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.
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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
9 comments:
LOL! Love this, Carey! Your enthusiasm for The Voice and love for Adam are infections. I'll never look at him the same way again! I might even start watching The Voice... ;D
I don't watch The Voice, but now I want to tune in and witness Adams's awesome for myself!
fantastic post about a fantastic man :) i can't carry a tune in a bucket, but he inspires me to be myself as well as I can, and to chase down my dream like it owes me something.
p.s. - SO glad I don't have a self-imposed no stalking rule hehe
Hi Jadie! I love what you said about how Adam inspires you. Stalk for me while I write my book. LOL!
I'm with you Carey, I love me some Adam. Maroon 5 has been my fav band since I was ten. I just started watching the Voice this season and I'm totally hooked. Love the idea, but mostly I just like watching Adam! LOL!
Allow me to say "AMEN!" I've been a Maroon 5 fan since their very first album, and Adam continues to amaze me as I watch his celebrity grow. And, like you, I also have a daughter with ADHD who finds Adam inspirational.
But yeah....Adam. Love. LOVE.
Another one who likes Adam and Maroon 5! My kids love The Voice and Adam as well.
He does seem like a genuinely nice guy. I hope all the teenage boys out there recognize that the nice guy is okay to like, too. Girls don't just go for the "bad guys" and the boys who ignore them and treat them like dirt. Girls! Expect more! And you'll get it!
Maybe even a guy like Adam. :-)
This guy is not talented. He's average in every way except his ego is much larger.
I respectfully disagree with you Anonymous.
Lots of people are talented but few are exceptional. In addition to talent, Adam has passion and humility and the drive to make his world a better place. That the kind of artist, I want to stand behind. :)
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