Adam Mitchel Lambert (born January 29, 1982) is an American singer and actor from Los Angeles, California. He was the runner-up on the eighth season of American Idol. Lambert grew up in Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego, California and attended Deer Canyon Elementary School, Mesa Verde Middle School, and Mt. Carmel High School, where he was in theater, choir, and frequently performed with the school's jazz band.