The moment of greatest concern for those in attendance came when the artist, while performing his iconic hit “Dancing on the Ceiling,” chose to sit on a platform on the stage.

Richie confessed to his audience that he felt "dizzy" and used his trademark sense of humor to ease the tension: "What I've learned in my years in this business is that when you feel dizzy, sit down. And when you feel weird about yourself, sit down!"

The singer joked that it was the first time in history that he performed “Dancing on the Ceiling” sitting down, calling the situation a “bad sign.”

Transfer to hospital

Following that performance, Richie managed to perform one more song, “Three Times a Lady,” while playing the piano and still seated, before announcing an unscheduled intermission and leaving the stage. The band remained on stage for about 15 minutes, while the audience waited almost 40 minutes for news about the continuation of the show.

Finally, it was the saxophonist Dino Soldo who came out to break the news to the attendees: "Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well. He will not be able to continue with the show. There will be more information soon. Thank you for your patience and understanding."

The “Sing a Song All Night Long” tour, which has 26 dates across North America and the next performance was scheduled for Friday in Chicago, is now up in the air while awaiting official news about the artist's health.