“Lionel Richie and Lisa Parigi Just Dropped the Baby Bombshell Nobody Saw Coming — And It’s Not Just the Gender Reveal That’s Melting Hearts Around the World!”

Los Angeles, October 14, 2025 – In a revelation that’s sending ripples of joy through the music world, Lionel Richie, the timeless crooner whose voice has serenaded generations with hits like “Hello” and “Endless Love,” announced he’s expecting his fourth child—a baby girl—with longtime girlfriend Lisa Parigi. At 75, the American Idol judge dropped the bombshell during a surprise appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show reboot, beaming as pink confetti rained down and a sonogram photo flashed on screen. “Looks like I’ll be singing lullabies again,” Richie quipped, his signature grin lighting up the studio. “Lisa and I are over the moon—this little one’s already got rhythm.” The couple, who’ve kept their 11-year romance remarkably private, shared the news with a touching Instagram reel: Richie strumming a gentle acoustic version of “Truly” while Parigi cradled her bump, captioned, “New melody incoming. #BabyRichie #HelloWorld.” Within minutes, the post racked up 5.2 million likes, flooding social media with heart emojis, teary memes, and cries of “Grandpa Lionel? Iconic!”

The announcement, timed just before Richie’s 2026 memoir Truly: My Life in Song and Spirit drops, feels like poetic serendipity for a man whose lyrics have long celebrated enduring love. Richie, father to Nicole (37, adopted from Lionel and Brenda Harvey’s early marriage), Miles (30), and Sofia (26) from his union with Diane Alexander, joked in the interview, “I’ve got the experience—diapers, tantrums, and all. But this? At my age? It’s God’s remix of my greatest hit.” Fans, stunned by the news at this stage in his life, erupted online: #LionelBabyGirl trended globally with 7.8 million posts on X, one viral thread from @RichieForever reading, “From ‘We Are the World’ to welcoming one? Lionel’s proving love has no expiration date. 💖” Celebrities piled on: Mariah Carey commented, “Auntie Mariah reporting for duty—lullabies on me!” while Oprah Winfrey posted, “Proof it’s never too late for a new chapter. Congrats, Lionel & Lisa!”

Though their relationship isn’t decades long like Richie’s past marriages, it’s brimming with warmth and quiet joy that friends say has rejuvenated the legend. Lisa Parigi, 36, a Swiss-born model, entrepreneur, and CEO of The Estate Collection—a luxury lifestyle brand peddling artisanal candles and skincare via her Glow Up Beauty line—entered Richie’s orbit in 2014 at a Los Angeles dinner party orchestrated by mutual friends. Then living in Switzerland, the multilingual beauty (fluent in English, French, German, and Italian, with Swiss-Chinese-Caribbean roots) was visiting L.A. when sparks flew. “She walked in, and it was like a song started playing,” Richie recalled in a 2019 People interview. “She’s extremely beautiful, but most importantly she’s smart and helps me deal with my crazy world.” Parigi, with her 38K Instagram followers showcasing NFT art and crypto ventures, has been a steady anchor, joining him at red-carpet galas like the 2024 Grammys and the 2023 Breakthrough Prize, where she turned heads in a sleek black gown.

Their bond extends beyond romance—Parigi shares a sisterly rapport with Richie’s kids, especially Sofia, who’s called her “the glue that keeps Dad smiling.” The couple’s low-key vibe contrasts Richie’s high-profile past: his 1975-1993 marriage to college sweetheart Brenda Harvey, marked by adopting Nicole amid turbulent times, and his 1995-2004 union with dancer Diane Alexander, which gifted him Miles and Sofia but ended amid the pressures of fame. Richie, a self-proclaimed “hopeless romantic,” has long credited love’s twists for his songwriting gold. “At this time in my life when you can be so jaded, Lisa makes everything feel a bit safe,” he told People in 2019, echoing trips like their 2023 Amsterdam birthday canal cruise, where she posted, “You bring so much love & light… pure bliss!”

Friends close to the pair whisper this pregnancy, revealed at 20 weeks via a lavish gender reveal with pink fireworks over their Beverly Hills estate, was a joyful surprise. “Lionel’s never looked happier—fatherhood round four? He’s all in,” a source told Us Weekly. Parigi, glowing in recent pap shots, has paused her CEO duties to focus on wellness, blending prenatal yoga with Richie’s home-cooked Italian feasts. The baby girl, due in spring 2026, joins a blended family Richie dotes on: Nicole’s Hollywood hustle, Miles’ music production, and Sofia’s modeling empire with Scott Disick. “This child’s got the best village,” Richie beamed, hinting at lullaby sessions with Uncle Miles on keys.

For a man who’s penned the soundtrack to romance—”Easy,” “Still,” “Lady”—this feels like the sweetest encore. Proof that at 75, with a voice still velvet-smooth after 90 million records sold, it’s never too late to start a brand-new melody. As fans remix his classics with baby filters, Richie’s words ring true: Love, in every form, is endless. Congrats to the soon-to-be parents—the world’s already humming their tune.