Singer Lionel Richie faced discomfort on stage during the debut of his national tour, held in Minnesota, last Wednesday, alongside the group Earth, Wind & Fire.
At 77 years old, the renowned artist, famous for the hit “Easy”, had to suspend his performance about an hour after it began. He left the stage after telling the audience that he felt dizzy, according to information released by the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Images circulated widely on social media showed Richie sitting while still performing, before the interruption.
A notable excerpt, also reported by the Minnesota Star Tribune, shows the artist himself instructing the audience: “When you feel dizzy, sit down.”
Recently, Lionel Richie released a memoir titled ‘Truly’, where he shares details about his fears, his musical trajectory and the process of finding his artistic identity.
Broadcaster ABC News reported that it sought contact with a representative of Richie, seeking clarification about his health condition.
Star Tribune music critic Jon Beam released a video on his social platforms in which Richie appears singing “Dancing on the Ceiling” while sitting on stage.
According to the Star Tribune, Richie requested a break approximately an hour into the performance. Then, saxophonist Dino Soldo informed the audience that the singer was not feeling well and that the show would be closed. Soldo added that more details would be released later.
Drummer John Paris, a member of Earth, Wind & Fire, commented to the Star Tribune that Richie was “a little dehydrated”. However, Paris stressed that he did not have precise information about his colleague’s general condition, which raises additional concerns, considering the artist’s age and the physical demands of a tour, especially on its opening night.