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

If Lionel Richie is on the island, there’s a party going on there.

Music legend and American Idol judge, 74, jetted to the Caribbean this month to headline “Lionel Richie and Friends Dance on the Sand,” a weekend experience for music fans that featured an intimate Q&A with the singer alongside pool parties and a series of star-studded concerts.

Organized by music experience company Vibee, the weekend kicked off with a fan welcome at the sprawling Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas estate in Nassau, where guests were first invited to a poolside reception featuring Lionel Richie hits and island tunes spun by a DJ.

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Once fans settled into their accommodations, they were invited to enjoy a meal at the resort’s celebrity chef restaurants, including Paranza, one of the newest restaurants from Michelin-star chef Mike White. The menu features innovative Italian cuisine and seafood specialties such as grilled swordfish with Sicilian caponata, zucchini and pepe uva salsa. Among the guests in town, actor and comedian Craig Robinson was spotted enjoying a meal at Paranza ahead of a performance at the weekend.

Paranza Restaurant in Atlantis Bahamas.

Vibe

Next on the itinerary, Richie sat down for a no-holds-barred interview in a movie theater full of his biggest fans, where he discussed his storied career, from his beginnings in Tuskegee as frontman for The Commodores to how he first achieved and then maintained success as solo artist. The Idol the judge even mocked fellow A-listers Katy Perry and Luke Bryan as they joked backstage, crediting them for keeping him on his toes.

Lionel Richie Dancing on the Sand Questions and Answers.

Vibe

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

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From the expansive aquarium and luxury shops at the resort to the many pools and water slides, there was no shortage of daily activities for attendees. But when night fell, it was all about the music. The first night featured Nile Rogers and CHIC, Vanessa Carlton and Jake Wesley Rogers, who are all friends of Richie’s. Fans danced the night away before some headed to the resort’s full-service casino to try their luck.

Guests in Lionel Richie and Friends Dancing on the Sand.

Vibe

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

Lionel Richie performs at Atlantis Bahamas.

Vibe

It was the same with the songs “Easy”, “Dancing on the Ceiling” and others, but the chorus reached its climax by performing his hit “All Night Long” at the end of a fun-filled night and weekend.

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Source: HIS Education