Lionel Richie is taking a break after dealing with medical issues for the past few months.
Lionel Richie performs on stage at The Muny in St. Louis on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (Photo By David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via Getty Images)
Richie was hospitalized this week for heart issues, the third time since June, causing the cancelation of the ongoing Sing a Song All Night Long Tour with Earth, Wind & Fire to cancel their next three performances.
“Lionel underwent a common procedure for atrial fibrillation (AFib),” a rep for Richie told PEOPLE in a statement. “The doctor said everything went perfectly.”
They added, “Lionel is doing great but will take some time off and will be back on stage soon.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, Atrial fibrillation is “an irregular heart rhythm that begins in your heart’s upper chambers.” The treatment is called an ablation, a minimally invasive procedure that “creates scars to stop the electrical impulses that cause irregular heart rhythms.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 29: Lionel Richie attends The King’s Trust 5th Annual Gala at Christie’s on April 29, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
This past weekend, PEOPLE reports that Richie attended a dinner party at Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills with his girlfriend, Lisa Parigi.
In August, Richie checked into the intensive care unit at a hospital in St. Louis after a performance, where he noticeably struggled to finish his set and asked for a chair while performing his finale song, “All Night Long,” according to witnesses at the concert.
In June, Richie was hospitalized after suffering a medical emergency on stage in St. Paul, Minn.
When he returned to the stage in Pittsburgh a few days later, Richie joked with fans, “I had you worried there for a minute, huh?”
Lionel Richie postpones Columbus show after falling ill onstage in Minneapolis (Photo by Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Acrisure Amphitheater)
He continued, “You have no idea what I have been through in the last 24 hours, listening to my friends tell me their advice on what I should be doing.”
In July, Richie thanked fans for their support on social media, writing, “Thank you for every message, every kind word, and for all your love. I’m doing well, and I’m grateful for all of you.”
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