Ten reasons I ♥ Adam Levine

Ten reasons I ♥ Adam Levine

He’s sexy and kind, crazy talented and badass—and that’s just the exterior. There so much more to shining star Adam Levine and he’s not afraid to let the world see his light.

My children and I are addicted to the show The Voice for a number of reasons. The talent is ridiculously good. The coaches are among the most nurturing celebrities on the face of the planet, not to mention host Carson Daly rooting for each singer like they were his own flesh and blood. The Voice is not merely an affirmation to musical hopefuls, but serves as a balm of encouragement to anyone who’s ever struggled in pursuit of their personal dream. Any of these reasons would be enough in itself to watch the artistic love-fest that is The Voice. But as I invest in the show’s third season, one aspect moves me more than all of the others combined—Adam Levine.

I LOVE Adam!

Wait—before his people file for a restraining order, I don’t mean I’m crushing on him or want to stalk him (I’m supremely happily married and far too exhausted with writing novels and my corporate job to stalk).

 

I don’t mean I ♥ Adam or I admire Adam. What I mean to say is I LOVE—so much that I would give him my kidney, LOVE—Adam. Here’s why: 

 

Adam Levine…

    1.   Is Cool –Whether listening intensely or bromancing fellow coach Blake, with his trademark t-shits and tats, his badassery is effortless. It’s wonderful to see a celebrity comfortable in their own skin.

    2.   Is Genuine – I want to audition for The Voice and not get picked just so I can get a hug from Adam on the way out the door. No air kisses or limp pats on the back from Adam Levine, he honestly cares for the people that cross his path and is adorably demonstrative. How can you not admire a guy who’s so fearless when it comes to hugging?

    3.   Is Positive – Like all The Voice coaches, he’s a natural encourager. But if you follow his tweets, you get a glimpse into his infectious enthusiasm. He’s a born cheerleader—but in a testosterone-y, badass way.

    4.   Is A Role Model – As I said before, I watch The Voice with my kids. They both adore Adam. My nine-year-old daughter feels a particular connection to him because he has ADHD. That she shares the same diagnosis and faces similar challenges as Adam makes her feel special. To see Adam’s accomplishments gives her hope that she, too, can conquer the world and fulfill her own unique dreams. Adam has influenced my eleven-year-old son in a different way. My son has been a HUGE Maroon 5 fan for a while. But in watching The Voice, he’s gotten a glimpse of the man behind the microphone. Thanks to Adam, it’s cool to be a sincerely nice guy. Often when we watch The Voice my son remarks on how “nice” Adam is or how he hopes he “can be like that” when he grows up—he aspires to be like Adam. Personally, I can’t think of a better celebrity to emulate.

    5.   Takes a Stand – In addition to being unashamedly vocal about his ADHD, he’s also dropped his drawers in the name of prostate cancer awareness. Adam has a history of engaging in causes with passionate abandon. Recently, he participated in a bit of impromptu Hurricane Sandy relief. After passing a local Red Cross blood drive, he stood on a street corner with a handwritten sign encouraging locals to get involved by texting the well-known Samaritan organization.

    What? Adam wants me to donate blood…sign me up!(And put me down for a kidney while you're at it.)

    6.   Is Über-Talented – Most of the world knows him as the lead singer of Maroon 5 and the serial-hugging coach on The Voice, but his talent, like his enthusiasm for life, is boundless. I love his collaborations and the new M5 album Overexposed, but I think I appreciate his talent even more when he’s stepping outside of his box to belt If I Ain’t Got You (Alicia Keys), or crooning Sinatra’s iconic The Way you Look Tonight. Right now, my absolute favorite song of his is the soulful Come Away to the Water (Hunger Games Soundtrack). It’s inspired! And I hope he sings it when I take my son to see M5 this February.

    7.   Has Range – In addition to being a rock god, Adam can add actor to his energetic artistic portfolio. Yes, I know he's been acting in videos forever. And he's always amazing. Have you seen the latest video, One More Night? Did any of you catch his acting debut on American Horror Story: Asylum? So ok—his cameo on AHS put my strict “no stalking” policy in serious jeopardy. He was thoroughly convincing as a horny, honeymooning horror-enthusiast. And even with his arm ripped off he was still scorchin’ hot! (Okay, so maybe I ♥ Adam a tiny bit.)

    8.   Is Open – Adam Levine has an accessibility that is rare among celebrities and I’m not just talking about the way he generously interacts with M5 fans. (Example: #Daylightproject) He has an emotional openness that is deeply moving to witness. In this season of The Voice, when De’borah first talked about being an outcast, Adam’s heart broke not just for her but for anyone who’s ever felt devalued. How do I know, because he let all of America see —at least the part that was watching. As an author, I’m mesmerized by vulnerabilities. Adam wears his emotions on his sleeve; he cusses like a sailor, and he seems to get naked a lot.

He’s got a bit of a rebellious streak. In last year’s feud with MTV he tweeted: i may be a pop singer. but every once in a while the angsty teenager in me just blurts out some raw honesty.  it's a reflex. (As a writer who channels her angsty teenager onto the page, I can relate!) Adam Levine is flawed, but that makes him real. He’s 100% relatable—well, except for the whole obscenely rich, playing for hundreds of thousands of people, dating supermodels thing. That’s what’s so cool about him…by the world’s standards he should be a total d*%!, but he’s not. Nor does he have an overreaching sense of entitlement. He’s down to earth.

    9.  Inspires – Whether is advocating a cause, generously mentoring on The Voice,  serial-hugging those at the crossroads of their dreams, or inspiring children to make the world a better place, Adam Levine’s spontaneity, passion and joy are infectious.

    10. Is AWESOME! Google Adam and you’ll find references to “The Perfect Man” ad nauseum. Many celebrities are touted as “perfect.” Many are cool, or talented, or passionate about their causes. Many celebrities manage to look scorchin’ hot with one arm ripped from the socket. But few people, celebrities or otherwise, have such a transparent code of ethics intrinsic to their human DNA. With all due respect to Adam’s abs, talent and badassery, I see him as something altogether different. And while far from perfect, it’s compellingly real. He’s an awesome human being. The kind of person who touches the world around him and changes it for the better. The kind of man who cares deeply and should be emulated. A true artist with a big talent and an even bigger heart. 

 

And when put that way, maybe I do ♥ Adam. Maybe I ♥ him a whole helluva lot!!!

 

Your Turn: If you’re an ALL—Adam Levine Lover—chime in. If not, which celebrity do you think is worth emulating and why?

Carey

Carey Corp is the author of DOON, Brigadoon reimagined, co-written w/Lorie Langdon. Book 1 coming 8/20/13 from the new YA imprint BLINK (a division of Zondervan/HarperCollins).  

 Join the DOON journey: www.doonseries.com