Lionel Richie has some candid advice for the next generation of stars as Chapel Lawn faces backlash over his fan drama. His message couldn’t be clearer. “If you don’t like people, you won’t get fame.”
The 76-year-old “Hello” hitmaker broke down the biggest mistakes artists make when chasing the spotlight during a chat with son-in-law Joel Madden on the VEEPS artist-friendly podcast.
“There’s one thing I haven’t calculated,” Ritchie said. “I hope you like people.”
“Because if you hate people, that’s what you’re going to sound like. You’re going to spend the first half of your career saying, ‘Look at me, look at me, look at me, look at me, look at me.’ And then you finally become famous. ‘Don’t look at me. Don’t look at me. Don’t look at me.’
Roan, 28, has come under fire following a series of fan-related controversies, including resurfacing comments calling some supporters “weird” and “creepy” and reports of an incident in Brazil in which a young fan allegedly confronted Roan with a bodyguard after finding him in a hotel.
For Richie, that switch is where Starr goes wrong.
“The universe gave you what you asked for,” he said. “Do you want to be famous and rich without people? That doesn’t work. You have to be able to relate to people.”
Madden, who is married to Richie’s daughter Nicole Richie, says he has seen that philosophy play out in real life for years.
“You seem to acknowledge people,” Madden said, recalling how Richie would greet fans in everyday situations, such as when the “Dancing on the Ceiling” singer was walking through a restaurant.
Instead of avoiding eye contact, Richie leans in closer. “Hey, how are you doing?” he would say, even if the fans didn’t have the courage to speak first.
It’s something even his own children wonder about. Why bother going?
For Richie, the answer is simple. “I used to be invisible,” he said. “They want to tell you something, and you can see it on their faces. They want to say something, and for me, ignoring them is the worst.”
Charlotte’s great singer Madden admitted she had to learn that mindset over time, recalling how she used to get annoyed by people staring at her until she realized they were just shy.
Now, he says, Ritchie’s reputation follows him everywhere. “Your father-in-law was here. He’s the best,” people tell him all the time at airports, hotels and venues.
But Ritchie warned that such word-of-mouth can be detrimental in both directions.
“There was no social media, there was no new technology, you know what travels fast? That guy was a big no-no,” he said.
“I always associate it with planting a seed. When you plant a seed, it blooms. Nothing grows. So if you plant a carrier, it comes back to haunt you.”
The timing of Richie’s comments comes at a time when Roan is feeling under intense scrutiny for his interactions with fans.
The “Pink Pony Club” singer has defended herself in the past, saying fame should not open the door to invasive behavior like being followed, yelled at or approached unexpectedly in public.
Most recently, soccer star Jorginho claimed he was upset after his 11-year-old stepdaughter Ada allegedly found Roan at a hotel in Brazil and had an encounter with his bodyguard.
Jude Law’s wife Katherine Harding, who has a child with him, said security reprimanded the couple just because the girl walked past the singer’s table.
Roane has said she was unaware of the incident and her team insists she has “zero tolerance” for such behavior. Bodyguard Pascal Duvier also denied any wrongdoing.
In a resurfaced video, Roan vented his frustration at the behavior of his fans, admitting that he struggled with the realities of fame, from strangers approaching him to take photos to yelling at him from passing cars.
“If you saw a random woman on the street, would you scream out your car window? Would you harass her in public?” she said in the video.
“Would you just walk up to a random woman and say, ‘Can I take a picture with you?'” She has her own time, so would you be upset if she told you no to your time? Would you stalk her family? Would you follow her around? ”
Still, the situation has fueled debate about how stars handle fame and whether attitude can make or break their careers.
“It takes five seconds to say, ‘Hey, thank you,’ or ‘How are you doing?'” he says. “that’s it.”
