Lionel Richie reveals being selected for Coronation Concert was honor

2023-04-17

Lionel Richie reveals being selected as performer at upcoming King Charles Coronation Concert was ‘surprise’ and ‘honor’

Richie noted that he has known Charles, 74, ‘for a long time’ and added: ‘I really do celebrate his now stepping into the king role’
Some 20,000 members of the public will attend the Coronation Concert, which will be aired on BBC1 and Radio 2 along with catch-up services
Katy Perry , Andrea Bocelli and Take That also will perform during the Coronation Concert

Lionel Richie shared that it was a ‘surprise’ and an ‘honor’ to be named as a performer at the upcoming coronation of King Charles.

The 73-year-old legendary singer while attending the Breakthrough Awards on Saturday at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles told People about performing at the coronation along with Katy Perry, Andrea Bocelli and Take That.

‘I mean, you don’t get in the business and say, ‘You know what? I’ll be at the King’s coronation.’ You know, that just never comes up,’ Richie said. ‘[It’s] A, a surprise. B, what an honor. And C, the fact of all the names that are out there that he could have had for this, he called my name.’

Richie noted that he has known Charles, 74, ‘for a long time’ and added: ‘I really do celebrate his now stepping into the king role.’

The All Night Long singer said he was looking forward to the full pageantry of the upcoming coronation.

Coronation concert: Lionel Richie, shown on Saturday in Los Angeles, shared that it was a ‘surprise’ and an ‘honor’ to be named as a performer at the upcoming coronation of King Charles

‘I want to see the pomp and circumstance because I don’t care what you thought Michael Jackson did. I don’t care what you thought Prince did. I don’t care what you thought Madonna did. Nothing’s going to be like this. This is the grandiose of grandiose right here,’ Richie said.

Other performers scheduled to perform during the Coronation Concert on May 7 include Sir Bryn Terfel, Freya Ridings and Alexis Ffrench.

Some 20,000 members of the public will attend the Coronation Concert, which will be aired on BBC1 and Radio 2 along with catch-up services.

According to the BBC, the concert will ‘celebrate a new chapter in the nation’s history’ and will have ‘themes of love, respect and optimism’ while celebrating the ‘four nations’ and the Commonwealth.

Richie became The Prince’s Trust’s first global ambassador in 2019.

The concert will be backed by a 70-piece orchestra and a ‘house band’ made up of the Massed Bands of the Household Division and the Countess of Wessex’s string orchestra.

There will also be the support of The Coronation Choir – a diverse group of performers including sea shanty singers, cab drivers, farmers and reggae choirs.

Landmarks and locations around the UK will also be lit up with lasers, drone displays and illuminations, the BBC said last week while announcing the celebration line-up.

Upcoming coronation: King Charles III, shown on Friday in Camberley, England, will be coronated on May 6 at Westminster Abbey

Longtime associates: Lionel and Charles, shown in March 2019 in Bridgetown, Barbados, have known each other for a long time

Charlotte Moore, BBC chief content officer, said: ‘We have a world-class line-up of performers to look forward to for what promises to be a very special night of celebration and entertainment.’

The coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as king and queen of the United Kingdom will take place on May 6 at Westminster Abbey.

Charles acceded to the throne last September upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II.

It will be the 40th coronation to be held at Westminster Abbey since 1066 and the first coronation of a British monarch in the 21st century.

Grandiose affair: ‘I want to see the pomp and circumstance because I don’t care what you thought Michael Jackson did. I don’t care what you thought Prince did. I don’t care what you thought Madonna did. Nothing’s going to be like this. This is the grandiose of grandiose right here,’ said Richie, shown in April 2022 at The Prince’s Trust Gala in New York City

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