What You Don't Know About Adam Levine
There is no denying that Adam Levine is an artist worth his salt. The 43-year-old frontman for American pop rock band Maroon 5, with three Grammy wins and 13 nominations to his name, has led a chart-dominating act for over two decades. Tracks like "Sugar," "Moves Like Jagger," and "Payphone," along with their music videos, have brought the band phenomenal fame and record-breaking success over the years. The band's song "Memories," for instance, clinched a Billboard record in 2020 on the prestigious music magazine's Pop Songs radio airplay chart.
As sensational as Maroon 5's rise in the music world has been, so has Levine's personal life in the media. Ever since he burst into fame, the Los Angeles native has been a consistent headline-maker — for reasons not always palatable.
In 2022, the singer found himself caught in a maelstrom of accusations from women, who leaked chats allegedly sent to them by Levine as a married man. The controversy first erupted after a 22-year-old woman revealed in a now-viral TikTok video that Levine had an affair with her, as screenshots of their alleged chats began floating online (via Page Six). As more women came forward with textual testimonies of Levine allegedly flirting with them, the singer in a statement admitted to crossing a line "during a regrettable period of [his] life" (via TMZ). With the vocalist's antics under the public scanner, let's take a look at what Adam Levine's life has been like up until now.
He went to high school with the future members of Maroon 5
Like so many success stories, the beginnings of Maroon 5 were humble — and very youthful. The roots of the pop rock band lie at the Brentwood School in California, which several of the music entity's future members attended. Adam Levine, the band's frontman and lead vocalist, crossed paths with mates Jesse Carmichael and Michael Madden during the 1990s when they were all schoolgoing boys (via Reuters). They started a band called Kara's Flowers; according to E! News, their music included covers of songs by The Beatles, with the band also making an appearance on the popular TV series "Beverly Hills, 90210."
The teenage band also released an album, "The Fourth World," in 1997 before it dissipated, only to come back with a bang as Maroon 5 in the new millennium (via Britannica). If you're wondering why the band is called what it is, don't bother — because Levine has vowed to remain tight-lipped about it. "The origin of the name is so bad and such a terrible story that we decided that shrouding it in mystery will make it a better story than the actual story," he said on David Letterman's show in 2014 (via The Hollywood Reporter). As noted by Billboard, Maroon 5 has seen the comings and goings of many artists, with the band currently comprised of six members, including Levine.
Adam Levine was diagnosed with ADHD during his teen years
Adam Levine was a teenager when he was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a condition that has stayed with him through adulthood. Where sitting still for schoolwork was challenging for him as a young boy, working in the studio as a musician didn't get any easier: "I remember being in the studio once and having 30 ideas in my head, but I couldn't document any of them," he recalled, writing for ADDitude. Growing up, he believed his ADHD waned, but when symptoms continued to persist, he consulted his doctor to manage them (via All Access). Levine says his inability to concentrate and focus on many things has become evident to people on a daily basis. "When I can't pay attention, I really can't pay attention," the Maroon 5 singer told Us Weekly.
Levine hasn't shied away from speaking about ADHD. He acted as the frontman for the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA)'s Own It initiative, aimed at spreading awareness about life with the condition. "This campaign is important to me because it can help young adults and adults realize that there's a chance they may still have ADHD if they had it as a kid," he said (per All Access).
He has a history of dating Victoria's Secret models
It would seem Adam Levine likes his women like Victoria's Secret likes them — the 43-year-old crooner has a colorful history of dating "angels" walking the ramp for the lingerie and clothing giant. Behati Prinsloo, whom Levine married in 2014, is a Namibian model famous for sashaying at Victoria's Secret fashion shows. CapitalFM notes that Prinsloo has also been associated with other major labels like Prada, Christian Dior, and Chanel, besides showing up in Levine's music videos, including "Animals" and "Girls Like You."
Not long before Prinsloo catwalked into Levine's life, the Maroon 5 frontman was seeing her contemporary Anne Vyalitsyna. Renowned as Anne V, the Russian-born model and Sports Illustrated veteran was with Levine for two years before the couple called it quits in 2012 (via People). In a memorable declaration of love for his then-partner, after performing at the 2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Levine planted a passionate kiss on Vyalitsyna as she walked the ramp (via Page Six).
Before Vyalitsyna, there was Angela Belotte, who, The Cut notes, also modeled for the lingerie brand. Levine, aware of his reputation for dating Victoria's Secret angels, has reflected on his dating preferences in a GQ interview: "So what? Preference should never be looked down upon. ... Whatever does it for you, man," he said.
The musician has admitted to cheating in past relationships
"She will be loved," as the Maroon 5 song goes — but not monogamously. Adam Levine has often raised eyebrows with his unconventional ideas about love and relationships, one of them being a supposed lack of belief in having one partner at a time. "Instinctively, monogamy is not in our genetic makeup. People cheat. I have cheated," he told Cosmopolitan back in 2009. But he's not too hard on himself, he continued, adding that "I let myself off the hook to the point where it's a bad thing."
But that doesn't necessarily mean Levine is all zen in relationships. "In real life, I am emotionally confused, which enables me to write songs," he said, adding that more men would discover this sensitive side of themselves if they were honest. Levine has also admitted that most of his emotional issues stem from relationships with women (via Women's Health).
There's a chance Levine may regret airing his thoughts in public, as many of his past statements have resurfaced in the wake of the alleged cheating scandal surrounding him. A handful of Instagram messages were leaked in September 2022, with women coming forward claiming that Levine — a married man who has two children (and a third on the way) with Behati Prinsloo — sent them sexually charged texts (via the Independent). Sumner Stroh, a model, has also alleged that Levine had an affair with her as recently as last year, as told to Page Six.
Adam Levine once said he was promiscuous because he loved women
Adam Levine's hunky playboy persona has long been a tabloid fixation — partly because the "Girls Like You" singer doesn't rein himself in when talking about his love life. In a statement from years ago that is reentering public discourse in light of Levine's current sexting scandal, the Maroon 5 frontman had proudly explained his promiscuity. "Maybe the reason I was promiscuous and wanted to sleep with a lot of them, is that I love them so much," he said in an interview in 2012 (via E! News). To Levine, men can be divided into two categories: those who he believes are "misogynistic pigs" and those who really love women.
That doesn't mean Levine is unappreciative of beauty beyond women: "I'm extremely comfortable in my sexuality, so I can think, 'Oh, that's a good-looking dude," he told Out in 2011.
By the time the 43-year-old settled into married life in 2014 with model Behati Prinsloo, his rakish image was well-established. Levine wasn't demure about it at all, owning up to having been "totally promiscuous and slutty" in his life. There was a time when the Observer went so far as to christen him the "Douchemaster," but Levine has said he isn't one (via GQ). "Or maybe I am, I don't know."
The Beatles were a huge part of his childhood
Who doesn't love The Beatles? Adam Levine sure does — and how! The Maroon 5 frontman hasn't held back on making his reverence for the classic English rock band known. "My mother lived and breathed The Beatles, and they were a huge part of my upbringing," Levine told The Jewish Chronicle in an interview. This early musical influence went on to play a significant role in shaping Levine's own creative sensibilities.
Fleetwood Mac and Simon & Garfunkel are other iconic music entities Levine claims have been a part of his consciousness since his youth. "I still revere my heroes," he said, adding that "idolizing and appreciating these people for what they did" was an important part of his identity. Tupac Shakur and Marvin Gaye are two other inspirations for Levine, who admires them as artists who "followed whatever path they wanted to follow" (via Digital Spy).
Levine's fandom for The Beatles comes through in his musical acts. In 2014, Maroon 5 was part of a supergroup — comprising John Mayer and Keith Urban — that came together to pay tribute to The Beatles after the Grammy Awards. As surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr watched, the artists performed a number of songs by the top-selling band (via The Wrap). Levine also picked a classic Beatles number, "Hey Jude," to honor the memory of late contestant Christina Grimmie on "The Voice" in 2017 (via MTV).
The Maroon 5 singer left fans confused after saying bands were a dying breed
Adam Levine is no stranger to making foot-in-mouth statements. One such infamous remark the Maroon 5 singer made in 2021 left people scratching their heads — and also inspired significant outrage in the music industry. "It's funny, when the first Maroon 5 album came out, there were still other bands. I feel like there aren't any bands anymore," Levine proclaimed during a conversation with Zane Lowe for Apple Music (via Insider). The internet was quick to react to Levine calling bands a "dying breed," with people listing the plethora of bands making music today. Big-timers from the music world also weighed in: "What are we, Adam Levine? CATS?!?!?" rock band Garbage tweeted. The drummer for the alt-rock band The Dead Freights, meanwhile, said: "It goes to show the bubble some of these people live in."
A seeming justification for Levine's odd opinion came further in the same interview, when he said he was referring to bands on the pop scene. "I mean, there still are plenty of bands and maybe they're not in the limelight quite as much ... " he reflected. But scores of angry tweets aside (as reported by HuffPost), there was some belief that Levine's statements weren't entirely senseless. The Guardian said he was "broadly correct" in his judgment, noting that the ratio of ranked solo artists to bands was lopsided in the present scenario.
Adam Levine has been friends with Jonah Hill since they were kids
The friendship between Adam Levine and actor Jonah Hill doesn't take up much spotlight on the Hollywood scene, but it's as strong as can be. The celebrity pair have known each other since they were kids, way before they were touched by fame. Levine and Hill have their dads to thank for crossing paths in the principal's office of their junior high and eventually beginning a friendship that was passed on to their children. "We were in carpool. We lived at each other's houses," Hill revealed to shock-jock Howard Stern in a 2014 interview (via Us Weekly). The two have often been papped together, even once sporting matching teen streetwear fashion (via GQ).
The two are so tight that Hill officiated Levine's wedding to Behati Prinsloo in 2014. The funnyman admitted to deliberating over packing humor in his speech: "I'm just trying to be thoughtful and respectful and loving to these people who asked me to do this main honor," he said (via HuffPost). Levine ultimately gave him the green light to do his thing. It was also Hill who imparted acting advice to Levine when he appeared in the film "Begin Again." "You don't learn your lines," Hill apparently told his childhood bestie, who didn't end up listening. Hill, who rubs shoulders with the who's who of Hollywood, has vouched for his friend Levine as being a celebrity who hasn't been changed by fame (via News24).
To him, tattoos signify one's journey in life
For Adam Levine, whose perennially shirtless upper body is an inked canvas, tattoos hold great meaning about a person's journey in life. "Tattoos wind up being this strange road map or narrative over the years," the "Sugar" singer told People. A breadth of themes defines Levine's expansive collection of over 30 tattoos (via E! News).
His first piece of body art came about when Levine was 21 — a dove on his left bicep. He recalled getting it soon after 9/11 as a symbol of peace. While California, his home state, is pasted proudly across his abdomen, the Sanskrit word "tapas" is inked prominently above Levine's heart. He related the latter to his love for yoga, which, like the ancient language, hails from the Indian subcontinent. According to Britannica, "tapas" means heat and signifies a powerful spiritual practice.
Levine's growing tattoo count has inspired interest among fans, who were memorably given a nude display of his body art during his Super Bowl halftime performance in 2019 — a visual that went viral, per Page Six. Despite his love for tattoos, Levine has stated that body art will never make it to his face: "I'm too f—ing vain to get a tattoo on my face," he said on Instagram (via Billboard). Bryan Randolph in California is Levine's favorite tattoo artist, per The Cut.
Adam Levine didn't plan on getting married until he met Behati Prinsloo
Despite the cheating scandal shadowing Adam Levine's life at present, with the married singer caught in a storm of accusations over alleged affairs, his wife Behati Prinsloo appears to be the woman of his dreams. Before she walked into his life, the "Memories" singer had vowed himself off marriage altogether. As noted by Us Weekly, Levine and Prinsloo kindled a romance in 2012 and — after a brief breakup — announced their engagement in 2013. Talk show host Jay Leno brought up Levine's decision to put off marriage at the time, with Levine explaining: "You know, I still don't think you have to get married, unless you meet someone that makes you want to marry them" (via E! News).
Prinsloo, a Victoria's Secret angel, was 25 when she tied the knot with Levine in 2014 in Los Cabos, Mexico. Appearing on Ellen Degeneres' show soon after, a head-over-heels Levine revealed he never thought he would adore marriage as much as he did and that he loved saying the word "wife." "I say it for no reason. I say it a lot," he said (via Billboard). Levine and Prinsloo share two children — Dusty Rose and Glo Grace — with one more on the way.
It seems that controversial headlines about Levine's alleged flirtations haven't dampened the love between the married couple, who jetted off to Vegas for a getaway in late September 2022 (per Fox News).