Fast Facts About Adam Levine, His Life And Career
2022 saw Adam Levine dominating headlines — and not for anything positive. Rumors have abounded that Levine cheated on his pregnant wife Behati Prinsloo, and multiple women have supplied flirty text messages that exposed some of his shady antics. His juicy personal life — from Levine's high-profile girlfriends to his tattoos — have ensured he has remained a tabloid staple over the years, but attention also comes with the territory of being a super famous, very good-looking pop icon. His tendency to be more unfiltered than he should be and ability to get so easily wrapped up in controversy have certainly also played a role.
Levine has been famous for decades — more than half his life — and has had an undeniable impact on pop culture. Though he has fiddled with other projects, Levine is best known for his music (and has three Grammys to show for it). He started his career as a member of Kara's Flowers, a short-lived band that eventually transitioned into Maroon 5, the powerhouse behind hits like "She Will Be Loved," "Makes Me Wonder," "Moves Like Jagger," and "Girls Like You."
Levine has also done a small amount of solo work, outside musical collaborations, and gained a whole new audience when he joined "The Voice" singing competition show as a host in its first season. Still, Levine is more than just scandal, so we thought it would be fun to take a deeper look inside his life.
He has previously spoken out against monogamy
We have to start by acknowledging Adam Levine's most recent scandal, which has seen five women come forward with flirty messages from the star and one claiming a year-long affair (via Us Weekly). And even though Levine has denied any in-person physical contact with women other than his wife, Behati Prinsloo, it has not stopped people from digging up his past interviews and quotes on women, sex, and relationships. The results have not been especially flattering. In an interview with Details, he once said that he slept around because he just "[loves] women" so much, unlike some other guys who do it because they are "misogynist pigs."
Levine has long been known as a ladies man, and the list of his famous flings and relationships is not exactly short. Amongst his many exes are models Anne Vyalitsyna, Angela Bellotte, and Nina Agdal. But beyond him having a thing for models, Levine has also done and said things that have made many question his intentions. For instance, he is rumored to have hooked up with Jessica Simpson, and to have dumped her by text message (via Page Six). The most damning piece of evidence is his past comments on monogamy. "Instinctively, monogamy is not in our genetic makeup," Levine said in an interview with Cosmopolitan back in 2009. "People cheat. I have cheated. And you know what? There is nothing worse than the feeling of doing it."
He was born and raised in Los Angeles
With his love of yoga and commitment to green juice and coconut water — evidenced by this interview with GQ — it should come as no surprise to anyone that Adam Levine is a lifelong resident of Southern California. He and his wife purchased a $22.7 million mansion in celebrity hotspot Montecito in 2021, but even as a youngster, Levine was living rather well. According to Men's Journal, Levine went to "fancy private schools," spent a summer at theater camp on the other side of the country, and used to star in commercials for his father's high-end clothing store chain, M. Fredric.
It was while attending high school in Los Angeles's affluent Brentwood neighborhood that Levine met his future bandmates. Together with three classmates — Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden, and Ryan Dusick — they formed the band Kara's Flowers, which got a record deal while its four members were still in secondary school (per MTV). In fact, the boys were discovered in just about the most L.A. way possible. "We were playing at a house party in Malibu. I guess we were freshmen or sophomores in high school. And this producer was like literally walking his dog and heard us, and he came in and watched the show," Levine told GQ. While Kara's Flowers was a dud, the band took off once they added a fifth member (James Valentine), transformed their sound into something more soulful, and changed their name to Maroon 5 (per MTV).
His deceased manager was his best friend
Because he grew up in Los Angeles, in a wealthy part of the city, it makes sense that Adam Levine would have developed some form of Hollywood connections. Many people do not know that he actually has a pretty big one, which comes in the form of Jonah Hill. Their fathers met at age 14 and have been lifelong best friends, which means that the Levines and the Feldsteins (Hill's actual last name) spent a lot of time together (via The Hollywood Reporter). He was especially close to Jordan Feldstein, who died of a pulmonary thromboembolism in 2017, at age 40, per Variety.
Not only were Feldstein and Levine besties, but Feldstein was also instrumental to Maroon 5's success. He was their longtime manager and an instrumental part of their success, according to Levine, who told iHeart that Feldstein "lived and breathed" for the band. Understandably, Levine took the unexpected death of his friend hard, and even in his 2021 interview with iHeart, said he has a hard time talking about it. "It was a tragedy foisted upon us and far and away one of the saddest moments of our lives, and personally of mine," Levine told Variety in 2018. "This is a kid I've known since we were in diapers. He was one of the most important people in my life from a very early age." Maroon 5 named their 2021 album "Jordi" in honor of Feldstein.
He was Maroon 5's primary songwriter at first
It took a few years after Kara's Flowers flopped for Maroon 5 to hit the scene, but once they did, they took off like wildfire. Their debut album "Songs About Jane" peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 chart, but it produced hits like "This Love," "She Will Be Loved," and "Harder to Breathe." Their second album, "It Won't Be Soon Before Long," debuted at number one, and their third, "Hands All Over," at number two. Levine was the primary songwriter for all three of these albums, which also included jams like "Wake Up Call," "Misery," and "Makes Me Wonder," which was Maroon 5's first song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Despite all of their success, Levine felt like the music was getting stale after album number three. "We were self-contained for three albums pretty much all the way through, and we got to the point where we needed to make a change," he confessed to Variety. "I had exhausted all of my abilities as the person who had taken the reins. I was feeling, maybe unconsciously at the time, like I needed help." Though he admitted in the Variety interview that he did not want outside writers — when he had previously collaborated, it had always been with band members — he realized it was the right thing for Maroon 5's evolution. One of the band's next songs, "Moves Like Jagger," was a collaborative effort that would go on to become their third biggest hit to date.
He sees being a dad as his primary job
Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo got married in 2014, and had their first child, Dusty Rose Levine, two years later (in September 2016). Their second daughter, Gio Grace Levine, was born in February 2018, and, as of this writing, they are currently expecting their third child, per Page Six. Though Levine often comes off as attention-hungry, he and Prinsloo have opted to keep their family life rather private. They rarely share their kids in photos and, when they do, they no longer allow faces to show the way they did when Dusty was a baby — a common theme for celebrities concerned about safety, harassment, and children's rights to privacy.
Though Levine is reluctant to share his kids visually, he has no problem speaking about them or fatherhood more generally. He has said that one reason he left "The Voice" was to be more present for his children and has even called himself a "stay-at-home dad" on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2019. "I do miss it, but I also don't miss how much I had to work," he told Degeneres. "I was just constantly working for so many years — very lucky, very fortunate, very blessed and all that, but [I wanted] to be able to spend time in this moment with my new, young family, and just have the greatest time ever." Even before having kids, Levine publicly expressed his desire to be a father, famously once even saying he wanted "more kids than would be socially responsible" (via Us Weekly).
He had a fashion line sold at Kmart
As an extremely handsome pop star with a unique sense of style, Adam Levine was destined to officially enter the fashion world at some point in his life. So, it totally made sense when he started his own fashion line in 2013. While it no longer seems to be active — judging by its lack of a current presence on the web — Levine's brand had a good run while it lasted. His fashions were at one point exclusively sold at Kmart, under the name 222 by Adam Levine. "I think that fashion and music are somehow connected to each other. Whatever you decide to put on your body usually is a choice. You know, you're making a concerted effort walking out the door to look a certain way," he told Refinery29.
The line began with a men's collection, which drew largely upon Levine's own style. Per MTV, Levine partnered with Shop Your Way to ask fans for their opinions and to get inspiration prior to designing the clothes. A year after the line began, Levine expanded to include women's clothing, which he told Refinery29 was largely inspired by his wife, Behati Prinsloo. Even as Kmart faced a slew of store closings in 2018, Levine was still creating new collections for the retailer (via Retail Dive), with a focus on comfort and affordability. No word on whether he plans to bring the brand back, but a verified Instagram account called "Adam Levine Collection" does still exist (no posts have been made since summer 2019).
He has a number of other products for sale
In addition to his fashion line, Adam Levine has attached his name to a number of other products over the years, spanning multiple categories from beverages to fragrances to musical instruments. The fragrance line is particularly hilarious, given that Levine has spoken out against "bulls**t celebrity fragrances" (via Women's Wear Daily). "I laughed when they asked me about it," he told Rolling Stone in 2013. "I got convinced to do [it] by some amazing creative people who I trust, and I want to make something that competes with real fragrances. I don't want to be another famous dude selling crap." Both the male and female scents are simply named "Adam Levine" because of course they are — it's Adam Levine!
A few years prior to his fashion and fragrance endeavors, Levine partnered with First Act to develop a line of electric guitars and musical accessories, such as microphones. His most recent business endeavor is one conducted in partnership with his wife, Behati Prinsloo. In 2021, the couple crafted a new tequila brand, Calirosa — which has two products, Rosa Blanco and Añejo — much like other celebs such as Kendall Jenner and George Clooney. They only launched the pink-tinted tequila at the end of the year (according to Vogue), so the word is still out on its long-term potential. "We're very excited to bring Calirosa to the world. We want this tequila to be available internationally and that is what we're aiming to achieve in 2022," Levine told Travel + Leisure.
There is meaning behind (most of) his tattoos
Every time Adam Levine posts a photo, it seems like the portion of his body that is tattoo-free has shrunk. While we don't know exactly how many tattoos Levine has, his penchant for going shirtless has made it clear that the bulk of his body is now inked. His arms and torso are covered in tattoos, including his famous "California" one across his stomach, and he also has tats on his neck, back, ribs, legs, and knuckles (and possibly more). Though he once admitted to disliking one of his tattoos (in a 2012 interview with Anderson Cooper), he also said he does not believe in covering up body art.
We could not possibly discuss every tattoo Levine has, but some are especially notable. The "California" on his belly is obviously a love letter to his home state, and he has "Los Angeles" tattooed on his upper right bicep in honor of his hometown. The tiger on his right arm has been there since early in his career, before he had full sleeves, and it is a reference to Tibetan drawings (via People). His largest tattoo takes up nearly his whole back and features a mermaid with wings holding a skull, and we shudder to think about how long it must have taken given that one of his big leg tattoos took a solid 13 hours. The "true love" on his knuckles is likely for his wife, given the timing of when he got it, and his mom gets her own shoutout on his right wrist.
He loves collecting cars but rarely drives them
Adam Levine has a lot of money and far be it from us to tell him how to spend it, but it is somewhat comical that a man with such a deep love of automobiles just so happens to also have a strong devotion to the environment. Levine told Rolling Stone that, while he owns many cars, they are mostly now for show due to the concerns he has over their ecological effects. Still, Levine does not want to part ways with his favorite vehicles. "I'm torn. But I can never get rid of my '71 Mercedes 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet. It's pale blue with a navy-blue ragtop, and I could just rub it with a diaper for the rest of my life," he said in the interview. "I want to figure out a way to make it run on trees."
In addition to Mercedes, Levine has also been known to be a fan of Porsche, though he now drives an electric model rather than the 1958 356A Speedster he drove for a decade. According to The Sun, Levine's entire car collection is worth a whopping two million dollars, with one vintage Ferrari alone ringing in at $685,000. Other brands in his garage include Mustang and Rolls-Royce. Levine also enjoys motorcycles, and any Google search for those terms together will pull up dozens of photos of him standing near them, posing with them, and riding them (sometimes with his wife).
He has dabbled in acting
Adam Levine is most famous for his music, and then perhaps for his role as a judge on "The Voice," a position he held for the first 16 seasons of the show (it is now in Season 22). While he is not known for being an actor, he has dabbled in this area as well — and we are not just talking about in music videos (though his sexy "She Will Be Loved" video with Kelly Preston is a classic!). Most often, Levine has played a fictionalized version of himself. Per his IMDb, he has appeared as himself in TV shows such as "Broad City" and "30 Rock," and in films such as "Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping."
Levine has also experimented with playing other characters, most often in smaller parts. He appeared in three episodes of "American Horror Story: Asylum" in 2012 and in a small role in the film "Fun Mom Dinner" in 2017. His most notable role has been in the film "Begin Again," a 2013 musical dramedy headlined by Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley (in a stretch, Levine plays a cheating musician who dated Knightley's character). "I knew that I would try doing it," he said of the offer to act in a big film, per the Associated Press. "Because of the other wonderful things that have happened in my life and my career, I'd been given the opportunity to try it. I thought to myself, 'Well, I'm going to try it. I'm not going to not try it.'"
He advertised Proactiv because of his own skin struggles
When we think of glamorous products a celebrity might endorse, we think about things like expensive watches and cars and designer couture. We certainly don't think of acne medication, so it was a surprise when Adam Levine signed on to be a representative for Proactiv products in 2013. His Proactiv+ commercial was just as cheesy as one would expect, but hearing him talking about his own struggles with skin insecurities brought forth a new side of the typically confident — even cocky — musician. "I had horrible cystic acne all over my face when I was 14 years old," Levine told the Los Angeles Times. "If I was one of these people who've done [a Proactiv commercial] who'd never had a zit in their life — where they had to paint one on their face — I wouldn't have done it. It wouldn't have made any sense."
In one video, Levine discussed how developing extreme breakouts in secondary school impacted his life as a teen. "I spent a lot of time sulking in my room and being upset," Levine said in the clip (which the brand still occasionally uses in their late-night infomercials). "I was depressed. I was not happy. Like I said, high school's hard enough, but having this problem and knowing everyone is looking at you in the halls... nobody had acne like I did." Levine no longer makes commercials for the brand, but it is nice to know that even People's one-time Sexiest Man Alive has his physical flaws.
He has an eclectic set of musical idols
Love him or loathe him, it is hard to argue that Adam Levine does not have musical talent. His incredibly distinct voice is instantly recognizable, and his showy performance style is never boring. Because he is so unique, and because Maroon 5's music draws from multiple genres including pop, soul, and rock, it is hard to place Levine's musical influences. Luckily, he has spoken about them at length in a variety of interviews. It turns out that Levine's taste in music is as incredibly eclectic, and some of his musical idols are not ones you would immediately suspect based upon his overall vibe.
For starters, Levine has said that he only goes to concerts if it is a favorite act performing, such as Pearl Jam or Paul Simon, the latter of which he told Rolling Stone he found underwhelming live. He has also spoken of his fondness for Billy Joel, who is one of the only people outside the band to know the meaning behind the name "Maroon 5" (via Rolling Stone). His all-time great, however, appears to be Stevie Wonder, who Levine has credited with helping him to find his ideal sound (per GQ). "I wish I'd written 'I Wish.' Or 'Boogie On Reggae Woman,' 'Sir Duke' or 'I Believe,'" he told Rolling Stone in a 2007 Q&A. "I just saw [Wonder] play at the House of Blues in L.A., and it was one of the highlights of my life. I stood there in shock. It was like some religious s**t."
He is serious about physical fitness
Adam Levine has always been fit, but whereas he was once more on the skinny side, he has totally transformed his body in recent years. His commitment to physical fitness is no passing trend either, as he is so serious about working out that his physical trainer moved in during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic (via Us Weekly). "We strength train four to five times a week. And [he's] just working on getting leaner while building muscle mass," his trainer Austin Pohlen told Us Weekly. "So we [have] just been focusing on training four or five times a week, heavy weights, and then dialing in the nutrition aspect." Those who follow Levine on social media know that fitness videos are a staple of his stories, and he Pohlen also posts videos of Levine on his own Instagram account.
Levine has been talking about yoga for years, and his trainer has said that he now practices three times per week (via Us Weekly). He also does cardio for up to two hours a day, which means that he is on the treadmill even on days without intense weightlifting. Pohler also mentioned squats, deadlifts and pushups, and honestly, we are tired just from writing it all down. "I like the way I look when I work out. I'm not doing it to be vain — though that's part of it. But it feels so good. I'm happy all the f***ing time. Seriously, without yoga and working out, I'd be a mess," he told Men's Journal.
He forfeited a lot of money when he left The Voice
Adam Levine started on the American version of "The Voice" in 2011 as one of the show's four original judges. By the time he left in 2019, he had participated in 16 seasons — all in a row with no breaks in between. We have already discussed how Levine left the show to lessen his workload and to be more present for his family, but when he did so, he also left a lot of money on the table. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Levine had two more seasons on his deal with NBC when he made the decision to leave the talent competition. Each season would have netted him a massive payday of $14 million.
Though forfeiting a million dollars is hard to imagine for most Americans, $28 million just feels absolutely outside the realm of reality. But A-list celebrities are not like most Americans. Per Celebrity Net Worth, Levine is estimated to be worth $160 million. We imagine that his Kmart fashions did little to get him to that number, but his work on "The Voice" and his decades-long career in music have not left Levine short on cash. Maroon 5 has had 12 albums make the Billboard 200 chart, including seven that entered the top 10 and two that hit number one. 32 of their songs have made Billboard's Hot 100 and they have had 15 top ten hits. They have also headlined or co-headlined a dozen tours, and announced a Las Vegas residency to begin in March 2023 (via CNN).