Adam Levine, ‘SNL’ Honor The Purple One


Since Prince died last Thursday, there has been an outpouring of shock and grief as people try to understand how yet another of our legends has died. 2016 has not been kind to the entertainment industry this year — we have lost David Bowie, Alan Rickman, and now Prince, and like the previous two entertainers, people are mourning hard for their lost hero. Whether it was on Saturday Night Live, the longest running sketch comedy program in history, or at Howard Stern’s birthday bash, as Adam Levine did, it appears that people are honoring Prince even as they try to understand how the musician could have died at such an early age as 57.

Saturday Night Live broke with its usual sketch comedy routine by airing Prince’s performances in a show entitled “Goodnight, Sweet Prince.” Hosted by Jimmy Fallon, the show appeared cathartic for those behind it, and Fallon himself also had an opportunity to express exactly what the late musician meant to him.

“Larger than life, fashion, music, you couldn’t take your eyes off him,” Fallon said of Prince, according to USA Today. “I mean, he had his own color. Who has their own color? He owns purple… The guy was just amazing. He lived his music, and… it just came through him.”

Most notably, Fallon said, SNL alumni were treated to a special performance by the Purple One after the 40th anniversary special of the show aired. Fallon explained that the moment happened at around 4:30 a.m. and he had been busy trying to encourage musical guests Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus to hit the stage when he finally said, “Prince, if you’re in the room, I dare you to come up and say something with us.”

Fallon said that Prince did, with Chris Rock, Maya Rudolph, and Fallon singing backup.

https://youtu.be/CMNKnC9K8Uo

Adam Levine, though, might be the one who is surprising many in the entertainment world as old footage of him singing “Purple Rain” at The Howard Stern Show has resurfaced. Billboard said that Adam Levine was tapped to perform for Howard Stern’s birthday bash, and in honor of Prince, The Howard Stern Show posted the video of Adam Levine singing one of Prince’s best known songs with none other than Train as his band.

Adam Levine told People that he was having a hard time in the aftermath of Prince’s passing. Levine said he was lucky enough to call Prince a friend.

“[I’ll remember] just the great times that we had and just constantly being inspired by how he did things his way [and] never let anybody deter what he wanted to accomplish creatively and musically,” he said.

E! Online also reported that Adam Levine’s fellow coach from The Voice, Christina Aguilera, was also struggling to process Prince’s death.

“There is a heaviness in the air. It is a sad day, even though the sun is shining, we’re all just thinking in our heads of what a loss, what a crazy loss. But what an inspiration,” she said.

It is clear that Adam Levine found Prince quite inspiring. Whether with Maroon 5 or on his own, Adam Levine is known for taking on covers of Prince songs, and Adam Levine also noted that Prince’s inspiration continues to influence him.

“As a musician, I can’t tell you how much that’s rubbed off on me,” he said.

Adam Levine also told E! Online that Prince was instrumental in getting like-minded musicians together to just celebrate the artistry that was music and to celebrate life in general. He said that Prince was definitely one of a kind — a sentiment which has been echoed by several in the entertainment industry over the last few days since Prince passed.

“I don’t know, man, there’s just no one like him,” Adam Levine said. “There’s no one who’s occupied that space.”

[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]

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