Adam Lambert has a way of making every performance unforgettable—whether he’s rocking stadiums with Queen or delivering his own solo hits. But one of his most magical moments happened far from the arena spotlight: a stripped-back street performance of “Whataya Want From Me” in Melbourne, Australia.
Armed with nothing but a pianist and his powerhouse voice, Lambert transformed the hit into a tender piano ballad that stopped passersby in their tracks. The raw arrangement revealed a whole new side of the song, putting the emotion of the lyrics front and center and showcasing Lambert’s incredible vocal control.
Originally released as a single in 2009, “Whataya Want From Me” quickly became one of Lambert’s biggest international hits, climbing to number four on the charts in Australia. So when he performed it in Melbourne in 2012 as part of Channel V’s Guerilla Gig series, it felt like the perfect gift to fans who had embraced the song from the start.
The tune has since become a live staple for Lambert, appearing in countless formats—from acoustic sets on his first solo tour to a full-band version during his Live from YouTube Space performance in New York. Fans never tire of it, often commenting things like: “He sounds just as good live as in the studio!” and “This song never gets old.”
Interestingly, “Whataya Want From Me” wasn’t originally written for Lambert at all. The track was co-written by Max Martin, Pink, and Karl Schuster. Pink had recorded a version for her 2008 album Funhouse, but it didn’t make the final cut. Lambert later took it, made it his own, and turned it into the signature hit that helped define his debut album For Your Entertainment.
Since then, the song has been performed more than 280 times live, according to Setlist.fm—making it Lambert’s most frequently performed solo track. And it’s easy to see why: no matter the setting, from packed arenas to a sidewalk in Melbourne, Lambert’s performance of “Whataya Want From Me” always manages to feel both fresh and deeply personal.