Adam Lambert said both Brian May and Roger Taylor have told him that Freddie Mercury would have liked him, if the two had ever met.

Lambert continues to lead Queen for live performances, 28 years after Mercury’s death at age 45. The 37-year-old has frequently insisted that his aim is to keep the music alive and he has no intention of trying to claim Mercury’s position or recording with the band in his place.

“I didn't know him, but Brian and Roger say there are definite similarities," Lambert told SiriusXM in a recent interview. "The thing that I've heard from them over and over again that makes me really happy is they say, 'We think you actually would get a kick out of each other. Freddie probably would have bantered well with you. You probably would have enjoyed each other's company.’”

Lambert noted "that means a lot, and that's really important. Because I think, unintentionally, I hope that I'm bringing some of his spirit to the table – some similar taste for life and sense of humor and point of view. I do feel like there's some parallel there. And I just wish I'd known him. I wish he were alive so I didn't even have the gig. He was amazing. But I'm thrilled to take the gig and I'm thrilled to be in this incredible, honorable thing that I get to do. It's great.”

You can watch part of the interview below.

Lambert reflected that the Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody secured the late singer a new generation of fans. “I keep hearing from so many people … 'Oh, man, my teenage son loves Queen now,’" he said. "And it's because of the movie. So I think that's amazing. And I'm proud of the band and so happy for them that this has sparked this new pop-culture moment for them. They deserve it. … These songs are timeless, and they are fantastic. I think it's amazing having Freddie elevated in the way he has and seeing him cement himself as even more of an icon.

“I do feel like I get to carry a torch for this hero of mine, that I get to talk about him and celebrate him onstage. … He's a part of the show, he's a part of the experience. Because it's not about me being a replacement; it's more about, 'Let's pay homage to him.'"

 

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