THE "MALE LADY GAGA": Columbia native makes waves on international pop music scene

COLUMBIA, 7/19/12 (Beat Byte) -- Could an international pop singer some critics are calling "the male Lady Gaga" be a Columbia, Missouri native? Indeed he could. With the release of his first album, Adam Tyler is suddenly a star on the rise, with comparisons to Gaga and even nod to Michael Jackson.

 

Where Jackson was known as the King of Pop, Tyler, 24, is being hailed as the Prince of Pop.

With a mix of pop, punk, electronica, and erotica, Tyler's debut album Shattered Ice has already produced one hit, "Like a Drug," and has sent Tyler touring the globe.  Especially popular on the gay pride and LGBT circuit, Tyler played the Kansas City Gay Pride Festival in June and London, England's Gay Pride Fest July 7. He heads to Spain and Northern Ireland next.

"Crowds have been eating up the new electronic pop sound of Adam Tyler," the EQ Music site declared as it followed him around on tour last year.  

Born in Columbia, Tyler has told interviewers his music is influenced by performers -- and time periods -- ranging from Madonna and TLC to Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails.  He also thanks high school:  a performance of The Cat In the Hat  "kind of just opened my mind to performing and doing it as a career," he told music reporter Monica Soto.