Fans of Adam Lambert and of the rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” may consider next Friday a particularly good Friday. That’s when Lambert and the show’s composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, will unveil a new studio recording of “Heaven on Their Minds,” the tense number that opens the musical. The release of the single will coincide with the opening date of a three-night production at the Hollywood Bowl that stars Lambert as Judas Iscariot.
A 40-second video of Lambert in the recording studio is being released early to herald the coming of the “Christ” track. Watch and listen to the snippet, above.
“I was thrilled when Andrew asked me if I wanted to record a studio version of ‘Heaven On Their Minds’,” Lambert says. “This is a great way to commemorate my upcoming appearance as Judas and to give fans all around the world a little taste of what will happen onstage at the Hollywood Bowl.”
Llloyd Webber gets co-billing with Lambert on the single, as the track’s executive producer, its arranger and, as Lambert indicates, its instigator.
The producer of the song is writer-producer Martin Terefe, originally from Sweden and now based in London, who’s worked with artists including Yungblud, Shawn Mendes, Christina Aguilera, KT Tunstall and Robbie Williams. The track was recorded across several weeks in June in London, New York and Los Angeles, plus Nashville, where the string section was laid down.
The Hollywood Bowl production is set for Aug. 1-3. It co-stars Cynthia Erivo in the title role, with Josh Gad as King Herod and Phillipa Soo (“Hamilton’s” original Eliza) as Mary Magdalene. Sergio Trujillo is the director and choreographer, and Stephen Oremus (“Wicked”) is the musical director and conductor.
“Heaven on Their Minds” has been a favorite for many who have starred in and sung past productions, starting with Murray Head on the original 1970 concept album that preceded the first theatrical productions. It’s one of the more rocking numbers in the rock opera, opening with the “39 lashes” guitar riff that will feature prominently later in the show; it has Judas singing his fealty to Jesus while expressing doubts about how what he saw as a political movement is taking on both a more religious and a more dangerous tinge, in lyrics written by Tim Rice. Other artists who have covered it include Sam Taylor Junior and Australian comic-artist Tim Minchin.
It’s been a big year for both Lambert and Lloyd Webber, on and off Broadway. Lambert starred as the emcee in the ongoing Broadway production of “Cabaret.” Lloyd Webber has been back in the limelight for hit productions of “Sunset Blvd.” on Broadway (with Nicole Sherzinger winning the Tony and picking up big streams for “As If We Never Said Goodbye”) and “Evita” in London (with Rachel Zegler’s reading of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” becoming a No. 1 vinyl release in the U.K.). Additionally, Scottish electronic artist and Charli XCX collaborator Hudson Mohawke collaborated with Lloyd Webber on a new version of “The Race” from “Starlight Express.”
Lambert recently spoke with Variety‘s theater podcast about stepping into Judas’ shoes, among other theatrical pursuits, and talked with Variety earlier in 2025 about his role in “Cabaret.”