Jennifer Lopez will lead the stars at New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2021, along with Billy Porter and more

Jennifer Lopez will lead the stars at New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2021… with additional performances from Billy Porter, Cyndi Lauper and more

Jennifer Lopez will be playing her greatest hits for American audiences when she headlines Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2021.

ABC announced Tuesday that the 51-year-old pop star and actress would be headlining the annual New Year’s Eve celebration, with Ryan Seacrest continuing on as host.

Lopez will be joined by a bevy of talented performers, including Pose star Billy Porter, pop legend Cyndi Lauper and country music star Jimmie Allen. 

Ringing in the new year: Jennifer Lopez, 51, was announced as the headlining performer for  Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2021 by ABC on Tuesday; seen in 2018

She will have a prime performance spot just before the ball drops at the stroke of midnight, ushering in 2021 and signaling the much-desired end of 2020.

Lopez likely be performing for an empty house, as audience members won’t be allowed in at the New York and Los Angeles venues due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The Waiting For Tonight singer will only be covering a portion of the evening’s five and a half hours of performances, which will continue until 2 a.m. ET.

Although the Hustlers actress has successfully balanced her music and acting careers for years, this will be one of her first major performances since the pandemic made in nearly impossible to perform in front of crowds. 

Leading the way: She will have a prime performance spot just before the ball drops at the stroke of midnight, though there won't be an audience due to the ongoing pandemic; seen November 22

Leading the way: She will have a prime performance spot just before the ball drops at the stroke of midnight, though there won’t be an audience due to the ongoing pandemic; seen November 22

MC: Billy Porter will join Ryan Seacrest to host from NYC; seen in December 2019

It takes two: He and Cyndi Lauper will also perform a duet from their hit Broadway musical Kinky Boots; shown in March

Lopez’s fellow performers Billy Porter and Cyndi Lauper will be performing a duet from their hit Broadway show Kinky Boots. Billy will also join Ryan Seacrest to host from NYC

Lopez’s fellow performers Porter and Lauper will be performing a duet from their hit Broadway show Kinky Boots, which he starred in and she wrote the music and lyrics for.

Porter will be doing double duty by assisting Seacrest in hosting from New York City, along with Pretty Little Liars star Lucy Hale.

Meanwhile, Ciara will be anchoring the festivities from Los Angeles.

The country singer–songwriter Jessie James Decker will round out the hosting crew for the second year in a row as the New Year’s Eve Powerball correspondent.

She’ll be revealing the ‘Powerball First Millionaire of the Year’ shortly after the ball drops. 

Helping out: Lucy Hale will join Seacrest and Porter to host from NYC

Bicoastal: Ciara will take care of the Los Angeles broadcast

Bicoastal: Lucy Hale will join Seacrest and Porter to host from NYC, while Ciara will take care of the Los Angeles broadcast

Winner: Country singer Jessie James Decker will reveal the first Powerball millionaire of 2021 shortly after the ball drop; pictured in November 2019 in Nashville

Winner: Country singer Jessie James Decker will reveal the first Powerball millionaire of 2021 shortly after the ball drop; pictured in November 2019 in Nashville

As usual, the celebration will be produced by Dick Clark Productions, after the television host who led the show from 1973 to 2004, though he ceded most of the shows up until his death in 2012 to Seacrest, after suffering a stroke in 2004.

This will be Seacrest’s 16th year hosting the long-running program. 

‘2020 has been a trying year for the world and I’m thrilled to have Billy and Lucy join me in ushering in a new year with fresh beginnings,’ the Live With Kelly And Ryan host said in a statement. ‘We look forward to making sure it’s a night for everyone to remember.’

Man of the hour: Ryan Seacrest will host for the 16th year, after taking over in 2004 following original host Dick Clark's stroke

Man of the hour: Ryan Seacrest will host for the 16th year, after taking over in 2004 following original host Dick Clark’s stroke

Lopez will almost certainly play some of her best-known songs, but she’ll also have some new material available for the performance.

In late November, she released the single In The Morning, which took the form of her setting expectations for a lover.

The If You Had My Love singer was recently seen jetting across the US, as she returned to New York City to throw a surprise 75th birthday party for her mother Guadalupe with her fiancé Alex Rodriguez, before jetting home to Miami.

More performers will be announced for the New Year’s celebration in coming days.

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2021 will begin airing at 8 p.m. ET on December 31.

New music? Lopez may add some new material in addition to her hits after releasing the single In The Morning late in November; seen November 22 at the American Music Awards

New music? Lopez may add some new material in addition to her hits after releasing the single In The Morning late in November; seen November 22 at the American Music Awards