Musician Phil Collins Is a Father of 5! Meet His Children Who Are Taking Over Hollywood

Musician Phil Collins is the mastermind behind some of the biggest radio hits that have taken over the airwaves since 1970. The Genesis drummer has had both a huge career with his band and an equally successful solo career full of award-winning work. His five children, Joely, Simon, Lily, Nicholas and Matthew, are equally as talented and have started to take over Hollywood.

When he was just 5 years old, Phil had already begun to play the drums and set his sights on making it into the spotlight. The Oscar winner began his career as a child actor. He appeared as an extra alongside his biggest inspiration, The Beatles, in their 1964 film A Hard Day’s Night. In 1971, Phil recorded his first album with Genesis called Nursery Cryme. It was then that he earned the label as a master of percussions.

The Tarzan composer released his first solo album in 1981 featuring the mega-hit “In the Air Tonight.” Phil was married to his first wife, Andrea Bertorelli, at the height of his success. He officially adopted Andrea’s daughter Joely from a previous relationship. In 1976, Phil and Andrea welcomed their son, Simon. The couple divorced in 1980.

In 1984, Phil married Jill Tavelman. The couple welcomed their daughter, Lily, in 1989 and finalized their divorce in 1996. Phil later met translator Orianne Cevey on tour in Switzerland. They got married in 1999 and welcomed sons Nicholas and Matthew. Phil and Orianne divorced in 2006 but later reconnected, living together and coparenting their sons. Phil announced in 2011 that he was officially retiring from music to focus on fatherhood.

​​”I am stopping so I can be a full-time father to my two young sons on a daily basis,” he announced on his website in 2011.

The “One More Night” hitmaker told Rolling Stone in 2015 that he was coming out of retirement. He embarked on a worldwide tour from 2017 to 2019 before announcing his return to Genesis. After sustaining nerve damage from performing over the years, dislocating vertebrae in his upper neck and his type 2 diabetes diagnosis, concerns have grown for Phil’s health. His son, Nicholas, has since taken over drumming duties for Genesis during their live shows.

“It’s not because he’s the boss’ son that he’s playing the drums, it’s because he’s good enough,” Phil said in a January 2019 appearance on The Project. “The band fell in love with him … suddenly it was like he knew what he was doing and wasn’t in awe of the situation. I’m very pleased for him, and for me, that we get to go through this together.”

Scroll to meet Phil’s five talented children.