Adam Lambert Needs a Hero for His Moody New Bonnie Tyler Cover: Listen

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a new cover song by Adam Lambert!

On Friday (Dec. 30), Lambert shared his latest in a new string of covers with “Holding Out for a Hero,” his rendition of Bonnie Tyler‘s 1984 hit. For his version, Lambert brings the tempo down from its frenetic original pace, and replaces the iconic, chunky piano chords with a syncopated, sinister bass and guitar section that permeates the track. When it comes to his voice, though, the singer keeps the pure glam-rock sound alive with his signature growl as a choir joins him for the chorus.

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The new cover comes as Lambert preps his next album, High Drama, for release in the new year. The LP will consist entirely of covers, two of which the star has already shared with the world (his renditions of Noël Coward’s “Mad About the Boy” and Duran Duran’s “Ordinary World,” respectively). High Drama will see Lambert taking on a few other classic singles — such as Culture Club’s “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” and Ann Peeble’s “I Can’t Stand the Rain” — while also taking on some contemporary favorites including Billie Eilish’s “Getting Older” and Sia’s “Chandelier.”

“Holding Out for a Hero,” along with being a quintessential song of the ’80s, remains as one of Tyler’s biggest chart hits in her career. While “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and “It’s a Heartache” both landed in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 1 and No. 3, respectively), “Hero” stands as her only other top 40 hit to date, reaching its peak of No. 34 in April 1984.

High Drama will be released on Feb. 24. Check out Lambert’s rollicking new cover of “Holding Out for a Hero” above.

Stephen Daw

Billboard