Adam Levine and Blake Shelton spent years battling each other on “The Voice,” but Levine says he liked his longtime friend from the moment they met.
Ahead of the season 30 premiere, Levine joined fellow coaches Kelly Clarkson, Queen Latifah and Riley Green for a roundtable discussion about the NBC competition. During the conversation, Levine looked back at meeting Shelton before “The Voice” premiered in 2011.
The Maroon 5 frontman recalled meeting Shelton for the first time in an NBC meeting.
“When I first met Blake, it was at an NBC meeting, and it was the first meeting we all had, so it was us and a bunch of other people sitting around,” Levine said. “And afterward, I was like, ‘That dude was awesome, who was that?’”
The answer surprised him.
“‘That’s your co-star, Blake Shelton,’” Levine recalled. “I was like, ‘No (expletive)!’”
Adam Levine & Blake Shelton’s ‘Voice’ Friendship Quickly Became a Rivalry
Levine and Shelton went on to become two of the most recognizable faces of “The Voice.” They were both original coaches when the show premiered, and their constant teasing became part of their on-screen dynamic.
That didn’t stop when they left the red chairs.
During a 2025 appearance on “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” Levine joked about sitting in Shelton’s old chair when he returned as a coach.
“It doesn’t smell great,” Levine said. “It smells kinda off. Weathered, you know? Worn-in. The seat’s a little more sunken-in … He’s a tall drink of water, that guy.”
Their jokes have extended well beyond “The Voice.” Shelton once gave Levine’s wife, Behati Prinsloo, a pet pig that eventually grew to approximately 400 pounds.
Despite their years of playful shots at each other, Levine and Shelton have continued to reunite since their time coaching together ended.
Levine performed with Maroon 5 during the season 20 finale and later returned for Shelton’s final episode as a coach. Shelton also came back to perform during the season 27 finale after Levine returned to the coaching panel.
Adam Levine Returns for ‘The Voice’ Season 30 Without Blake Shelton
Levine originally coached on “The Voice” for 16 seasons before leaving. Shelton remained considerably longer, eventually stepping away after season 23.
Levine returned for season 27 and came back again for season 29. He’s now staying in the red chair for season 30 alongside Clarkson and newcomers Queen Latifah and Green.
Before the new competition begins, NBC is also revisiting 15 years of “The Voice,” including another Levine-Shelton reunion.
A promotional clip showed Shelton walking into the studio with his wife and former “Voice” coach Gwen Stefani before reuniting with Levine. The longtime friends hugged, posed for pictures and sat down together to look back on their history with the show.
“There’s an old sheriff in town,” a voiceover teased as Shelton arrived.
“The Voice” season 30 premieres Monday, September 21, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Episodes will be available on Peacock the following day.
