BEVERLEY HILLS, CALIFORNIA: Lionel Richie, the iconic 73-year-old music veteran and recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, was seen leaving Funke Restaurant in Beverly Hills alongside his girlfriend, Lisa Parigi, following the 'American Idol' season finale after-party. Despite their significant 40-year age gap, the couple are deeply smitten with each other.
Richie looked youthful and stylish in a black suit, complemented by black boots and adorned with gold accessories. Lisa, on the other hand, exuded elegance with her curled dark tresses and a sleeveless white dress paired with strappy heels, as per Daily Mail. The couple first crossed paths nearly a decade ago when they were introduced at a dinner party by mutual friends, and they have been inseparable ever since.
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Who is Lisa Parigi?
Lisa hails from Switzerland and grew up in a multicultural background, with Caribbean, Swiss, and Chinese roots. Fluent in four languages, she embodies a diverse cultural heritage. Apart from her role as Richie's partner, Lisa has made significant strides in the business world. She launched her own lifestyle brand called The Estate Collection, specializing in the sale of candles and fragrance oils. Additionally, Lisa ventured into the skincare industry with her brand, Glow Up Beauty.
Although the couple maintains a private stance on their relationship, Richie has shared his admiration for Lisa in an interview from 2019. "She's extremely beautiful, but most importantly, she's smart and helps me deal with my crazy world," he told People. Richie added, "At this time in my life when you can be so jaded about things, [my girlfriend] Lisa kind of makes everything feel a bit safe."
While Lionel Richie and Lisa Parigi do not have children together, Richie has three children from previous relationships. He adopted his eldest daughter, Nicole Richie, now 41 years old, during his 18-year marriage to his first wife and high school sweetheart, Brenda Harvey. Their marriage lasted from 1975 to 1993. Richie also has two children, son Miles (28) and daughter Sofia (24), with his second wife, Diane Alexander, whom he was married to from 1995 to 2003.
Lionel Richie's succesful musical journey
Richie's successful music career began with the release of his self-titled debut solo album in 1982, while he was still a member of the funk band Commodores. The album featured chart-topping hits such as 'Truly,' 'You Are' and 'My Love' propelling it to sell over four million copies. Following his departure from the Commodores, Richie achieved global superstardom with his second solo album, 'Can't Slow Down' (1983).
The album produced five hit singles, including the number-one hits 'All Night Long (All Night)' and 'Hello.' It went on to sell over 20 million copies and topped the US Billboard chart. Richie's subsequent album, 'Dancing on the Ceiling,' also reached number one, solidifying his position as one of the most successful singer-songwriters of his era. With a discography spanning 10 studio albums, the most recent being 'Tuskegee' in 2012, Richie has sold over 100 million records worldwide, firmly establishing himself as one of the best-selling musical artists of all time.