An online petition asking Maroon 5 not to perform during halftime of Super Bowl 53 continues to make its rounds —with nearly 114,000 signatures and counting—on the internet.
The band’s front man, Adam Levine, told “Entertainment Tonight” on Thursday the band expected backlash after the announcement Maroon 5 would headline the Pepsi Halftime Show.
"I'm not in the right profession if I can't handle a little bit of controversy. It's what it is. We expected it. We'd like to move on from it and speak through the music," he said.
Levine sat down with ET in Atlanta for what the showrunners say will be his “only interview before the big game.”
Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Wednesday the NFL canceled the traditional Super Bowl entertainment press conference that would have featured the band.
» Super Bowl 53: NFL cancels Maroon 5 halftime show press conference
» People have a lot of feelings about Maroon 5 performing at Atlanta's Super Bowl 53
» Petition asks Maroon 5 to drop out of Atlanta Super Bowl halftime show
During the ET interview, Levine said no one thought about the consequences of performing more than he did.
"No one put more thought and love into this than I did," he said in the interview. "I spoke to many people, most importantly though, I silenced all the noise and listened to myself, and made my decision about how I felt."
Levine also addressed those who felt their voices weren’t being heard.
"They will be (heard) — that's all I want to say because I don't want to spoil anything," he said. "And once again, I like to think that people know where I stand as a human being after two decades doing this. I'm not a speaker. I'm not a public speaker. I do speak, but it's through the music. My life's work and what I put out into the universe has been positive and hopefully inspiring ... So, what I would say is, you know, we are going to do what we keep on doing, hopefully without becoming politicians and continuing to use the one voice we know how to use properly."
"To make people understand, we got you," he added. "We got you."
» Maroon 5, NFL give $500K to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America ahead of Atlanta Super Bowl
Earlier this week, Maroon 5, in collaboration with the NFL and Interscope Records, made a $500,000 donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
"Playing the Super Bowl has been a dream of our band for a long time," Levine told People magazine in a statement. "We thank the NFL for the opportunity and also to them, along with Interscope Records, for making this donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters, which will have a major impact for children across the country."
MORE SUPER BOWL 53 COVERAGE
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» Super Bowl fans are coming. Here's where you can escape
» Atlanta's own Gladys Knight will sing National Anthem at Super Bowl 53
» It's official: Big Boi to join Maroon 5 at Super Bowl halftime
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