Lionel Richie Says It's an 'Honor' to Perform at 'Wonderful' King Charles' Coronation (Exclusive)

The "All Night Long" singer opened up to PEOPLE about his upcoming gig, which he called "the grandiose of grandiose"

Lionel Richie is looking forward to performing at King Charles' upcoming coronation.

After being announced alongside Katy Perry and others as a performer for the May 7 Coronation Concert, the "All Night Long" crooner, 73, chatted with PEOPLE about what the honor means to him during the Breakthrough Awards at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles Saturday night.

"I mean, you don't get in the business and say, 'You know what? I'll be at the King's coronation.' You know, that just never comes up," Richie said. "[It's] A, a surprise. B, what an honor. And C, the fact of all the names that are out there that he could have had for this, he called my name."

Related:How Prince George Will Make History at His Grandfather King Charles' Coronation

Noting that he has known Charles, 74, "for a long time," the American Idol judge added, "I really do celebrate his now stepping into the king role."

"He's been in that prince role for a long time, but I'm anxious to see what he's going to now change as far as his reign. And so I know him as a wonderful person," he continued.

When asked what he's looking forward to most at the springtime event, Richie told PEOPLE that he's ready "to see all the lights."

"Come on. Are you kidding me?" he said. "I want to see the pomp and circumstance because I don't care what you thought Michael Jackson did. I don't care what you thought Prince did. I don't care what you thought Madonna did. Nothing's going to be like this. This is the grandiose of grandiose right here."

Richie was announced as a coronation concert performer earlier this week, less than a month before King Charles and Queen Camilla are crowned at Westminster Abbey. Other performers alongside Richie and Perry, 38, include Andrea Bocelli, Take That, Sir Bryn Terfel, Freya Ridings and Alexis Ffrench.

"The concert will celebrate a new chapter in the nation's history, with themes of love, respect and optimism, celebrating the four nations, their communities and the Commonwealth," the BBC said in a statement along with the announcement.

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The Commodores co-lead singer was previously appointed the First Global Ambassador and First Chairman of the Global Ambassador Group for The Prince's Trust in 2019. Charles established the charity in 1976 to provide resources for disadvantaged youth, and the organization states it has since worked with over one million young people.

As previously reported, BBC Studios Productions is organizing the concert, which will be broadcast from the grounds of Windsor Castle before an audience of 20,000, including members of the public and select guests.

Related:King Charles' Coronation: All Your Burning Questions About the Crowning Ceremony Answered

The event will feature "a broad mix of music spanning pop to classical, along with spoken word and dance performances reflecting arts and culture from around the UK and the wider Commonwealth," the BBC said, with more performers "due to be announced shortly."

The BBC is also set to stream the concert on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.

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