The sexy singer — who also goes by Mel B — will play the love-and-action-starved Mimi in the rock musical at the Nederlander Theatre.

Pop stars aren't new to the long-running smashzilla by lyricist-librettist-composer Jonathan Larson: Joey Fatone stepped into the show for a time, playing Mark, and "American Idol" refugee Frenchie Davis played various roles in the show, soloing on the Act II opener, "Seasons of Love."

A spokesman told Playbill On-Line Davis will return to the Broadway run of Rent in July. Later in the summer she'll plays Effie in the Pittsburgh CLO revival of Dreamgirls.

Drew Lachey, the pop star of the group 98 Degrees, is expected to join Broadway's Rent in the role of Mark at the end of September, a spokesman confirmed.

Rent is inspired by Puccini's La Bohème and won the 1996 Tony Award for Best Score, Best Book and Best Musical, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.