The producer behind Lady Gaga’s big hits

When it comes to chart-topping music producers, few are as keenly in demand these days as Morocco-born RedOne. His 1980s-inspired handiwork can be found on both “Poker Face” and “Love Game,” the two top 10 singles from pants-shunning electronic siren Lady Gaga. Now, he’s preparing to work with another boundaries-pushing artist, Rolling Stone cover boy Adam Lambert.

“I want to go rock -- David Bowie and Queen -- but make it more easy for people to get,” the producer said of his vision for Lambert. “It has to be rock, but with an interesting dance angle to it, you know?”

RedOne, who requests he be identified only by his stage name, hopes to record at least six songs with Lambert, but that doesn’t guarantee they’ll all make his RCA debut, set for release later this year.

An “American Idol” finalist comes equipped with a built-in fan base, and RedOne said he’s eager to play with people’s expectations.

“You know what I like about him? He’s fresh,” RedOne said. “You can go almost whatever direction with him. People know him from being on ‘American Idol,’ singing other people’s songs, but you can take him in a new direction, and this will be the first time you hear Adam Lambert with his signature. My goal is to get his signature out from him to the world.”

The heavily accented RedOne worked in Sweden for much of the ‘90s, recording with the ABBA-inspired A*Teens. He had a major breakthrough in the U.S. with Kat DeLuna’s “Whine Up,” which has the thick, vibrant retro synth sounds that RedOne favors.

With Lady Gaga, RedOne describes the sound as possessing “futuristic, aggressive synths.” He’s preparing to step out of his Hollywood studio to join Gaga for a few weeks on her European tour, and the pair already is working on the follow-up to her debut, “The Fame,” which just topped the 1 million sales mark in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.

(It might be a while, though, with word coming from Kanye West that he and the New York-bred 23-year-old pop star will tour together this fall.)

“I love ‘80s music,” RedOne said. “It’s all about emotions, and the chorus elevates you. If you look back in three years, and you look at the hits, they all have the same things. They have a verse, a pre-chorus and a chorus -- one that’s dynamic and elevates you. You need to make people go crazy when the chorus comes. That’s so important on every song with Gaga.”

RedOne said there are some surprising benefits to working with someone as creative as Gaga -- one-of-a-kind baby clothes being one example.

“Lady Gaga is thinking all the time about how she’s going to design some new idea she has, like breaking glass and making a bra with it,” RedOne said. “When I had my baby, I got a call from Gaga, and she made a baby Gaga suit. You never know what to expect. It’s always a show with her, and she shocks you with something.”

While in Europe, RedOne plans to see one of Michael Jackson’s planned 50 dates at the O2 Arena in London. RedOne recorded with Jackson for his long-awaited follow-up to 2001’s “Invincible,” but, not surprisingly, he can’t reveal any details.

He prefers to discuss his collaboration with Lady Gaga (“Anytime I have a crazy idea, I save it for Gaga,” he said), or Gaga-associated electronic artist Space Cowboy, with whom he is also recording.

“The world, with the recession, needs this,” he said. “That’s one of the things I think with my music. It brings a lot of joy to people, and people want to escape from what’s going on. The ‘80s was happy music, and that’s what I’m doing musically.

“People are reacting positively to big choruses, joyful music.”

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todd.martens@latimes.com