Lionel Richie shares health update as he returns to stage two months after heart procedure

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: Lionel Richie returned to the stage for a residency performance at The Wynn in Las Vegas on November 11, nearly two months after he underwent a routine heart procedure. 

The 77-year-old addressed his recent health scare during the show and assured the crowd that he is on the mend. “I’m back,” Richie reportedly told the audience nearly three times, adding, “I don’t know where I was, but I’m back.”

Lionel Richie pays tribute to himself after onstage comeback 

To mark his onstage return, Richie decided to pay a tribute to himself, saying, “I want to make it a tribute tonight, to me. I better make a tribute to myself before somebody else has that show down the street, ‘Come see Lionel Richie down the street!’”

The singer then shared that his residency would continue for a week. “Wait a minute, no, this is gonna be a whole week of celebrating Lionel Richie,” he stated. 

However, Richie also made sure to hit a pause and refuel after a few energetic performances. “That was too much, that was beyond my electrolyte capabilities,” he said, before a crew member brought him a glass of red electrolytes.

“Now let me tell y’all something, for years I thought that water was important. And then, one day, I got dizzy and I said bring me some water, and the man said, ‘You don’t need water, you need electrolytes,’” Richie quipped. 

“All these years, drinking water. So now I drink electrolytes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and then the doctor told me you need to eat some food. And I said, ‘Well, the last food I ate, the chickens, was contaminated, then the lettuce became contaminated, so what the hell are you supposed to eat?’” the musician joked. 

Shortly after, the ‘Endless Love’ hitmaker said, “Now that I feel refreshed, I’m gonna play a song,” while walking towards his piano. 

Lionel Richie faced cardiac-related issues nearly two months ago

The ‘American Idol’ judge made a comeback nearly two months after he was hospitalized for heart-related issues. Ritchie was admitted to the ICU and underwent a routine cardiac procedure to treat Atrial Fibrillation. 

Richie’s hospitalization came shortly after he asked his team to bring him a chair while performing the final song of his August 29 show at The Muny in St. Louis. Before this, the ‘Truly’ singer also fell ill onstage during a performance in June.

In a September 22 update, Richie’s representative shared a statement about his health status. “The doctor said everything went perfectly. Lionel is doing great but will take some time off and will be back on stage soon,” the representative said at the time.

Now, nearly two months later, the singer himself confirmed, “I’m doing just fine.” He also thanked fans for their concern and support, saying, “Thank you all so much for caring about me.”