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"I am gay, and I'm very comfortable with it," 27-year-old Lambert revealed.
Speculation about the "American Idol" season 8 runner-up's sexuality swirled throughout the competition. Now, he candidly says that he doesn't "think twice" about it.
Watch Adam Lambert's interview on "20/20" Friday at 10 p.m. ET.
"'Come out' is so funny to me because I've never been in," the former "Idol" contestant told ABC News. "I've always been out. I just chose to avoid it. I didn't ... I don't feel closeted. Everybody that I worked with knew about my personal life."
Lambert first revealed that he was gay in a cover story in Rolling Stone magazine weeks after the May "American Idol" finale.
When asked by "20/20" why the season-long favorite decided not to publicly acknowledge his sexuality until after the show, Lambert said that he didn't want being gay to upstage him.
"I wanted the focus to be on my ability as a singer and as an entertainer -- not on my private life," he said. "So I chose to kind of ignore the issue until after the voting ended."
The flamboyant singer also dispelled any rumors that "American Idol" producers asked him not to address his sexuality during the show.
"They were 100 percent supportive the entire time," he said. "They asked me, 'What do you want to do? Would you like to talk about it? No? Fine.' They respected it either way. They respected my choice."
Adam Lambert: Gay and 'Bi-Curious'
While Lambert now proudly talks about being gay, he said he's also openly exploring his sexuality.
"I've been kind of toying around with the bi thing in my head. I wouldn't ever give myself the label 'bisexual,' but bi-curious? Yeah," he said. "I've been known to make out with girls from time to time. Couple drinks involved, you know. It's fun. And who knows? Maybe it'll go further someday. I don't know."
Experimentation and boldness are familiar to Lambert. Photos surfaced online of the pop star dressing in drag and kissing another man, which Lambert confirmed were real.
As for the throngs of adoring, young, female fans, many of whom harbor fantasies about the "Idol" star, Lambert said he is flattered.
I have crushes on women all the time," Lambert said. "I don't have intimate relationships with them, but I find women beautiful. ... I think femininity is a beautiful, beautiful thing. And to be the object of desire to a woman is a great compliment."
Growing Up Gay
Growing up, the San Diego native loved musical theater, dancing, playing dress up and was obsessed with glitter -- all interests that Lambert said highlighted his sexual preference from a young age.
Instead of the stereotypical "coming out" ritual homosexual teens have with parents, Lambert said his mother actually "outed" him, asking him on a car ride home if he wanted a girlfriend or a boyfriend.
"It was very subtle. ... That was the cool thing, is that without actually saying it, I was myself," he said. "I always felt support. And I was always able to be creative at home. And there was no taboo."
I think we stayed up until about 3:00 in the morning and laughed and talked," his mother, Leila Lambert recalled. "I didn't want to pressure him. I knew for a long time and I just assumed. ... I knew this is who he is, who he was, and. ... I felt comfortable with it."
Lambert excelled on stage, performing in countless musical theater performances throughout his teens and early career.
Since graduating from high school in 2000, Lambert has lived an openly gay lifestyle in Los Angeles -- dating, and stumbling through relationships like everyone else. He's currently dating, but won't mention any names.
"I've had my heart broken. I've chased after people and had it not work out," he said. Throughout my entire 20s, I've wanted to be in love. That's what I want. I think everybody deserves that. And I've only been in love once. So I'm still looking."
'American Idol' Upset: Lambert Loses
During "American Idol," all eyes were on Lambert, who landed the coveted endorsement of the fussy judge Simon Cowell for his rendition of "Mad World." (His cover of "Mad World" is currently at No. 44 on Billboard's Hot 100.)
Lambert told "20/20" he sought to distinguish himself from the other contestants throughout the competition.
"I just wanted to stand apart from everybody else. I always have to be different," he said. "I wanted to pick songs that I believed in. That was part of my strategy. ... If all the other contestants were singing up-tempo songs that week, I would pick a ballad. If they were all singing ballads, I would pick an up-tempo."
In the May finale, with nearly 100 million votes cast for the two contestants, 23-year-old Kris Allen beat out Lambert for the title.
Lambert said he wasn't "robbed."
"I think being a sore loser just sucks. I think that's tacky," he said. "We're two very different types of artists, and I don't see how people can say one is better. I love listening to Kris sing and watch him play. And I think that he enjoys watching me do my thing."
Lambert Looks Ahead: Bright Future
Despite his runner-up status, the future looks bright for Lambert, who landed a contract with 19 Recordings -- the production company owned by "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller -- and announced plans to release a debut album this fall on RCA Records.
"It's surreal," he said. "It's really, like, everything that I ever wanted is happening and ... I don't know how to react. I'm thankful. I am proud."
With a busy schedule ahead, Lambert said he has to stop himself from whining about the daily grind and remember the bigger picture.
"Every time I am tempted to complain about it, or I start getting a little bit like, 'Ugh,' I just rewind about a year and a half ago when I was ... sitting on my a** and not satisfied."
"I get to be that rock star that every kid fantasizes about being," he said. "I get to sing and entertain and make people happy and ... hopefully forget about some of their problems, or make them feel better about some of their problems -- just take them for a ride," he said. "That's the coolest job in the world."
Lambert is not concerned that his sexuality will deter fans or limit his future career options.
"I don't think it's going to limit anything," he said. "I can see how certain people might get turned off by it. And if they do, it's their loss, you know?"
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