All About Nicole Richie's Parents, Including Dad Lionel Richie's Honest Thoughts on "The Simple Life" (and Her TV Return!)

12/13/2024 11:58 AM

Nicole Richie's parents, Lionel Richie and Brenda Harvey Richie, remember the first time they saw her

Nicole Richie's parents may be famous, but it was The Simple Life star who left them starstruck as a child.

Born to Peter Michael Escovedo III and Karen Moss on Sept. 21, 1981, Nicole was adopted at age 9 by R&B singer Lionel Richie and his then-wife Brenda Harvey Richie. (The pair were married from 1975 until their divorce in 1993.)

For the couple, who first spotted a young Nicole playing tambourine onstage at a Prince concert, it was an immediate connection. "Both of us instantly fell in love with her," Brenda recalled to Vanity Fair in 2006.

Lionel, who split from Brenda in 1993, shared a similar sentiment with PEOPLE in 2022. "We didn't agree on a lot of things, but we did agree on [Nicole]," he said. "Nicole was actually a godsend."

Over the years, the American Idol judge has told his daughter so directly. "I think you changed my life a great deal in terms of softening my heart because everything up to that point was about songwriting and the business and touring," he explained in a 2016 HuffPost interview.

While Lionel may not have been enthusiastic about Nicole's reality TV career alongside Paris Hilton in the early aughts, he cheered her on ahead of Paris & Nicole: The Encore, which premiered on Peacock on Dec. 12. "They're older but they haven't changed, trust me," he joked to Entertainment Tonight. "I'm very happy for both of them."

From her unique childhood to how she has felt supported through different life chapters, here's everything to know about Nicole Richie's parents.

Nicole's biological parents worked in the music industry

Nicole comes from a family of musicians. In addition to Lionel — who has had an illustrious career with the Commodores and on his own — Nicole's biological father, Peter, is also an accomplished musician.

Speaking to The Reporter in May 2024, Peter opened up about his career as a producer and musical director. He shared that his father, Pete Escovedo, inspired him and his siblings to perform onstage after being around his 16-piece band. Peter eventually began touring, providing sound for notable artists, including Lionel and Marvin Gaye, per the outlet. The percussionist went on to earn two Emmy nominations.

According to Peter's sister singer Sheila E., who was once engaged to Prince, Karen worked as her assistant, and she let Nicole stay with Lionel and Brenda while Peter and Karen were away on tour.

"As a single working mom, Karen was extremely grateful, but very torn," Sheila wrote in her 2015 memoir, The Beat of My Own Drum.

Peter and Karen knew Lionel and Brenda

Nicole's biological parents were friendly with Lionel and Brenda. In addition to Peter touring with the "Hello" singer, Lionel also worked with Peter's sister Sheila E. on his 1983 "Running With the Night" video.

According to Lionel, he and Brenda ran into Nicole several weeks after initially seeing her at the Prince concert, and they realized the circumstances in which she was growing up.

"We now discover the difficulties that are happening here and the behind the scenes and we're a little worried about, well, the little kid can't go on tour," he told HuffPost in 2016.

Sheila E. wrote in her memoir that Brenda insisted Nicole stay with her and Lionel while her parents were on the road. After Karen agreed, Brenda enrolled Nicole in a local primary school.

"A year and a half went by, two years went by, and the situation with you wasn't getting any better, it was actually getting worse," Lionel told Nicole in the same interview. "The family situation was falling apart."

He and Brenda decided to step up as Nicole's legal guardians, which eventually became an adoption.

Lionel had to work to earn Nicole's trust

After Lionel and Brenda welcomed Nicole into their home, the "Endless Love" vocalist assured his daughter that he would stay by her side.

"She was used to people coming and going," he told PEOPLE in 2022. "She looked at me, and I'd say, 'I'm not going anywhere.' "

Lionel elaborated in a 2016 interview with Nicole for HuffPost. "It was very important that you understood that no matter when I went away, if it was two months or one month or three weeks or two weeks, I'm coming right back," he told her.

Over time, Nicole realized that she could trust her father to return from his work trips. "Then I think you felt safer," he added.

Nicole got her love of fashion from Brenda

Years before Nicole coordinated red carpet looks with Paris, she often twinned with mom Brenda.

The pair have shared countless throwbacks over the years, including matching strapless gowns, white tops and black sequin skirts and pink lace frocks.

Nicole opened up to PEOPLE about her mother's influence on her style. "My mom never told me that I couldn't borrow anything from her closet," she said in August 2024.

According to Nicole, Brenda also served as her first "beauty muse." She recalled, "I would sit in her dressing room and watch her get ready ... do her skincare and makeup."

Nicole inspired one of Lionel's hit songs

Lionel famously wrote his 1986 hit "Ballerina Girl" — which cracked the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 — for his oldest child.

"She never lets me forget that, by the way," the musician told NBC in May 2024. "I would go to her little ballet classes, if you can imagine Nicole in ballet classes.  I look at her now and go, 'Nah.' "

Lionel revealed that he was inspired to write the tune after coming home from one of her rehearsals.

"That song was just her song," he said of the track, on which he sings, "I'm never gonna break your heart, never will we drift apart, 'cause all I wanna do is share my whole life with you."

He also passed his talent for piano onto the Candidly Nicole star: The two performed a duet during a 2016 interview for HuffPost during which he regularly shouted out his encouragement.

Lionel had doubts about Nicole's reality television career

Though Lionel is involved in the reality show world via American Idol, he wasn't initially thrilled about the thought of his daughter baring her soul on national television.

He compared his feelings with the lack of enthusiasm his own parents showed for his singing career when he announced he was going to quit school to tour with the Jackson 5 and "take over the world" as a member of "the Black Beatles," per HuffPost.

"It was about as exciting as your telling me about your reality television show," he joked with his daughter. "I was extremely excited, they were extremely not excited."

Driving his point home, Lionel added, "I can't say on this interview what my dad said. It was similar to what I said to you [about your announcement]."

Nicole's first pregnancy inspired her to reconnect with Peter and Karen

Nicole opened up about her decision to reconnect with her biological parents when she discovered she was expecting her first child in 2007.

"When I found out that I was pregnant, there was just something inside of me that felt a responsibility to mend any issues that I've had with my parents in the past," she said in a 2007 interview with CBS.

Nicole noted that she knew Karen and wanted to have a conversation before she embarked on her parenthood journey. "You just want to heal any wounds before I become a mother myself," she added.

Nicole and her husband, Joel Madden, welcomed their daughter Harlow in 2008, followed by son Sparrow in 2009.

Related: Nicole Richie's 2 Kids: All About Harlow and Sparrow

Lionel and Brenda reunited for Nicole's movie premiere

Though they divorced in 1993, Lionel and Brenda continued to co-parent, even reuniting to celebrate the debut of Nicole's film Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead in April 2024.

The reality star later told the Today show that her parents couldn't contain themselves while at the premiere event.

"My dad was very loud, you guys. He kept talking the whole movie," she said. "He was like, 'Oh, this is great. Oh, my God, I can't believe it. Oh, she is so funny!' And I was like, 'Dad.' We're in a room full of people.' "

As for Brenda? "My mom was the same, just as bad," she quipped. "They were so excited to be there."