- Lionel Richie cut short the opening night of his 26-city North American tour in St. Paul, Minnesota, when he got ill mid-performance.
- The music icon, who is co-headlining the tour with Earth, Wind & Fire, appeared to struggle while performing his hit song Dancing on the Ceiling.
- Videos shared online showed Richie sitting down multiple times onstage after telling the audience he was feeling dizz
Lionel Richie cut short the opening night of his 26-city North American tour in St. Paul, Minnesota, when he got ill mid-performance. The 77-year-old music icon, who is co-headlining the tour with Earth, Wind & Fire, sparked concern about his health and well-being after he appeared to struggle while performing his hit song Dancing on the Ceiling.
Videos shared online showed Richie sitting down multiple times onstage after telling the audience he was feeling dizzy.
“When you're feeling dizzy, sit your ass down,” Richie joked, drawing laughter from the crowd despite the concerning moment.
Show Canceled After Intermission
Although Richie initially pushed through the performance, he later took what fans believed would be a brief intermission. During his absence, his band continued entertaining the audience for about 15 minutes.
However, Richie never returned to the stage.
Less than an hour later, saxophonist Dino Soldo informed concertgoers that the remainder of the show had been canceled because the singer was unwell.
“Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well. He won't be able to continue with the show, and additional information will be available. Thank you for your patience and your understanding,” Soldo told the audience.
Is Lionel Richie Fine?
Lionel was transported to a local hospital following the incident, according to Page Six. On Wednesday, the Saint Paul Fire Department PIO Jamie Smith told the outlet that they “did transport an adult male from the arena last night to a local hospital.” But they did not use the singer's name.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, a source claimed, “Family, friends, and even his bandmates are definitely concerned about Lionel's health, but nobody is about to tell him to slow down. They all want him better and to do what he loves to do.”
“The Lionel we see on tour and on American Idol is the same Lionel we have known for decades – he's always moving, always working, and always looking ahead to the next show,' the source continued. ‘And with that, depending on what doctors tell him, his mindset is already focused on getting back out on the road as quickly as possible because that's simply who he is.”
The Grammy-winning singer is currently scheduled to resume his tour on Friday with a performance at Chicago's United Center, though it remains unclear whether the concert will proceed as planned.