Lionel Richie says daughter Nicole Richie was a 'godsend' when he adopted her

By Andrea Dresdale

In a cover story for this week's People magazine, Lionel Richie says his daughter Nicole, whom he adopted when she was 9 years old, changed his life.

Richie and his then-wife, Brenda Harvey, said they adopted Nicole because her parents, friends of Richie's, were struggling financially.

"Nicole was actually a godsend. She was a little girl who needed a shot," he told People. "She was used to people coming and going. She looked at me and I'd say, 'I'm not going anywhere.'"

Nicole even helped Richie after he and Harvey divorced in 1993, the singer and "American Idol" judge said.

Christopher Polk/Getty Images, FILE

Nicole Richie and singer Lionel Richie attend an event on April 2, 2012, in Las Vegas.

"Brenda and I went through a very interesting time," he said, adding, "We didn't agree on a lot of things, but we did agree on [Nicole]."

Nicole, who's married to Good Charlotte rocker Joel Madden, has given Richie two grandchildren: daughter Harlow, 14, and son Sparrow, 12.

"I'll say something and she goes, 'Dad, we don't use those kind of words around the kids.' And I go, 'Excuse me?'" Richie said with a laugh. "She turned into a fantastic young lady."

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee is also the father of Miles, 27, and Sofia 23, both of whom he shares with his second wife, Diane Alexander. Richie and Alexander divorced in 2004.