Lionel Richie, 77, Returns to Vegas Stage Following Successful Atrial Fibrillation Procedure as He Jokes ‘I’m Back!’
Lionel Richie, 77, Returns to Vegas Stage Following Successful Atrial Fibrillation Procedure as He Jokes ‘I’m Back!’
Ilana KaplanThu, November 12, 2026 at 4:49 PM UTC
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Lionel Richie in November 2026 in Las VegasCredit: John Pascarella/Instagram; John Redmann/ Instagram -
Lionel Richie returned to the state for the first time since his successful atrial fibrillation procedure
The “Hello” singer returned to the stage at The Wynn in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Nov. 11
A rep for Richie confirmed to PEOPLE in September that he underwent the procedure
Lionel Richie was in great spirits after he returned to the stage two months after undergoing a heart procedure.
On Wednesday, Nov. 11, the four-time Grammy winner returned to the stage at The Wynn Las Vegas for his Lionel Richie–King of Hearts residency, where he excitedly told the crowd, “I’m back!”
“I don’t know where I was,” Richie, 77, quipped, per an Instagram Reel captured by John Pascarella, “but I’m back!”
He added, “I’m doing just fine. Thank you all so much for caring about me.”
Richie then said he wanted to “make a tribute” to himself for the night before someone else “down the street” does it.
“This is gonna be a whole week of celebrating Lionel Richie,” he said.
In September, a rep confirmed to PEOPLE that the “Hello” singer would be taking some time off after recently undergoing a procedure for atrial fibrillation (AFib).
Richie had been hospitalized for heart issues in the midst of an ongoing Sing a Song All Night Long Tour with Earth, Wind & Fire, prompting the acts to cancel their next three performances.
A rep for Richie told PEOPLE in a statement at the time that “the doctor said everything went perfectly.”
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“Lionel is doing great but will take some time off and will be back on stage soon,” the rep added.
Per Cleveland Clinic, atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm that begins in your heart’s upper chambers.” The treatment, called an ablation, is a minimally invasive procedure that “creates scars to stop the electrical impulses that cause irregular heart rhythms” and helps lower the risk of stroke.
At the time, TMZ was first to report the news.
Lionel Richie in July 2026 in DetroitCredit: Scott Legato/Getty
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On Aug. 29, PEOPLE reported that Richie checked himself into a hospital out of caution following a show in St. Louis.
TMZ reported that the American Idol judge was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), where he underwent cardiac tests.
Back in June, one of Richie’s performances was cut short after he told the crowd he felt dizzy, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported at the time. Later, he postponed two concerts to “rest and return to full health.”
However, he returned to the stage that month, joking about the crowd feeling “worried” for him at the time, per TribLive.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
