How Did Adam Levine And Behati Prinsloo Meet?
In September, Adam Levine made headlines for all the wrong reasons. The Maroon 5 frontman — who has been married to Victoria's Secret alum Behati Prinsloo for nearly a decade — was accused of having an affair with Instagram model, Sumner Stroh. "At the time, I was young, I was naive, and, I mean, quite frankly, I feel exploited," Stroh told fans in a now-viral TikTok, claiming to have been "manipulated" into the relationship. Levine defended himself against the allegations on his Instagram Stories, writing (via TMZ), "I did not have an affair, nevertheless, I crossed the line during a regrettable period in my life."
Understandably, the cheating rumors have put a huge strain on Prinsloo, who announced her third pregnancy as recently as September. "[Adam Levine] admitted that he went behind her back and has been inappropriate ... She is still very upset though," a source close to the pair told People. InTouch reported that Prinsloo was "blindsided" by Stroh and had no inkling of any marital discontent on her husband's part. "She had no idea it was coming and is distraught," another insider revealed. Despite "wanting to believe" Levine, his wife feels that "there's no smoke without fire. They have had their fair share of problems in the past and are trying to navigate moving forward."
With the pair thrust unceremoniously into the public eye, their relationship has come under close scrutiny. Many are analyzing how Levine and Prinsloo first met and wondering whether their marriage will survive.
Adam Levine was looking for a girl to star in his music video
According to Newsweek, Adam Levine dated two other Victoria's Secret models — Anne Vyalitsyna and Nina Agdal — so it seems that (like Leonardo DiCaprio) he has a type. Behati Prinsloo's runway background and experience handling a pair of Victoria's Secret wings made her perfect for Levine, at least on paper. The couple met organically in 2012, when Levine reached out through a mutual friend over email. "Adam was looking for a girl for a music video that could do some action stuff, and our friend was like, 'You should meet Behati because she's a total tomboy and down for anything," Prinsloo recalled in an interview with Net-A-Porter. While the model ended up passing on the gig, her virtual connection with Levine only strengthened. "It was such a natural correspondence that we kind of fell in love over email," she added.
Shortly after they began talking over email, Prinsloo flew to Los Angeles for a job and finally met Levine in person. "[Levine] had boxing gloves on and he came to hug me — it was so awkward," she remembered, per Net-A-Porter. Despite the less-than-ideal meet-cute, sparks flew over dinner later that night. "We talked for hours and had the best time," Prinsloo said. And, although they broke up at one point, it was enough for Levine to realize his mistake. "He realized he really loved [Prinsloo] and wanted to be with her," a source told Us Weekly.
Adam Levine proposed to Behati Prinsloo quickly
Once Adam Levine got back together with Behati Prinsloo, an engagement quickly followed. "Adam kept talking to Behati, and was flooded with emotion when they saw each other again. He knew he wanted to propose," a source shared with Us Weekly. That proposal came with a vintage engagement ring "from the 1930s. I was very giddy. I was speechless. It was a beautiful moment," Prinsloo told Extra. As for Levine, he basked in the knowledge that he had made the right decision. "I definitely feel like I'm sitting in the chair I'm supposed to be sitting in right now. It all feels very natural," he said, according to People.
That was circa 2013-2014. Since then, the couple has welcomed daughters Dusty Rose and Gio Grace. Prinsloo and Levine's yet-to-be-born bundle of joy makes bundle No. 3, and continues to fulfill Prinsloo's ideal family plan. In 2021, she told Entertainment Tonight, "We want a big family, who knows, we're leaving it up to fate and just what happens. What will happen, will happen. So there's no limits to it."
Unfortunately, the joy of Prinsloo's impending baby may be hampered by bombshell claims of Levine's infidelity. Just as the Internet and social media can be a good thing (in that it introduced Prinsloo and Levine), it also opened the door for Levine's potential flirtation with other women. The two are said to be "moving forward as a couple" in the meantime, per Entertainment Tonight.