The UK powerhouse is responsible for hits like 'Anywhere' and new release 'Big'. She'll light up the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), transforming the venue into a sparkling showcase of LGBTQIA+ culture and community.
Joining Rita in the line-up will be soulful electronic duo Electric Fields, ARIA Award-winning art-pop songwriter Montaigne and indie pop darling G Flip.
Gates will open to the public from 4pm and audiences will be treated to two hours of pre-Parade entertainment, featuring DJs Kitty Glitter and Dan Murphy on the decks. Meanwhile, hosts with the most Bob Downe and Julie McCrossin will engage in witty banter, historical anecdotes and laughs, before crossing to Nell Schofield and Kyle Olsen, who will voiceover the Parade as it happens.
"The Parade is such a special event for the community," Mardi Gras CEO Albert Kruger says. "It is a loud, proud and welcoming celebration of community spirit and connectedness."
"The move to the SCG has presented us with a unique opportunity to add to the spectacle of the Parade with some truly awe-inspiring performances and we are thrilled to have a world-wide superstar in Rita Ora join this once-in-a-lifetime Parade. As always we have a few more surprises in store for the night, so keep an eye out."
The Welcome To Country will kick things off, curated by Ben Graetz and featuring Aunty Yvonne Weldon, singer-songwriter Scott Hunter, and Koomurri, NAISDA and Buuja Butterfly dancers.
Then, at 6:30pm Dykes On Bikes take to the stadium to perform a lap and herald the start of the Parade, led with the First Nations and 78ers floats.
More tickets for the Parade go on sale today (17 February) at 2pm AEDT.
