Ashanti to Perform on ABC’s “Dick Clark’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest” Program

Ashanti is changing up her New Year’s Eve plans…

The 41-year-old half-Afro-Dominican singer/actress and Ja Rule will join Journey as headliners for ABC’s Dick Clark’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest in Times Square. AshantiAshanti’s last minute addition comes as Karol G, who originally had been scheduled, canceled her performance.

The changes are the latest for the New Year’s Eve special, after LL Cool J announced yesterday he had tested positive for COVID-19 and would not be performing as scheduled, and R&B singer Chlöe also had dropped out.

Other A-list stars and performers still scheduled for Dick Clark’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest include Pose alum Billy Porter, who co-hosts in New Orleans, Daddy Yankee in Puerto Rico and a Los Angeles bill that includes Ciara, Avril Lavigne & Travis Barker, Big Boi, OneRepublic and French Montana.

There have been concerns about proceeding with New Year’s Eve events in New York as the city has seen infection rates skyrocket due to the highly contagious Omicron variant.

NY Mayor Bill de Blasio last week had announced that the city would be proceeding with the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop but with fewer revelers and tighter rules, including masks and social distancing. In light of the decision by the city to keep the celebration on, ABC is proceeding with Rockin’ Eve 2022 while adhering to CDC/local protocols regarding audience attendees in Times Square.

Fox last week canceled its New Year’s Eve special – Fox’s New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2022 – as a result of the rising spread of the Omicron variant in New York. The special also was set to be produced in Times Square.

Dick Clark’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest kicks off at 8:00 pm ET on ABC.

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