Pop star Rita Ora brought a high-energy pop spectacle to Australia’s Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend in Melbourne, performing for thousands of race fans during the 2026 event.
The singer took the stage Saturday (March 7) during the entertainment programming surrounding the Australian Grand Prix, delivering a hit-packed set that blended dance-pop theatrics with race-day adrenaline at the Albert Park Circuit.
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“I know it’s F1, but I’m gonna call this Pride One gay one, because everywhere I go, I bring my queens,” Ora told the crowd. “We’re so excited to perform for you. I am honoured to be here and anytime I get to come back to Australia,” she added.
Ora’s appearance added a pop-culture moment to the global sporting event, which traditionally draws major music acts as part of its fan-focused weekend programming. The performance was met with enthusiastic reactions from the crowd gathered at the circuit, many of whom shared clips of the show across social media shortly after she stepped on stage.
“I feel like the universe literally just keeps bringing me back to Australia and it’s the coolest thing ever,” Ora continued during the show. “I feel like at this point, I don’t even know why I don’t live here yet, but soon hopefully,”
Ora has remained a regular presence across music, television and film in recent years. In addition to releasing new music and collaborating with artists across the pop and electronic worlds, she has also appeared as a judge and host on several international TV franchises.
The singer has also spoken publicly about her marriage to filmmaker Taika Waititi, whom she wed in a private ceremony in Los Angeles in 2022. Ora has described the relationship as being built on a strong friendship, and has said that becoming a stepmother to Waititi’s two daughters has shifted her perspective on life.
“It’s changed how I see things,” she has said in interviews, noting that family and everyday moments now carry greater meaning.
The singer, who has been releasing music for more than a decade, recently teased a new project and described her upcoming material as a creative reset following years in the pop spotlight.
Speaking with Billboard earlier this year following the September release of her latest track “All Natural”, Ora said she wanted the new era to feel more “raw” and vocally exposed, noting that she deliberately pushed herself outside of her usual sound while working with producer Joel Little, whose credits include artists such as Lorde and Taylor Swift.
The forthcoming music follows a string of global collaborations and hits across her career, including “Black Widow” with Iggy Azalea and “For You,” her duet with the late Liam Payne from the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack.
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