“Sad, moody, happy, funny or none of it,“ Lambert, German songwriter and musician describes the freedom to be “everything at the same time.” Releasing lovely works for several years, eliciting tranquility, many who know and love the music “see the visual part as the perfect description,“ despite some contradictions as darkness and loneliness are portrayed in accompanied videos such as one of our favorites “Sweet Apocalypse.” We were lucky enough to have a few questions answered by Lambert and look forward to following and listening closely as the Lambiverse evolves.

Classical Post: Can you tell us about the tranquility your music elicits, versus the feelings of darkness often portrayed in your videos?

Lambert: The nice thing about Lambert is, that Lambert is leaving space for these reflections. I enjoy to present different angles of my or Lambert’s character. To be honest I don’t really plan how it comes across to the audience, because that seems to be impossible anyway. Lambert gives me the freedom to be everything at the same time.

CP: In previous interviews, in regards to pursuing music as a career, you’ve said that, “a lack of alternatives can be inspiring.” Can you give us more insight into this sentiment and your journey to music, your training/lessons and or natural interest and abilities and specifically how you came to play the piano so beautifully?

Lambert: As a teenager I suffered from extreme boredom, so I was in constant search of a system that provides entertainment for me while it also provides the possibility to work creatively with it. For awhile I thought Chess would be the answer, and even though it contains the regarded aspects, the problem was that there are only 3 results possible: winning, loosing, draw. In order to have more open and less static results I changed from chess to jazz and was happy for a while until I felt stuck in the rules and results again. Same happened with classical and indie music. So I finally realized I had to define the system myself to be satisfied. I called this system: Lambert.

CP: We have read in your youth you played drums quite a bit, do you perhaps see a future album where percussion is Lambert’s main focus?

Lambert: I am always the Lambert that I like to be in the moment I present him. That is great, because the man behind the mask very often wouldn’t like to be anybody but Lambert. Only Lambert gives him the ability to be nobody and everybody at the same time. I like to be exactly that! The other Lamberts are part of the Lambert system I told you about. They master the rules, they are me, I am them. We all are Lambert, but I am the boss ;) And yes: other aspects other than piano will play strong roles in the Lambiverse.

CP: In the past when asked why you wear your trademark Sardinian mask you’ve said because your music is so raw and personal, “anyone who performs wears a mask, in a sense,” and that it makes you feel like you can be someone else. Now that the entire world is wearing a mask do you think you’ll change anything about your appearance and or reveal yourself?

Lambert: I think by my way of making art, I reveal already too much of myself. I don’t think people need even more personal or so called “authentic” insight than they already get through my music. And—my mask is a choice—that is the main difference!

CP: What optimistic or uncertain feelings/experiences have you had recently in wearing a different type of mask in regards to the pandemic? What are your thoughts on how music, the arts and society as a whole have been affected and what do you see as possibilities for the future of performance and gatherings in general?

Lambert: I didn’t wear my mask lately, because there was not much space for it obviously.

I strongly believe art will never die. I am the wrong one to ask, how to treat this. Scientists and politicians have to find solutions. I must say that I find it disproportionate that my neighbor can bring his dog to the hairdresser while artists around the globe are told to go on welfare and most kids can’t go to school and nursery…

CP: Other artists have similar feelings to you in regards to covering their faces, whether to maintain anonymity or simply to perform as “someone else”. EDM has Deadmau5, Marshmello and Daft Punk, Rock and Roll has Kiss and more recently Sia who combines folk and pop. Do you feel a connection to these artists as they share your sentiment and would you ever consider collaborating with any of them either as an artist or a producer or having them remix any of your works?

Lambert: Well, everyone who is entering a stage reflects about how to present himself there. This process already is some kind of masking. It doesn’t really matter if you see a human face or not, you will never meet or see the person who brushes her or his teeth in the morning. Also authenticity is just a marketing strategy in the end. Wearing a mask is very honest statement not to hide that a stage is a place for a show. To answer your question: I feel connected to other artist, if I like their art. They all wear masks of some kind.

CP: Your collaborations with artists like Stimming and Dekker are wonderful. I have read that Chopin inspires you, what other artists are you interested in, would love to collaborate with and admire, whether in the past or currently?

Lambert: I’d love to collaborate with Paul McCartney. He is my favorite Songwriter, my favorite Beatle, and the inventor of Pop music, as we know it. If Paul reads this: Call me, I have time for you!

Other artists that I like: J.S. Bach, Bill Evans (the pianist), The National, Elliott Smith, Miles Davis, Jon Brion, Brad Mehldau, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Fiona Apple, Billie Holiday, Billie Eilish, Nina Simone, Tocotronic, Andy Shauf and many more.

CP: True to the neo classical genre your music is very balanced, tranquil and poised, yet many songs having sudden changes in rhythm, melody and key – which is truly intoxicating. Do you identify your music as neo/indie classical? In reading comments from some of your fans we all agree, your style is untraditional and one of the many reasons we love your music.

Lambert: Well, as I told you already: I identified for a long time as a jazz musician. Jazz provides unlike neoclassical music the option in being melodic, or let’s say melodically challenging. It provides the option to modulate between keys and has more to offer than modular harmonics. I don’t really call myself a jazz musician anymore, but I guess I learned from once being one. I am not a neo or indie-classical, I am not a composer. I am Lambert, pop culture-inspired, interested instrumental songwriter, who practiced a lot of piano for a long while, but still avoids high cultural terminologies (everyone who knows A minor is a composer these days, so I am very happy not to be one).

CP: You have released amazing new music very recently; “In In,” “Tegel,” “Leicester” and “Balcony Hotel.” Did you always plan to release these songs at this time or has the pandemic and/or shelter in place brought about any changes in your schedule? Are any of your songs in specific response to current world circumstances whether in regards to the pandemic or protests and if yes can you elaborate what you were feeling when you wrote them?

Lambert: It is a coincidence that my EP Alone II came out during this time. It had nothing to do with the lockdown. As in Alone I these tunes are about being alone somewhere, so I guess they fit to these times. But there was no intention behind it.

CP: In many of your videos you imitate playing piano on the grass, the concrete, tress, animals – many different surfaces and it has a very innocent even childlike feeling to it. Can you tell us more about this whimsical representation of your music in your videos?

Lambert: Not really. It started with that in the first videos we did on Sardinia. We couldn’t find a piano that would look good, so I just started to play on all kind of other stuff. We liked how that looked and it became a kind of trademark that can still be developed on all kinds of surfaces.

CP: In your videos for “Leicester” and “Balcony Hotel” there is a child playing the piano throughout with your mask on – is the child representative of you, a relation to you and/or symbolism for a family you have or hope to have?

Lambert: Yes. Lambert is a child, searching for his personal system.

CP: Can you tell us the story of your mask? Have you had it all your life and/or where did you get it – was it given to you by someone meaningful?

Lambert: I saw it in a book about Sardinian mask culture during the times of carnival, and I immediately fell in love. The long horns would make me tall, that was what I wanted to be! I tracked down the mask builder and we became friends.

CP: I simply love “Becoming Lambert.” It feels like a wonderful, comical, mini documentary. Can we expect more “episodes” with insights into who (the) Lambert(s) is/are and how each of us might think out of the box more? Are there characteristics of “Lamberts” that you would hope more of society would acquire? What are those characteristics and do you think they could improve society? Can you tell us something about the other “Lamberts”, are they always the same, are they your family/close friends, other artists?

Lambert: Yes, there will be a Podcast following Lamberts around the globe. We are working on that at the moment. I am very sorry, but I can’t tell you more insights about the characters and the camp. If you want to become Lambert, please fill out the form and send an application to my management. We will call you.

CP: Considering the stories we have heard recently in regards to the pandemic – do you have any specific feelings about your song “Sweet Apocalypse?” Those who have thankfully avoided getting ill have used the term sweet apocalypse to describe some of our current situations – a slower pace, more moments with family, time to think, read, garden, cook etc. What were your thoughts and feelings when you wrote Sweet Apocalypse was it anything like our current day situation? Do you see it now as an anthem? In quarantine have you kept busy mostly with music or are there other beloved past-times you’ve been able to dedicate time to and what are they?

Lambert: Well, COVID-19 sucks really bad but it is not the apocalypse. "Sweet Apocalypse“ was more like a comment or a research into myself, what parts of the apocalypse I find so fascinating, since I always liked watching post-apocalyptic movies. I still do.

There is nothing nice to say about the apocalypse, but thinking of it provides some artistic potential, that I tried to explore musically.

CP: In either the best or worst of times – what do you hope people gain from your music?

Love!