Heavy/Getty Nicole Richie, Lionel Richie, and Sofia Richie in 2018
Many celebrity guests attended the final concert of music legend and “American Idol” judge Lionel Richie’s 2023 tour, but two extra-special front row fans caught his eye from the stage. His famous daughters Nicole Richie, 41, and newly-married Sofia Richie Grainge, 25, couldn’t help but fangirl over their dad as he sang to a packed stadium — and the sweet moment was caught on video.
On September 15, 2023, during the final concert of Richie’s and Earth, Wind & Fire’s 20-city “Sing A Song All Night Long” tour at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, Sofia and Nicole were filmed smiling, waving their arms and screaming their dad’s name until he noticed and pointed to them from the stage.
Richie posted the video to Instagram and wrote, “Take your Kids to Work Day turned out well… 😂”
L.A. Concert Turns Into Richie Family Lovefest
As the sisters and their legendary dad shared videos of the sweet moment, they carried on their lovefest for each other online.
Sofia, who was photographed over the weekend wearing a vintage Lionel Richie t-shirt, shared footage on her Instagram Stories, according to Today, and wrote, “I think we’re his biggest fans, @nicolerichie.”
When their dad saw that, he reposted it and wrote, “I’m your biggest fan!”
Nicole also shared footage of their fangirling moment and wrote, “The ladies were loving lionel so we decided to join in.”
The Richie sisters shared several more pics throughout the evening, Today reported, including a photo of their dad at the grand piano on stage. Over that image, Sofia wrote, “I love you @lionelrichie.”
Again, he re-shared her post and added the words, “I love you more.”
Richie has three grown kids; he and his first wife Brenda Harvey adopted Nicole when she was nine, according to People, and he had Sofia and son Miles, 29, with his second wife, Diane Alexander.
The Grammy winner’s daughters have both become famous in their own right. Nicole, who is married to “Good Charlotte” lead singer Joel Madden, catapulted to fame when she co-starred with Paris Hilton in the reality TV show “The Simple Life” from 2003 to 2007, per People. She has since become a fashion and home designer with her brand House of Harlow, and she serves as a judge on AppleTV+’s “Making the Cut.”
Meanwhile, Sofia is a model and social media influencer, with nearly 11 million Instagram followers, who got married in July to music executive Elliott Grainge, according to Vogue. Her fangirling moment at her dad’s concert certainly wasn’t the first time she’d seen him perform. In 2013, TMZ published video of Richie introducing a then 14-year-old Sofia for their first-ever public duet, sweetly singing his hit song “Hello” together.
Lionel Richie Welcomed Lots of Celebrity Guests Backstage During His Tour
Richie’s daughters weren’t the only celebrities in attendance at his last concert of the 2023 tour. On September 17, he shared some backstage photos from the night with baseball great Dave Winfield, late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and basketball legend Magic Johnson.
Johnson posted a photo with his wife, Cookie, at the concert and uploaded video of them dancing in his Instagram Stories, which Richie re-shared.
In his post, the NBA legend wrote, “Cookie and I got to see two of our favorite entertainers of all-time last night at my old stomping grounds, the Forum! My favorite group, Earth Wind and Fire, opened up the show and didn’t miss a beat. They were amazing. Then we watched our great friend, the legendary, superstar entertainer, and one of the most prolific songwriters of all-time Lionel Richie! He put on an incredible show. What an awesome date night!”
Stevie Wonder was also seen in the crowd that night, per the Daily Mail, and the Forum posted a photo of Magic Johnson with original “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul, who was a Laker Girl back when Johnson played on the Lakers. Richie also posted a backstage photo in his Stories of he and his longtime love, Lisa Parigi, with talent agent Richard Weitz and rapper L.L. Cool J.
In other cities on his tour, he’s shared photos of backstage guests including “Shark Tank” entrepreneur Daymond John, radio host Tom Joyner, and even “American Idol” season 21 alum Wé Ani.
Following a solo tour across Europe this summer, Richie teamed up with Earth, Wind & Fire for a long-awaited 20-city tour together. Heavy reported on the tour kick-off in St. Paul, Minnesota, on August 4.
Excited to finally be on the road together after struggling to coordinate schedules, Richie joked, “Finally, after 200 years of trying to put this show together, we’ve got Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire! I mean, you all have no idea what we’ve been through. Every time we think we’re gonna do a show, pandemic. Then we said, ‘Alright, we’ll do it again.’ Somebody got sick, we can’t do it. Somebody broke their leg, we can’t do it. Well tonight, we can do it!”
Richie will soon reunite with his fellow judges Luke Bryan and Katy Perry for the first in-person auditions by contestants hoping to appear on season 22 of “American Idol,” which will premiere on ABC in early 2024.