Highlights
- Lionel Richie left the stage midway through his St Paul concert after feeling unwell.
- The singer told fans he was dizzy before taking an unscheduled break.
- A band member later confirmed Richie would not return to complete the show.
- The performance marked the opening night of his co-headlining tour with Earth, Wind & Fire.
Lionel Richie’s highly anticipated return to the stage hit an unexpected setback on Wednesday night when the music icon was forced to end his concert early after falling ill during a performance in St Paul, Minnesota.
The singer was around an hour into his set at the Grand Casino Arena when he paused the show following a rendition of “Three Times a Lady”, telling the audience to wait while he briefly stepped away. Fans initially expected him to return, but the interruption soon turned into a much longer delay.
Richie tells crowd he is feeling dizzy
Moments before leaving the stage, Richie had shown visible signs of discomfort during “Dancing on the Ceiling”, one of the final songs he performed that evening. According to audience members, he sat down more than once and told concertgoers he was experiencing dizziness.
One attendee recalled Richie saying that after decades in the music industry, he had learned the importance of sitting down whenever he did not feel right.
Concert called off after extended delay
Following Richie’s departure, members of his band also left the stage. More than 30 minutes later, with fans still waiting, a band member returned to deliver disappointing news: Richie would not be coming back because he was feeling unwell.
The announcement brought the evening to an abrupt end, leaving many in the audience concerned about the singer’s condition.
Opening night of major summer tour
The St Paul show was the first date of Richie’s Sing A Song All Night Long tour, which he is co-headlining with Earth, Wind & Fire. The legendary group had opened the concert earlier in the evening before Richie took to the stage.
The tour is scheduled to travel across 26 cities and run through to 14 August. There has been no immediate indication of whether the remaining dates will be affected.
The singer jokingly texted Clairo saying, "Let's f**k her up," sparking an online frenzy
Why Charli XCX jokingly declared war on Peppa Pig after one viral comment
Highlights
What started as a playful celebrity game has turned into one of the internet's most unexpected viral moments, with Charli XCX jokingly threatening to "f**k up" Peppa Pig after the beloved cartoon character appeared to dismiss singer Clairo.
The exchange quickly spread across social media, drawing reactions from fans and fellow musicians, while turning an unlikely clash between a pop star and a fictional children's character into a trending talking point.
Peppa Pig's viral remark sparked the joke
The playful exchange began during Peppa Pig's appearance in Pitchfork's Over/Under game, where the animated character rated a selection of music artists.
While expressing admiration for acts including PinkPantheress and The Beatles, Peppa responded to Clairo by saying, "I don't know her," a line widely recognised as a reference to Mariah Carey's famous response when asked about Jennifer Lopez.
The remark, accompanied by a knowing glance at the camera, quickly gained traction online.
Charli XCX rushed to Clairo's defence
After seeing the clip, Charli XCX privately messaged Clairo, writing, "Let's f**k her up," alongside a screenshot of the viral post.
Clairo later shared the exchange on social media, prompting thousands of reactions from fans, many of whom responded with pig and bacon-themed jokes.
PinkPantheress, whom Peppa had praised in the original video, also joined the conversation, posting a message supporting Clairo.
As the exchange continued, Clairo responded to the growing attention with humour, replying to posts before eventually telling followers, "ok that's enoughhhhh lolllllllllll."
Some fans joked that the viral moment was the perfect opportunity for the singer to announce new music, though Clairo replied that she did not have anything ready to share.
Her most recent album, Charm, was released in 2024, with its accompanying tour concluding in 2025.
Charli XCX keeps her focus on new music
While the online joke continued to gather momentum, Charli XCX did not publicly add to the exchange.
Instead, the singer has been focusing on promoting her upcoming album, Music, Fashion, Film, which is scheduled for release on July 24.
Although fans speculated that one of the track titles could be a playful nod to the viral exchange, there has been no indication that the album references the light-hearted social media moment.