To think Celeste ruined what should have been a brilliant moment?

I just put Glastonbury 2025 on BBC2 and watched Celeste for the first time ever. I don’t know how she ever was accepted, she’s singing off key and flat a lot. Rubbish!!

Agree and sweet Caroline didn't work with his voice

Can we talk some more about how amazing Sam Ryder was? He's so joyful!

I never heard of him till tuning in…I thought his voice was painfully uncontrolled vs Freddy. Ok, Freddy was unique…but he didn’t even have an ounce of charisma needed to carry it through. Just an average performer showing why very few people can pull off those songs.

No . Without any doubt the sound of music number was the worse. Those women were literally screaming. Not in tune with each other. It was so awful I had to turn sound off. I know it is supposed to be an incredibly hard song to sing- they weren’t up to it. Any more than rod was.
the whole thing was a few good performances mingled in with awful car crash performance.

It's 48 hours later and I'm still thinking about how awful Celeste was.

I find that style of singing hard to define but it's ubiquitous now and that makes me hit mute on anybody that has that sound. It's just so try-hard and affected.

I listened to the concert after reading this thread. Celeste wasn't singing badly but I think the arrangement was in too high a key for her natural vocal range. They should have transposed down a couple of intervals. The brass section also seemed to go into overdrive and overwhelmed her voice a bit, perhaps affecting her being able to hear herself which is incredibly important for getting the notes right.

it’s pretty disingenuous to imply he’s doing Queen some massive favour by gracing them with his presence as a “star in his own right”

I don't think it is that. It's a thing he does, alongside other things, and it benefits them both. Everyone involved sensibly doesn't want accusations of him trying to be the new Freddie/replace Freddie or for him to be an integral part of the band. So it's what works best. Are you saying a singer shouldn't want their name to be publicised? He can't win can he?

Remember the last jubilee concert? He sounded like he'd left his false teeth by the bed and borrowed someone else's. It was embarrassing, so going pre-recorded was a good choice!

@NosyJosie oh, actually I agree about the music being part of the jubilee! I was speaking more generally, about Brian and Roger and Adam Lambert. Freddie would have been pleased that their music was part of the Jubilee, I'm sure.

I had never heard of Adam Lambert until I saw they were touring in my city. I absolutely loved the performance, especially the Queen's contribution with her tea cup! And the drummers joining in. I watched it 3 or 4 times already! I thought Adam looked incredible, I loved his look. I also love that they are keeping Freddie's music alive. Brian May looked so happy, I loved everything about it.

Celeste - again I hadn't heard of her, I have a specific taste in music and don't venture outside of it. I was excited as she looked so incredible but the performance wasn't great, but as others said I am willing to believe it was down to sound issues. I hated the arrangement of the song though, I just didn't think it worked in anyway. Didn't put me off her, I intend to listen to some of her own work, hopefully others will too.

Rod Stewart and sweet caroline - absolutely ridiculous, whoever suggested that needs firing.

Diana Ross - I actually enjoyed seeing her. And Alicia Keys was the star of the show for me, was so glad she was there - what a performance!

I do not see it as exploiting. Surely the greatest tribute to any musician is that their band find a way to carry on playing their music. If Queen had folded when Freddie died or any other band never replaced musicians that left or passed away, they’d be forgotten. This way the music was part of a huge celebration and lives on. Chill the fekk out.

@mustlovegin so in all honesty I have mixed feelings about that. I don't think it's wrong for them to perform as of course they are musicians in their own right! Roger has his new album and I'm happy for him - it's not that I would expect their lives as musicians to end when Freddie died. That was thirty years ago! It's just that I feel discomfort around them (in my opinion) exploiting him. I know not everyone will agree on that! And I don't expect universal agreement. But certainly also don't think they shouldn't perform at all. I know it is complex 🤗

It's just ridiculous to get this pressed about Freddie's genuine fans not liking what the surviving band members + AL are doing

I see your point. I can't tolerate anyone else singing Freddie's songs. My ears literally hurt

I don't think it's wrong however, for Bryan et all to continue performing, othewise eventually the band may be forgotten and it would be a shame

He couldn't possibly have any ulterior motive for wanting his own name in the billing... 🤣

@Getoffmyshoes I agree, his styling is imitative and doesn't back up the claim to not be replacing Freddie. It's also just not true that he's a star in his own right. It's hardly Queen + Elton John!

@SoupDragon He's not going to say 'I am replacing Freddie'. That would be publicity suicide.

It's just ridiculous to get this pressed about Freddie's genuine fans not liking what the surviving band members + AL are doing. 😂 I'm not stopping you from being fans of Adam! But he clearly is replacing Freddie in these concerts. Again: they are Freddie's songs. He is singing Freddie's parts.

It's actually all quite simple.

Adam Lambert is a tribute act. He’s been massively helped along by being able to perform queen songs - none of his own songs have been anywhere near chart topping, so it’s pretty disingenuous to imply he’s doing Queen some massive favour by gracing them with his presence as a “star in his own right”.

I think he’s got a good voice but I don’t like his style of performance and over the top clothing/eyeliner, it feels a bit try hard to me and like a poor imitation of Freddie, whether that’s the intention or not. That is my opinion, I’m sure there are plenty of people who share it, as well as plenty of people who think he’s great!

Adam lambert was on american idol brian and roger saw him and liked his style and asked hm to accompany them-he specifically said i'll only do it you say queen and al as im not freddie andnever will be

they play freddie videos in the background on tour and adam states every night he is the best and noone will replace him

(and I think Adam Lambert is the one who actually knows whether he is trying to replace Freddie or not, given it is him that is doing the singing. It is somewhat arrogant to think you know better than him)

You think you are right.
I think you are wrong.
Adam Lambert thinks you are wrong.

🤷🏻‍♀️

If the band want to carry on performing, and people want to see them (and clearly they do), then they kind of need someone to sing Freddies parts, otherwise it would be a bit shit wouldn't it?

They are called Queen and Adam Lambert, he has never said he is now part of the band or has replaced Freddie.

It's not like the Sugababes when the final incarnation of 'The Sugababes' did not have a single member of the original line up!

@SoupDragon He's singing Freddie's parts in Freddie's songs with Freddie's band that Freddie named and made into the worldwide sensation it is.

That is replacing him. Words mean less than actions.

By some of the arguments below you could say that a tribute act is trying to replace the original, or someone doing a cover.

I’ve genuinely never thought he was trying to replace Freddie (and I adored Freddie!) if he was, they would be called Queen - like how AC/DC were the same band with a new singer who replaced the one who had died. Instead they are Queen + AL which is a clear signal that he is performing/touring with them as a stand-alone singer. He is obviously a separate act with his own career. I like and respect him for acknowledging he is nothing like Freddie and can’t replace him. I also think he’s a pro and great performer, whatever you think of his style.

Also I don’t agree they’re money-spinning - the remaining members of Queen don’t need money but I can understand them wanting to keep playing their music and being a band.