At 73, Lionel Richie Admits He Feels ‘Safe’ With Girlfriend 40 Years His Junior

May 12, 2023

Lionel Richie is a well-known and respected performer in the music industry. He has been in the business for several decades, first rising to fame during the 1970s as the co-lead singer and songwriter of the Commodores. One of their biggest hits was “Three Times a Lady.” Since then, Lionel has continued to please fans and critics with his work as a singer, songwriter, musician and producer.

Lionel was born on June 20, 1949. After finding success in the Commodores, he eventually branched out into a solo career, with this venture starting in the 1980s. From that point on, he continued to write music for other artists as well as release music of his own. Some of his best-known songs include “All Night Long (All Night)” and “Hello,” both of which are from 1983. The 1985 single “Say You, Say Me” also topped the charts. 

Lionel and his ex-wife Brenda Harvey are also the adoptive parents of Nicole Richie. Her biological parents also worked in the entertainment industry, which is how Lionel came to know the family. However, it was clear that Nicole's parents needed help, and she needed somewhere that she could really call home, which resulted in Lionel adopting her when she was just a little girl. “Nicole was actually a godsend,” Lionel had said.

Lionel and Harvey divorced in 1993 after 18 years of marriage. Afterward, he married Diane Alexander in 1995. The pair had previously welcomed their son, Miles Brockman, in May 1994 and went on to welcome their daughter, Sofia Richie, in August 1998. Lionel and Alexander divorced in 2004.

Nowadays, Lionel is a judge on the singing competition series “American Idol.” He has also found love with his girlfriend, 40 years his junior, Lisa Parigi.

Back in 2019, Lionel spoke with PEOPLE about the trials and tribulations he’s faced in his personal life, specifically regarding his love life. However, the singer also talked about how he had found love once again thanks to his girlfriend, Parigi.

“I’m a man who’s been through the ups and the downs, the ins and the outs of love,” Lionel explained. He added:

“Love is not an exact science, it’s something you have to go through. People don’t walk in love, people fall, which means you’re out of control, there’s no logic. How you survive is your story.”

However, Lionel revealed that he was still a “hopeless romantic,” and was happy to have found love with his model and entrepreneur girlfriend. Parigi is of Swiss, Chinese and Caribbean descent and can speak four languages fluently.

“She’s extremely beautiful, but most importantly she’s smart and helps me deal with my crazy world,” Lionel gushed. He also revealed, “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.”

According to Harper’s Bazaar, Parigi started several companies, including the lifestyle brand The Estate Collection and the skincare line Glow Up Beauty. After starting out in the corporate world, Parigi moved on to become a well-renowned model and social media influencer. She is also now an investor.

Parigi talked about how the way she met Lionel was “completely unplanned.” She had taken time off work to travel to Los Angeles and was later spontaneously invited to a dinner party.

Parigi explained:

“So here I am at this dinner, he was at the same dinner, we get introduced to each other, and it was, what can I tell you, it was very organic and very random, but we had great conversations, we spoke all night long about everything, and yet it was, you know, the universe, I don’t know, here we are. And it’s been beautiful so far, and what can I say.”

While Lionel and Parigi have clearly expressed their love for each other, they may not be walking down the aisle together any time soon. With two failed marriages under his belt, Lionel explained:

“I don’t think I’ll get married again. I’m a little spooked on that. You try marriage once and you try it twice and think, ‘do I want to roll the dice again?’ I’m not convinced.”

Still, Lionel and Parigi have not stopped showing off their adorable relationship together. In February 2021, Lionel and Parigi celebrated their love on Valentine's Day, and Lionel was sure to share their joy with his Instagram followers. He posted a video of himself holding what looked like a giant snow globe that was composed of a clear balloon filled with red balloons shaped like hearts on top of a bed of roses. 

The clear balloon read, “Happy Valentine’s Day Lisa and Lionel,” and it was from Lionel’s fan club. The singer captioned the post:

“Wow! I can feel the love from all around the world 🌏💞🌎! Thank you @lionelsfanclub from the bottom of my heart. And from @lisaparigi_ and I: Happy Valentine’s Day ❤️❤️❤️!”

Despite the fact that Lionel is 73 and his girlfriend is 33, their love seems as strong as ever.

What do you think about Lionel Richie dating someone 40 years younger? Do you think he and Lisa Parigi have a sweet relationship? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family and friends.