International superstar Lionel Richie returns to AlUla for a special return appearance at Maraya

Maraya, set in the picturesque location of the Ashar Valley in AlUla, will once again host American superstar Lionel Richie on 18th March 2022. The event comes as part the AlUla Moments calendar to present world heritage, cultural, and artistic events, and to highlight AlUla as an incubator of human heritage for thousands of years.

International superstar Lionel Richie has a discography of albums and singles that are second to none. His music is part of the fabric of pop music. With more than 125 million albums sold worldwide, an Oscar, a Golden Globe, four Grammy Awards*, the distinction of MusicCares Person of the Year in 2016, and Kennedy Center Honoree in 2017. In March 2018, Richie put his handprints and footprints in cement at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX in Hollywood, one of the oldest awards in Hollywood.

Lionel Richie is known for his mega-hits such as “Endless Love,” “Lady,” “Truly,” “All Night Long,” “Penny Lover,” “Stuck on You,” “Hello,” “Say You, Say Me,” “Dancing on the Ceiling,” and co-wrote one of the most important pop songs in history, “We Are the World,” for USA for Africa. His song catalog also includes his early work with The Commodores, where he developed a groundbreaking style that defied genre categories, penning smashes such as “Three Times a Lady,” “Still,” and “Easy.” Richie has had 11 consecutive years where he wrote #1 songs*.

Richie was a judge on ABC’s American Idol for the past 4 seasons and is set to return to the ‘Judge’s’ chair for the show’s 20th season. He launched his Las Vegas headlining residency show, Lionel Richie—All the Hits in April 2016. In an unforgettable evening featuring his brightest and best anthems which have defined the music icon’s unparalleled career, Richie took his fans on a spectacular musical journey, performing a variety of his seminal hits. Richie recently extended his “Back to Las Vegas” residency at Wynn Las Vegas’ Encore Theater with a twelve-show engagement in 2022.

Richie last performed in AlUla in 2020 to a full audience in a sell-out show to an intimate crowd of appreciative fans. The international superstar praised the excellent acoustics in Maraya and expressed his admiration for its architectural design.

At returning to AlUla Lionel Richie expressed his excitement saying “Last time I was there it was such a magical experience; I can’t wait to return and play for a new audience in Saudi Arabia”.

Lionel Richie is one of a curated selection of international artists to play Maraya this year following hot on the heels of international stars Alicia Keys and Andrea Bocelli. AlUla Moments also includes comedy, art exhibitions, interactive poetry performances, sound and light shows and interactive dining experiences.