No matter how deeply you bury your dirt, nothing remains a secret in Los Angeles.
Early 2000’s pop sensation Adam Levine, 43, has recently come under media fire for allegations released by Instagram model Sumner Stroh. The 23-year-old recently shared her story on her TikTok platform, admitting that she was “manipulated and exploited” by Adam, having an affair with him lasting a year.
Adam released his statement on September 20th, denying a physical affair but stating that he “crossed a line” during a “regrettable period in his life.” Throughout this “regrettable period”, the pop star has been married to Victoria’s Secret model, Behati Prinsloo (34), and had two children, Dusty Rose (6) and Gio Grace (4). They are also actively expecting another child. Concluding his statement, he claimed his wife and family were his “main priority”.
The allegation Adam failed to comment on was the June 1st Instagram DMs with Sumner, where he asks for permission to name his third child after her. He said that he was quote, “dead serious”.
Breaking the silence has encouraged other women who have had a relationship with the pop star to come forward. Following Sumner’s story, another woman, Maryka, posted screenshots of sexual conversations with the Maroon 5 star titled #exposedAdamLevine. His response to his actions towards her consisted of him saying “I’m stupid” followed by a shrug.
The public’s anger has been directed at Stroh, with comments under her Tik Tok page stating that she was speaking her truth because “she has nothing to gain from him anymore”, and that she “obviously knew he was married”.
Sumner recently released a follow-up Tik Tok, where she clarifies that Adam had her under the impression that his marriage with Behati was ending, and that she assumed they were keeping the break-up on the low in order to avoid negative press.
This is completely plausible as the Instagram model was new to Los Angeles at the start of their relationship, so her only knowledge of the “LA culture” was from the perspective of an outsider. She learned the cut-throat nature of Los Angeles the hard way when she shared her story with a “friend” of hers, who in turn leaked screenshots of the Instagram DMs between her and Adam to a tabloid.
Sumner may not be an “innocent victim”, but Adam’s actions bring to mind whether he intentionally chose a woman who was in a vulnerable position that was easy to manipulate. His lack of full candor and disclosure when asked to comment also questions whether his family is even an after-thought, let alone a “main priority” as the star proclaimed in his statement.
In the Los Angeles public spotlight, it is more common to see an unfaithful relationship than the alternative. The “Moves like Jagger” singer seems to have forgotten the collateral damage that comes with his decision: his relationship with his wife and soon-to-be three children.