Adam Levine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Adam Levine
Levine in 2016
Born	Adam Noah Levine (1979-03-18) March 18, 1979 (age 46) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter musician actor television personality
Years active	1994–present
Spouse(s)	Behati Prinsloo ​ (m. 2014)​
Children	3
Relatives	Timothy Noah (uncle) Peter Noah (uncle)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Pop rock pop funk rock soft rock
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Labels	J A&M Octone Interscope 222 Reprise
Signature

Adam Noah Levine (/ləˈviːn/ LƏ-veen; born March 18, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer of the popular pop rock band Maroon 5. He also plays rhythm guitar for the band.

Adam Levine started his music journey in 1994 with a band called Kara's Flowers. After their first album didn't do well, the band changed its name to Maroon 5 in 2001. In 2002, Maroon 5 released their first album, Songs About Jane, which became a huge success. Since then, they have released six more albums. As part of Maroon 5, Adam has won three Grammy Awards.

Adam also found success on his own. He was featured on the hit song "Stereo Hearts" by Gym Class Heroes in 2011. From 2011 to 2019, Adam was a coach on the TV show The Voice. His team won three seasons of the show. He will return to The Voice in 2025. Adam has also acted in TV shows like American Horror Story and movies like Begin Again. He has his own record label, 222 Records, and a production company.

Adam Levine's Early Life

Adam Noah Levine was born in Los Angeles. His father, Fredric Levine, started a retail store chain. His mother, Patsy Levine, worked as an admissions counselor. His parents separated when he was seven. Adam spent weekdays with his mom and weekends with his dad. He has a younger brother.

Adam's father and grandfather were Jewish. Adam considers himself Jewish, but he is more spiritual than religious. He chose not to have a Bar Mitzvah because he didn't want to receive gifts. He felt it wasn't the right way to connect with his beliefs and heritage. Adam is the nephew of journalist Timothy Noah and TV producer Peter Noah.

Adam says his family was "very musical." His mother encouraged him to pursue music. He credits artists like Simon & Garfunkel, Fleetwood Mac, and The Beatles for shaping his musical style. Adam went to Brentwood School. There, he met Jesse Carmichael and Mickey Madden, who would become his bandmates. He loved music in high school and focused on it.

Adam's First Band: Kara's Flowers

In February 1994, Adam and his friends Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden, and Ryan Dusick formed a band called Kara's Flowers. In 1995, they played their first show at the Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood, California. Adam was the singer and guitarist.

An independent producer discovered the band in Malibu. They recorded an 11-song album. They later signed with Reprise Records. In August 1997, the band released their first album, The Fourth World. They also appeared on an episode of the TV show Beverly Hills, 90210.

Despite high hopes, the album didn't sell well, only about 5,000 copies. Reprise Records decided to drop the band. Adam later said that the band tried to become famous too quickly.

Maroon 5's Journey to Stardom

After Kara's Flowers broke up, Adam and Jesse Carmichael moved to New York for college. They left after one semester and reunited with Mickey Madden and Ryan Dusick. They wanted to form a new band. They tried different music styles, like country and folk. They decided to focus on groove-based music. Adam felt they needed a new sound.

The band made a demo, but many record labels turned it down. Finally, executives from Octone Records liked it. They suggested the band add a fifth member, James Valentine. The band was then renamed Maroon 5. James Valentine became the lead guitarist, allowing Adam to focus on singing.

Around this time, Adam was working on a TV show called Judging Amy. He spent time writing songs about his ex-girlfriend. These songs became Maroon 5's first album, Songs About Jane, released in June 2002. The album slowly became popular and sold about 10 million copies. In 2005, Maroon 5 won their first Grammy Award for Best New Artist. The next year, they won another Grammy for their song "This Love".

Levine performing with Maroon 5 in 2007

In 2006, the band started recording their second album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long, which came out in May 2007. Adam said this album was much better. They toured to support the album. The album and its songs like "Makes Me Wonder" received Grammy nominations. "Makes Me Wonder" won a Grammy.

After their world tour, the band started recording in Switzerland in 2009. They worked with producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Adam said Lange pushed him harder than anyone. In 2010, Maroon 5 released their third album, Hands All Over. This album didn't do as well at first.

Then, the band released "Moves like Jagger" with Christina Aguilera. Adam called it a "risk." The song became a huge worldwide hit, selling 8.5 million copies in 2011. Adam said the song "totally revived the band."

Levine performing at the opening night of the Honda Civic Tour 2013

Because "Moves Like Jagger" was a collaboration, Maroon 5 decided to work with other writers for their next album, Overexposed. Adam said it was their most dance-focused album. The album and its song "Payphone" received Grammy nominations. The band toured from 2012 to 2014 to support Overexposed.

In 2014, Maroon 5 released their fifth album, V (pronounced "five"). They continued working with writers like Ryan Tedder and Max Martin. Adam said they used the same successful songwriting process as Overexposed. Five songs were released from the album. The band went on the Maroon V Tour starting in 2015.

In 2007, Adam thought Maroon 5 might only make one more album. But in 2010, he said the band had no plans to break up. He also said he would never have a solo career. On February 10, 2017, Adam received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his music.

Adam Levine's Other Activities

Musical Collaborations

Adam Levine has worked with many other musicians. In 2005, he was on the song "Live Again" by Ying Yang Twins. The same year, he appeared on Kanye West's album Late Registration for the song "Heard 'Em Say". He also sang on Alicia Keys' album Alicia Keys: MTV Unplugged and on K'naan's song "Bang Bang."

In 2009, he recorded "Gotten" for Slash's first solo album. In 2010, he was one of about 80 musicians who sang on the charity song "We Are the World 25 for Haiti". In 2011, he was featured on the Gym Class Heroes song "Stereo Hearts". Adam also worked with 50 Cent on his song "My Life" in 2012, which also featured Eminem.

In 2015, Adam was on "Painkiller" by Rozzi Crane and "Locked Away" by R. City. In 2016, he worked with The Lonely Island on "I'm So Humble" for the Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping movie soundtrack. In 2019, Adam and 29 other artists were on the charity song "Earth" to raise awareness about climate change. He also collaborated with actor Joe Pesci on two songs.

In 2020, Adam was featured on "Trust Nobody" with Lil Wayne and "Same Guy" by Jack Harlow. He also sang "She Will Be Loved" for the video game Band Hero. Adam has contributed songs to movies like "Lost Stars" in Begin Again and "Go Now" in Sing Street.

Television, Film, and Media

Adam Levine has made several funny appearances on TV. In 2007, he was on Saturday Night Live in a short video called Iran So Far. He sang a funny part of a "love song" for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In 2008, he performed on "Night of Too Many Stars" for Comedy Central. He also supported Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential Election. In 2013, he hosted Saturday Night Live and appeared in a short video called "YOLO" with Kendrick Lamar.

From 2011 to 2019, Adam was a coach on the TV show The Voice. His team members Javier Colon (season 1), Tessanne Chin (season 5), and Jordan Smith (season 9) won the show. The Voice helped Maroon 5's career and made Adam even more popular. In 2013, The Hollywood Reporter estimated he was paid $10–12 million for each season. In May 2019, Adam left the show after 16 seasons. In June 2024, it was announced he would return for the 27th season in 2025.

In 2012, Adam appeared in American Horror Story: Asylum, a TV series. He played Leo Morrison, a photographer visiting an old asylum with his wife. He said he wanted to do it because it sounded "fun" and "dark." He admitted he wasn't a fan of horror shows himself.

In June 2012, Adam was cast in the movie Begin Again. He played Dave Kohl, a songwriter who leaves his girlfriend after finding success. The movie was well-received by critics.

222 Productions

In 2013, Adam started his own production company, 222 Productions. Their first project was Sugar (2018), a web series inspired by the Maroon 5 song "Sugar". The show features music artists surprising fans at events. The company also produced Songland, a reality competition show that premiered on NBC in 2019. Adam was an executive producer for Songland.

Business Ventures and Endorsements

Levine playing the First Act 222 Guitar, which he helped design

In October 2008, Adam worked with First Act to create the First Act 222 Guitar. It was designed to his liking and sold in Target stores. Two years later, he launched his own fashion line called "222." It includes jeans, T-shirts, and leather jackets. He started this with his father and cousin.

In June 2011, Adam joined a campaign called "Own It" to raise awareness about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This project helps people who were diagnosed with ADHD as kids understand that it can continue into adulthood. Adam himself was diagnosed with ADHD as a teenager. He wrote an article about his experience in ADDitude Magazine.

Adam founded his own record label, 222 Records, in February 2012. He was inspired to start it after discovering singer Rozzi Crane. She became the first artist signed to the label. Other artists like Matthew Morrison and Tony Lucca also joined.

In September 2012, Adam worked with the clothing company Bench in the Philippines to launch a menswear collection. In January 2013, he announced a partnership with Sears Holdings to create a lifestyle brand of clothes and accessories. This collection was launched in October 2013 in Kmart stores and online. Adam said he liked having creative control over the designs. Later, Adam became a spokesperson for Proactiv, a skincare brand. He shared his own experiences with acne in high school in their commercials.

Adam also created his own perfume line with ID Perfumes. It launched in February 2013. The perfumes, for men and women, are sold in microphone-shaped bottles at Macy's stores. Adam said he wanted to create a scent he would wear himself. This was interesting because he had previously tweeted that he wanted to "put an official ban on celebrity fragrances." In 2020, Adam became an ambassador for Shure wireless earphones and headphones.

Adam Levine's Musical Style

Adam's interest in music began around age ten when he started playing guitar. Music became a way for him to express his feelings. He said, "I picked up a guitar and that was it. I fell so madly in love with it, it's all I did." His first professional performance was at The Troubadour when he was twelve. He was so shy that he played with his back to the audience.

Growing up, he was influenced by many artists, including The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Nirvana. In high school, he listened to Bob Marley, Bill Withers, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Phish, and Michael Jackson. He also uses elements from The Police and Prince in his music. Adam loves all kinds of music, from pop songs to jazz.

Levine performs in Washington, D.C.

Listening to "Are You That Somebody?" by Aaliyah made him want to explore a more soulful sound. Moving to New York exposed him to hip-hop, R&B, gospel, and soul music. He changed his style, often imitating Stevie Wonder. His first Maroon 5 album, Songs About Jane, was described as "bluesy funk." Critics compared Adam to Jamiroquai singer Jay Kay.

While his earlier music was "vaguely funky white-soul" and "rock," his recent songs have a more reggae and pop sound. Adam doesn't like to fit his music into one genre. He says there's too much variety in music to stick to one style. He often writes about love and relationships. He likes to be direct in his lyrics.

Levine performing in Sydney, Australia in February 2019

Adam Levine is a tenor singer, known for his falsettos (high notes). Critics have described his singing as "R&B-slick" and "soulful." They also praise his stage presence, saying he is playful and loves performing for his audience.

Adam's fame outside of Maroon 5 has made him a "stand-alone star." Some say this has put other band members in the background. However, others believe Adam's popularity has helped the band. Their guitarist, James Valentine, noted that Adam's vocals are central to their music. Adam says this image was planned to help the band, not just for his own ego.

Adam Levine's Personal Life

In early 2010, Adam met Russian model Anne Vyalitsyna at a party. They started a relationship but ended it in April 2012.

In May 2012, Adam began dating Behati Prinsloo, a model from Namibia. They got married on July 19, 2014. Actor Jonah Hill officiated their wedding. Adam and Behati have two daughters: Dusty Rose (born September 21, 2016) and Gio Grace (born February 15, 2018). On January 28, 2023, they welcomed their third child, a son.

Adam supports gay rights. In 2011, he made a video for Maroon 5's YouTube channel to support the It Gets Better Project, which helps young LGBTQ people. In 2012, he announced that Maroon 5 changed the location of their post-Grammy Awards show. This was because the original restaurant supported Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in California. Adam has a gay brother.

In July 2020, Adam and Behati worked with Ferrari and Save the Children to raise money. This money helped U.S. education programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Adam and Behati started their own tequila company called Calirosa. Their tequila bottles became available in December 2021.

Discography

Singles as an artist

Guest appearances

Songwriting credits

Videography

As lead artist

As featured artist

Cameo appearances

Filmography

Film

Television

Web

Other works

Music videos

Producer

Miscellaneous crew

Video games

Awards and nominations

See Also

In Spanish: Adam Levine para niños