Apparently, Lionel Richie‘s “fountain of youth” does not lie in a plastic surgeon‘s office.

In a recent interview with Daily Mail at the eighth annual Hollywood Beauty Awards, the 73-year-old legendary singer-songwriter took a moment to debunk any rumors that he’s gone under the knife. “That s**t goes wrong!” he joked before explaining why he refuses to go the surgical route. “[Plastic surgery] locks you in for that year [while you recover] — and after that you can’t go naturally, you’re staying right there… You try and go back to reset, and you can’t,” he explained.

The “All Night Long” singer solidified his stance by adding, “God might not recognize me, so I want to make sure he knows me.” Richie didn’t gatekeep his secrets to avoiding cosmetic procedures though. His tips were surprisingly simple and available to anyone: “Water, sleep, and sweat, not too much red meat. I know it’s real boring. [Sex] will work also and it’s good for your heart.” The latter possibly comes in handy in his 10-year relationship with Swiss-Caribbean model Lisa Parigi, who is 40 years younger.

Plastic surgery rumors surrounding the former Commodores frontman’s looks began swirling during his performance at King Charles’ coronation on May 6. Richie performed alongside fellow American Idol judge Katy Perry and British boyband Take That.

While the celebration received mixed reviews, viewers seemed to be way more interested in the singer’s appearance.

One person tweeted, “How is Lionel 73? He looks so young?” which prompted a flood of responses. Someone attributed it to the stamina that’s required as a long-time entertainer, writing that “dancing keeps you young, slim, and fit.” Others took a more sarcastic approach, saying that Richie has “had so much Botox” and joking that he’s been “dipped in wax.”

Regardless of all the chatter pertaining to his looks, Richie was able to get the royal family on their feet over the weekend. Prior to the special event, he told ET that even though he and King Charles had been friends for “a long time,” being asked to perform “is the whole thing.”

 

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