One adopted as a toddler, one a mom of two — Lionel Richie's daughters, his son and their mothers
Lionel Richie’s daughters are Nicole Richie and Sofia Richie Grainge, who have both built significant careers in entertainment and fashion. He has one son named Miles Brockman Richie. Nicole was adopted as a toddler during his marriage to Brenda Harvey Richie, while Sofia and Miles are his biological children with his second wife, Diane Alexander.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Lionel Richie has three children: two daughters, Nicole and Sofia, and one son, Miles.
- Richie's eldest daughter, Nicole, adopted as a toddler, shares two teenage children with her husband, Joel Madden.
- Nicole’s biological parents are musicians Peter Michael Escovedo and Karen Moss.
- Lionel's youngest daughter, Sofia Richie, recently gave birth to her second child, a son named Henry Cecil Grainge, on 18 March 2026, with husband Elliot Grainge.
- Miles and Sofia are Lionel’s biological children with his second wife, Diane Alexander.
Profile summary
Full name | Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 20 June 1949 |
Age | 76 years old (as of 2026) |
Zodiac sign | Gemini |
Place of birth | Tuskegee, Alabama, United States |
Current residence | Beverly Hills, California, United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | African-American |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in inches | 5'11'' |
Height in centimetres | 180 |
Weight in pounds | 171 |
Weight in kilograms | 78 |
Hair colour | Black |
Eye colour | Dark Brown |
Father | Lionel Brockman Richie Sr. |
Mother | Alberta R. Foster Richie |
Siblings | Deborah Richie (sister) |
Relationship status | Dating |
Partner | Lisa Parigi |
Children | Nicole Richie, Miles Richie, Sofia Richie |
Education | Joliet Township High School, Tuskegee University |
Profession | Singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, television personality |
Net worth | $200 million |
Social media |
A closer look at Lionel Richie's daughters, his son and their mothers
Musician Lionel Richie has three children from two different marriages: his eldest daughter, Nicole, whom he adopted with his first wife, Brenda Harvey; and his younger biological children, Miles and Sofia, with his second wife, Diane Alexander. Today, all three children have built successful careers in entertainment, fashion, and business.
Source: Getty Images
In a 2019 interview with People, Lionel Richie shared that although he can be a tough dad, he believes humour is an important part of parenting, saying:
I’m a tough dad, but what I realise in life is that you have to approach it with a tad bit of humour
When asked what fatherhood has taught him, Lionel Richie said:
With my kids, I know their job is to completely scare me to death. And they’re doing a great job, by the way…I told this to Nicole the other day that my job is to embarrass them as much as I could, as long as I’m here. They’re trying to do the same to me, so I think it’s an equal swap right now.
Below is everything you need to know about Lionel Richie's three kids:
Nicole Richie
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Nicole Camille Escovedo
- Date of birth: 21 September 1981
- Age: 44 years old (as of 2026)
- Place of birth: Berkeley, California, United States
- Biological parents: Michael Escovedo and Karen Moss
- Profession: TV personality, fashion designer, and author
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Nicole Richie is the eldest and adopted daughter of legendary musician Lionel Richie and his first wife, Brenda Harvey-Richie. She was born on 21 September 1981 in Berkeley, California, United States and is 44 years old as of 2026. Nicole’s biological parents are musician Peter Michael Escovedo and Karen Moss.
Lionel and Brenda took her in when she was two years old and legally adopted her when she was nine. In a 2022 interview with People, the popular musician opened up about adopting Nicole with Brenda Harvey, saying:
Nicole was actually a godsend. She was a little girl who needed a shot. She was used to people coming and going. She looked at me, and I'd say, 'I'm not going anywhere.'
Source: Getty Images
Nicole graduated from Montclair College Preparatory School in 1999 and later attended the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, where she studied Arts and Media. She is now a successful television personality, fashion designer, and author. Nicole rose to fame starring alongside Paris Hilton in the hit early-2000s reality series The Simple Life.
She later served as a judge on NBC's Fashion Star, starred in her own VH1 series Candidly Nicole, and acted in sitcoms including Great News. In 2008, she launched her lifestyle and apparel brand, House of Harlow 1960.
As for her personal life, Nicole is married to Joel Madden, the lead vocalist of the band Good Charlotte. They have two children together, a daughter named Harlow and a son named Sparrow. In March 2023, Lionel appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show, where he spoke about raising Nicole.
If I lived through that. I can live through anything. You all almost killed me...I was somewhere between meditation and medication.
Sofia Richie Grainge
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Sofia Alexandra Richie Grainge
- Date of birth: 24 August 1998
- Age: 27 years old (as of 2026)
- Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Mother: Diane Alexander
- Profession: Social media personality, model, fashion designer
Born on 24 August 1998, Sofia is Lionel's youngest child with Diane Alexander. Like her older brother, she works as a model and is a prominent beauty and fashion social media personality. Sofia began modelling as a teenager, debuting in Teen Vogue at age 14 and signing with top agencies like Select Model Management.
She has starred in major campaigns for premium global brands including Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, Stuart Weitzman, and Adidas. Sofia launched her own apparel label, SRG Atelier, in partnership with the luxury e-commerce retailer Revolve Group.
In a 2018 interview with The Sydney Morning Herald’s The Goss, Sofia Richie opened up about her early interest in music, stating:
My dad had me in singing lessons from a really young age, and I've played piano with my dad growing up, so I have that part of me. [My dad] is a really respected soul singer, and I feel like that is a lot of responsibility.
Source: Getty Images
Sofia married music executive Elliot Grainge, the son of Sir Lucian Grainge, the chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, in April 2023. The couple has two children: Eloise Samantha, born in May 2024, and Henry Cecile, born on 18 March 2026.
The model previously dated Justin Bieber for a few months in 2016 and later dated Scott Disick from May 2017 until August 2020.
Miles Richie
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Miles Brockman Richie
- Date of birth: 27 May 1994
- Age: 32 years old (as of 2026)
- Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Mother: Diane Alexander
- Profession: Fashion model
Miles Brockman Richie is the biological and only son of Lionel and his second wife, Diane Alexander. Following his parents' high-profile divorce in 2003, Miles was primarily raised by his mother in Los Angeles.
Brockman attended UCLA to study accounting but eventually dropped out to pursue a creative career. Per W magazine, Miles currently works primarily as a fashion model, having signed with the premier agency Wilhelmina Models in 2018. He made his runway debut that same year, walking for designer Philipp Plein at New York Fashion Week.
Source: Getty Images
Beyond fashion, Miles has also ventured into the culinary world, including launching an L.A.-based eatery concept called Bob’s Calzone. In a November 2018 interview with Garage, Miles Richie shared that he prefers to step out of his family’s fame and be seen for his own work, not just his last name. He said:
I'd like not to be viewed as a celebrity person or something. I'd like to be known as a model or an actor, not just the 'son of,' or the 'brother of,' I'd like to develop my own identity in those scenarios.
FAQs
- Does Lionel Richie have biological children? The American singer-songwriter has two biological children: Miles Brockman, born in 1994 and Sofi, born in 1998.
- Is Sofia Richie Lionel Richie's biological daughter? Sofia Richie is Lionel Richie’s biological daughter. She is his youngest child and his first biological daughter.
- Who is the mother of Lionel Richie's children? Lionel Richie's children were born to or adopted by three different women: Brenda Harvey-Richie (who adopted Nicole), Karen Moss (Nicole's biological mother), and Diane Alexander (biological mother to Miles and Sofia).
- Who are Nicole Richie's biological parents? Nicole's biological parents are Peter Michael Escovedo III and Karen Moss.
- Why did Lionel Richie adopt Nicole? Lionel adopted Nicole to provide her with stability during a difficult family situation.
- Are Nicole and Sofia close? Nicole and Sofia share an unshakeable bond.
Lionel Richie’s family is a mix of music fame and modern success. Through his marriages to Brenda Harvey and Diane Alexander, he became a father to Nicole, Miles, and Sofia. All three children have built their own careers in fashion, TV, and business.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
