Inside Lionel Richie’s Star-Studded ‘Dancing on the Sand’ Weekend In the Bahamas – PEOPLE

Posted: December 19, 2023 at 1:31 am

If Lionel Richie's on an island, there's a party going on right there.

The music legend and American Idol judge, 74, took to the Caribbean this month to headline "Lionel Richie and Friends Dancing on the Sand", a weekend experience for music fans that featured an intimate Q&A with the singer along with poolside parties and a star-studded concert series.

Put on by music experiential company Vibee, the weekend kicked off welcoming fans to the sprawling Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas properties in Nassau, where guests were first invited to a poolside welcome reception with Lionel Richie's hits and island tunes in heavy rotation by the DJ.

As fans settled in to their accommodations, they were invited to enjoy a meal at the resort's celebrity chef restaurants, including Paranza, one of the newest by Michelin-starred chef Mike White. The menu features innovative Italian cuisine and seafood specialties like grilled sword fish with Sicilian caponata, zucchini and salsa pepe uva. Among the guests in town, actor and comedian Craig Robinson was spotted enjoying a meal at Paranza ahead of the weekend's performances.

Vibee

Next up on the itinerary, Richie sat for a no-holds-barred interview in a theater full of his biggest fans, where he discussed his legendary career, from his Tuskegee beginnings as frontman of The Commodores to how he first found then maintained success as a solo artist. The Idol judge even poked fun at his A-list colleagues Katy Perry and Luke Bryan's antics behind the scenes, crediting them with keeping him on his toes.

Vibee

Fans in the audience were delighted to hear details of Richie's recent experience walking youngest daughter Sofia down the aisle, and his life as a grandfather to daughter Nicole Richie's children Harlow, 15, and Sparrow, 14. The star drew his biggest laughs when he joked that the teens prefer their tablets and iPhones over chatting with their famous grandpa. That is, he said, until he brings someone like Bruno Mars into the room.

From the resort's expansive aquarium and luxury shops to numerous pools and waterslides, there was no shortage of daytime activities for attendees. But when night fell, it was all about the music. The first evening of performances featured Nile Rogers and CHIC, Vanessa Carlton and Jake Wesley Rogers, who are all friends of Richie. Fans danced into the night before some made their way to the resort's full-service casino to try their luck.

Vibee

The weekend ended with a night of performances by Megan Moroney, Sheryl Crow and finally the man of the hour, Lionel Richie, who, rocking a sparkling blue Members Only-style jacket, brought the crowd to their feet as he opened with his 1983 ballad, "Hello." The star wasn't singing long before the crowd joined in, nearly drowning him out with their own performance of the classic.

Vibee

It was the same for songs "Easy," "Dancing on the Ceiling" and more, but the chorus reached its peak belting out his hit "All Night Long" as he closed out the night, and a fun-filled weekend.

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Inside Lionel Richie's Star-Studded 'Dancing on the Sand' Weekend In the Bahamas - PEOPLE

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