What happened to Lionel Richie? Music icon hospitalised for the second time in a month, cancels three shows
Lionel Richie has been hospitalised for atrial fibrillation, leading to the cancellation of his upcoming shows with Earth, Wind & Fire.
Lionel Richie has returned to the hospital following an additional cardiac complication, necessitating the cancellation of his forthcoming three performances alongside Earth, Wind & Fire, according to information obtained by TMZ.

What happened to Lionel Richie?
Sources with direct knowledge of the situation have informed TMZ that Lionel is presently undergoing hospitalisation and receiving medical intervention for atrial fibrillation, a condition characterised by an irregular heartbeat.
According to TMZ, Lionel's medical team is administering an AFib ablation procedure, which is classified as a non-major surgical intervention. This minimally invasive therapeutic approach involves the creation of microscopic scar tissue within the cardiac muscle to interrupt aberrant electrical impulses and facilitate the restoration of normal cardiac rhythm.
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Lionel Richie's 3 performances cancelled
In light of the recent health incident, the subsequent three performances on Lionel and Earth, Wind & Fire's Sing a Song All Night Long tour have been postponed.
The performances were originally scheduled for Saturday in San Francisco, September 30 in Chicago, and October 2 in Columbus, Ohio.
This represents Lionel's third hospital admission within a three-month period.
Lionel Richie health update: What we know about his hospitalisation history
He admitted himself to a St. Louis medical facility following an August performance and remained in the intensive care unit for several days while undergoing diagnostic evaluations for cardiac concerns, TMZ reported.
Lionel was discharged and returned home following the three-day hospitalisation.
He was also rushed to a medical facility in June following the onset of dizziness and unusual sensations experienced during a concert performance in St. Paul, necessitating an early termination of the show before emergency medical personnel conveyed him via ambulance to the hospital.
ABOUT THE AUTHORShweta KukretiShweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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