The music world is in a state of concern after Lionel Richie fell ill during a performance in St. Paul, Minnesota, and was forced to bring the first concert of his new tour to a halt.
The 77-year-old singer, known for his iconic hits, was performing at the Grand Casino Arena as part of his Sing A Song All Night Long tour, which is scheduled to visit 26 cities through August 14.
According to eyewitnesses, Richie showed signs of distress throughout the second half of the concert, including swaying uncontrollably and telling the crowd that he was feeling dizzy.
Richie's team has yet to comment on his impromptu departure from the stage, but fans who attended the show have taken to social media to share their concerns for the singer's health.
One fan, who attended the concert, wrote on social media, "Hey now, our older, legendary performers are getting older, unfortunately. Sounds like he was just dehydrated, and the rider contract should always include 200 bottles of water."
Another fan, who had seen Richie perform the previous year with Earth, Wind and Fire, expressed her hope that the singer would be okay, saying, "I saw him last year when he was touring with Earth Wind and Fire. Both did amazing concerts. Hopefully he's going to be okay."
Footage of Richie's performance has surfaced, showing him stopping to sit down multiple times during his second-to-last song, Dancing On The Ceiling, and telling the crowd that he felt "dizzy" on stage.
The singer was able to sit at the piano bench for what turned out to be his last song, Three Times A Lady, but it was clear that he was struggling to stay upright.
Despite the concerns for Richie's health, his team has not announced any cancellation of future tour dates, and fans will continue to hold out hope that the singer will recover and resume his tour.
The first half of the concert featured a performance from Earth, Wind & Fire, with Richie taking to the stage for the second half of the evening.
