Adam Lambert always puts on an amazing show, whether he’s performing with the legendary band Queen or singing his own songs. One of his most special performances happened on the streets of Melbourne, Australia. Adam sang his hit song “Whataya Want from Me” in a unique way—just him and a pianist, turning the rock anthem into a beautiful piano ballad.
The original version of “Whataya Want from Me” is a high-energy rock song, but when Adam sang it with just the piano, it felt like the song was meant to be that way all along. The simple arrangement really showed off his incredible voice and the deep emotions in the lyrics. Fans of Adam Lambert, including us at The Music Man, love moments like this because they prove how talented he truly is!
A YouTuber named Rainscapes uploaded the video of Adam’s street performance on August 26, 2012. It was part of Channel V’s “Guerilla Gig” series. Adam first released “Whataya Want from Me” as a single on November 20, 2009, and the song became a huge hit in Australia, reaching number four on the charts. Because of its popularity down under, it was the perfect choice for his street performance setlist.
“Whataya Want from Me” is a fan favorite at Adam’s live shows. He even performed it during his “Live from YouTube Space” concert in New York City, but that time he had a full band behind him. Fans loved it and left comments online like, “I love how he sounds just as good live as in the studio!” and “He’s a vocal beast! And this song never gets old.”
The song was actually written by some big names: Max Martin, the pop star Pink (yes, that Pink!), and Karl Schuster. Pink originally wrote and recorded it for her 2008 album Funhouse, but it didn’t make the final cut. Later, the song found its way to Adam Lambert, who recorded it for his debut album For Your Entertainment in 2009. This album was a massive hit for Adam, thanks in part to the success of “Whataya Want from Me,” which became the biggest single from the album.
Over the years, Adam has performed “Whataya Want from Me” in many different ways. For his first concert tour in 2010, he played an acoustic version of the song, which fans loved. The song has stayed in his setlist for a long time, and according to the website Setlist.fm, Adam has performed it live an incredible 287 times!
What do you think about Adam Lambert’s performances of “Whataya Want from Me”? Let us know in the comments below!
