanks to its one-handed click-grind-release technology. Max and Pro Plus pods pulverize everything from cardamom seeds to coffee beans sans blood, sweat or tears, in complementary culinary mill colors that include black, white, red and gray. $100, FinaMill.com
Tom of Finland Duffel
Henry Cavill is a prime candidate for the anatomical embodiment of a Tom of Finland illustration, and itās hard not to fantasize about the oversized actor decked out in head-to-toe leather, especially after you cop Loqiās Tom of Finland Day & Night Recycled Weekender, featuring all-over printed ToF artwork that looks suspiciously like Superman. $40, Loqi.com
Dwayne Chestnut Sunglasses
Did VontĆ©lle sleep on the opp to name its Dwayne Chestnuts flip-up transitioning glasses the Dwayne Waynes, paying homage to the iconic spectacle-shades popularized by Kadeem Hardison on āA Different Worldā? Perhaps. But slap on a pair of these bad boys and youāll bring all the early-ā90s vibes (and maybe a few Whitleys or Ron Johnsons) to the yard. $189, Vontelle.com
Danish Creamery UCS
Danish Creamery ā renowned for its fresh-churned European-style butter ā offers its branded ugly Christmas sweater that includes a tiny additional sweater to dress up your serving dish, in a twofer thatās both salty and sweet. $80, UglyChristmasSweater.com
Andy Warhol x Absolut Vodka
Art imitates life imitating art in Absolut Vodkaās full-circle Andy Warhol collaboration featuring elements of the pop iconās overlooked 1985 blue bottle painting, rediscovered in 2020. With colors extracted directly from the original work and made with multi-layer screen printing to create an authentic sensory experience to touch, the spirited 2024 collectorās item also includes a QR code that opens a portal into the world of Warhol and the story behind both brandsā historic and enduring connection, this limited-edition release now among them. $26, ReserveBar.com
Mikey Rox is an award-winning journalist and LGBTQ lifestyle expert whose work has appeared in more than 100 publications around the world. Connect with Mikey on Instagram @mikeyroxtravels.
Whitman-Walker Health held the 38th annual Walk and 5K to End HIV at Anacostia Park on Saturday,Ā Dec. 7. Hundreds participated in the charity fundraiser,Ā despite temperatures below freezing. According to organizers, nearly $450,000 was raised for HIV/AIDS treatment and research.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington performed “The Holiday Show” at Lincoln Theatre on Saturday. Future performances of the show are scheduled for Dec. 14-15. For tickets and showtimes, visit gmcw.org.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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