NEWSBefore Their Years of On-Air Rivalry, Adam Levine Says He Instantly Liked Blake Shelton at Chance Meeting, Calling Him 'Awesome'
Adam Levine recalled meeting Blake Shelton for the first time and called him 'awesome.'
Sept. 22 2026, Updated 5:53 a.m. ET
Adam Levine said he liked his longtime friend Blake Shelton from the start, before their on-air rivalry.
"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, per Entertainment Now, ahead of The Voice Season 30 premiere.
"And afterward, I was like, 'That dude was awesome, who was that?'" he continued.
Levine then learned why Shelton was at the meeting.
"'That’s your co-star, Blake Shelton,'" Levine recalled. "I was like, 'No (expletive)!'"
Adam Levine and Blake Shelton Became 'The Voice' Rivals
Adam Levine reflected on his playful rivalry with Blake Shelton on 'The Voice.'
Levine and Shelton became original coaches when The Voice premiered in 2011, with their playful dynamic becoming part of the show.
Per Billboard, during a 2025 appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Levine joked about sitting in Shelton’s former seat.
"It doesn’t smell great," he 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," he added.
Adam Levine and Blake Shelton continued to support each other after their years as coaches on 'The Voice.'
Shelton also found his own way to tease Levine.
At one point, he gave Levine’s wife, Behati Prinsloo, a pet pig that eventually grew to approximately 400 pounds.
Despite their longtime rivalry, the two continued to support each other after their time together as coaches.
Levine performed with Maroon 5 during The Voice Season 20 finale and later returned for Shelton’s final episode as a coach.
Shelton also performed during the Season 27 finale after Levine returned to the coaching panel.
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Adam Levine Returns For 'The Voice' Season 30
Adam Levine and Blake Shelton looked back on their years together on 'The Voice'.
Levine originally coached The Voice for 16 seasons before leaving the series.
Shelton remained on the show through Season 23 before stepping away.
Levine returned for Season 27 and came back again for Season 29.
He is now returning for Season 30 alongside Kelly Clarkson, Queen Latifah and Riley Green.
The new season also brings another look at Levine and Shelton’s bromance history on the series.
Their friendship may have started with a chance meeting, but it eventually became one of the most recognizable relationships in The Voice.
Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani reunited as NBC revisited 15 years of 'The Voice.'
NBC is revisiting 15 years of The Voice with an Instagram promotional clip featuring Shelton and his wife Gwen Stefani.
The clip showed Shelton reuniting with Levine as the longtime friends hugged, posed for photos, and reflected on their time on the show.
"There's an old sheriff in town," a voiceover teased as Shelton arrived.
The post was captioned: "We’re ready to break the internet Don’t miss #TheVoice: 30th Season Celebration tomorrow at 10/9c on NBC and streaming next day on Peacock."
