Lionel Richie | Nicole

Lionel Richie is a world-famous balladeer, initially garnering fame with the funk band The Commodores back in the ’70s and would achieve a degree of widespread recognition in the music industry as a balladeer with his solo career. Some of his hit songs include Hello, Sail On, and Three Times a Lady. Throughout his commercially successful career, Lionel has sold over 100 million records across the world and has won several Grammy Awards.

During the early-’80s, Lionel and his ex-wife Brenda welcomed Nicole into their family. She was only three years old at that time, and Lionel took on the role of becoming her legal guardian from her struggling biological family. He knew Nicole’s biological parents and was privy to their domestic issues. He did not have the heart to leave the child in that dire limbo, so he welcomed her into his household, Lionel shared in an interview he did with Piers Morgan. He then legally adopted Nicole when she was nine and even dedicated his 1986 song Ballerina Girl to her.