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On Saturday night, Billboard Women In Music returned to YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, to celebrate some of the biggest, brightest names in the industry, including high-profile executives and superstar artists across genres.
This year, Gracie Abrams was honored with the inaugural Songwriter of the Year award, which was presented to her by Victoria Monét. “This incredible artist is, at a minimum, a quadruple threat,” Abrams said about her presenter, who was honored at last year’s Women in Music event as the Rising Star. “She’s an insane writer, unparalleled vocalist, inventive producer and amazing dancer. I’m just in awe of you every day.”
Prior to being presented with the honor, Abrams performed her emotive hit “I Love, I’m Sorry,” off her second album, The Secret of Us. Abrams wrote the album with her best friend, Audrey Hobert, who was in attendance seated at a table alongside Abrams’ mom and her manager (and fellow Women in Music honoree) Alex DePersia.
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“To my best friend and the most clever Audrey Hobert — for every single reason, I am me because of you,” said Abrams. “And our album is what it is because of you. Having never written a song prior to The Secret of Us, you helped me translate every single feeling I was itching to articulate on this album.”
Abrams also thanked songwriter Sarah Aarons and, of course, “the incomparable Miss Taylor Swift,” with whom she earned a Grammy nomination for their collaboration “Us.” from the same album. “I will never stop thanking her for the gift of her pen,” said Abrams, “which very much raised me.”
Megan Moroney brought a decidedly upbeat vibe to her usual “emo-cowgirl” candidness, performing her love song “Am I Okay?” at the 2025 Billboard Women in Music event held Saturday night at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California.
Clad in a silver dress covered in fringe and sparkle and confidently commanding the stage, Moroney offered up a peppy rendition of the title track to her second studio album, which was released in July 2024, debuting at No. 9 on the all-genre Billboard 200 and at No. 3 on the Top Country Albums chart.
During the ceremony, Moroney was honored with the Billboard Women in Music Rulebreaker award.
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Taking the stage to accept her honor, Moroney said, “Thank you, Billboard, for this. This is so cool. And I’m just really grateful to be here. When I found out I was getting the Rulebreaker award, I thought it was kind of funny, because if you know me in real life, I’m like an avid rule follower. I stole a piece of gum when I was 10 from a ballpark, and I still think about it sometimes. So it’s just ironic that I get the Rulebreaker award, but I’m just so grateful for it.
She continued, “I’m grateful to be here in a room with such talented, confident, amazing women in music. And I wouldn’t be up here if it wasn’t for my team. Thank you to my managers [Punchbowl Entertainment’s] Julie Griffith and Hayley Corbett, my [UTA] agent Elisa Vazzana, Stephanie Self. I’ve just got like so many bad bi—es [on my] team, I could go on and on. But my record label, Columbia Records and Sony Nashville, I’m just really grateful to be here and it’s awesome to see so many amazing women all in the same room tonight. So cheers. Let’s have margaritas. Thank you. Thanks, Billboard.”
Moroney was honored with a recent Women in Music feature, in which she opened up about her approach to her music and career, branding, working on her upcoming album, staying connected with her fanbase and more.
Upon being presented with this year’s Icon award at Billboard Women in Music 2025 by next-gen R&B star Summer Walker, Erykah Badu didn’t waste any time drilling down to the heart of the occasion.
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“Sisters, how y’all feel?” drawled the Dallas native as she scanned the YouTube Theater audience. Then to resounding applause, she declared, “This night is for us! It’s a night to celebrate the womb of the world, the womb of life, the womb reverse of all things. The smartest creature on planet Earth. The wisest, the most invincible, sexiest, purest, finest. The woman. I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to be born a woman!”
The five-time Grammy Award winner had just delivered an exuberant performance of her funky 2007 non-album track “Annie Don’t Wear No Panties” to the delighted audience of fellow music stars, industry executives and music fans. And she did so in keeping with the inimitable and eclectic style that’s made her such an influential singer-songwriter, performer and musical visionary for multiple generations since breaking through in 1997 with her debut album, Baduizm.
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Badu wore a black-hooded capelet atop a tan-colored oversize pants outfit (think Teletubbies) featuring exaggerated breasts, feet and booty — the latter of which she shook to full effect at one point during the song, eliciting rowdy audience laughter. That was just one of several memorable moments during Badu’s award presentation segment.
Saluting Badu’s “fearless artistry,” Walker shared that her idol and mentor has been her “fave artist” since she was 12. And that it was also the multifaceted Badu, in her role as a doula, who delivered Walker’s twin sons.
During the remainder of her acceptance speech, Badu went on to thank all mothers. “I want to thank my mother and all the mothers,” she continued. “Miss Tina [Knowles], you said it well. I see Doechii’s mama out there, all the mothers. Thank you so much for giving us so much inspiration and examples of what it means to be resilient, what it means to take charge, what it means to be courageous, what it means to be authentically ourselves. And that’s all we gonna be. That’s all I want to be.”
Then she concluded with an anecdote involving her youngest daughter. “I don’t really have a lot of things to say,” said Badu, “but I want to end with this story. My daughter is out here. Her name is Puma … My sister Joy is out there. This is for both of y’all … I was bathing my youngest daughter Mars, and Mars was about four. I was washing her up. You know, you teach them while you’re washing them up. And I said, ‘This is the vagina.’ And she said, ‘Oh, vagina.’ I said, ‘Yes, it’s the vagina. It’s the most important thing on the planet.’ And Mars said, ‘Really?’ Then she looked at me with those big brown eyes and she said, ‘Where is the planet’s vagina?’”
After noting that she may have paused too long between the setup and the punchline, Badu repeated the final part of her anecdote. And on the second go-round, the Billboard Women in Music icon had the whole theater laughing.
The main suspect in the Sauce Walka shooting that killed rapper Sayso P (real name Letorian Hunt) has been found dead, according to Memphis Police.
The Memphis Police Department announced Monday (March 31) that 21-year-old Jayden Dandridge was found deceased in Houston. However, a second suspect, 22-year-old Kevin Brown, remains at large, and an investigation is ongoing.
A warrant was issued for Brown, charging him with first-degree murder, attempted murder, employment of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony and theft of property. Dandridge’s warrant is no longer active.
Sauce Walka was the victim of a shooting outside the Westin Hotel near the FedEx Forum in Memphis on March 22. Walka was transported to a nearby hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg while his artist, Sayso P, was pronounced dead at the scene. He’s expected to make a full recovery.
TMZ obtained footage that appeared to show Dandridge in the stolen 2021 Dodge Challenger that was used in the drive-by shooting of Walka and Sayso P.
TMZ also reported that Dandridge was found executed with multiple gunshot wounds in an abandoned Houston warehouse on March 27. No arrests have been made.
Last week, Sauce Walka said he didn’t have any plans of avenging Sayso P’s murder.
“If I wanted to, I could have mother—-ing four or 500 different men — good men — down here from different cities and states, including mine, around here ready to do whatever by snapping my finger in retaliation to what happened to me and my little brother,” he told Wikid Films.
Walka continued: “But as much as it hurts my soul, and it really break me down — I’m damn near getting emotional about the sh– — I can’t retaliate because that’s not righteous. My brother had his own dealings as a man that a n—a got to respect and a mother—-er had an opportunity to make me 100 percent accountable for the same thing… and took my life for no reason.”
Sauce Walka posted a heartfelt tribute to Sayso P to social media in the days after his murder while reflecting on some of the good times they enjoyed together. “Words or tears can’t explain the loss I feel!” he began.
Muni Long had an incredible 2024. The Florida singer’s fourth solo album, Revenge, not only ranked high on the Billboard staff’s Best R&B Albums of 2024 list, it was also nominated for four Grammys, with her single “Made for Me” winning for best R&B performance. And for her breakthrough efforts, Billboard presented her with the Rising Star award at Saturday night’s Billboard Women in Music event.
During her speech, she touched on her journey and the importance of Black women in popular culture. “I stand before you tonight in awe of the incredible journey that has brought me to this moment,” she began. “It is a testament to the power of perseverance, dedication and the unwavering belief in the artistry that courses through my veins. But as I stand here, I know this moment is not just about me. It’s about the shoulders. I stand on the culture that shaped me and the people who continue to push the boundaries of what is possible.”
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She added: “I want to acknowledge Black women … the bedrock of not only the music industry, but the very heart of the culture itself. Black women have always been the architects of innovation, resilience and power. From the soulful tones of Patti LaBelle and Aretha Franklin to the boldness of Beyoncé and Miss Lauryn Hill, we have seen our brilliance shape the world in ways that transcend music and art. To the artists before me, those who dared to dream, to break barriers, to challenge the status quo, the Tina Turners, the Sister Rosetta Tharpes, and Janet Jacksons, Mariah Careys and Whitney Houstons, their influence echoes through every note I sing.”
Muni then acknowledged the community of Gifford, Florida, where she grew up and fell in love with singing, as she thanked “the aunties with four rings on every finger and a mouth full of slugs. The unpaved, unincorporated Florida streets, the communities that birthed the soul of modern music, the hood which is the genesis of pop culture. A place where the creativity of the people screams back into the mainstream.”
She also blessed the Women in Music attendees with a soulful performance of her song “Superpowers.”
Video of Muni Long’s performance and speech will be live here at 7 p.m. ET on Monday night (March 31).
It’s no surprise that Tyla was honored with the Impact Award presented by Bose at the 2025 Billboard Women in Music ceremony on Saturday (March 29), as the 23-year-old South African star has quickly become a powerful music mainstay on a global level.
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The “Water” singer took the stage at the Los Angeles event to accept her award, following in the footsteps of previous Impact Award recipients Solange Knowles, Alicia Keys, Jessie Reyez, H.E.R., Becky G and Young Miko.
“When my career took off, I realized that God has his own plans,” the superstar told the crowd, and was met with cheers of agreement. “I just feel very lucky for my fans who have given me such an exciting life, allowing me to grow in front of the world into all the different versions of myself as an artist and as a woman.”
She continued, “I appreciate the way music has been able to impact us through time and how I’m just a manifestation of that. In life, we all have a chance to pour into one another, whether it be something you say, a performance, a dance move — literally anything. We all have that chance, and you never know what might ignite into somebody and what that person will pass onto another.”
Tyla added that she’s “really grateful,” noting that she will “forever appreciate the people that have poured into me.”
During the ceremony, she also performed her most recent hit, “Push 2 Start,” which was featured on the deluxe edition of her self-titled studio album. The track has topped Billboard’s US Afrobeats songs chart for a whopping 14 weeks, and hit No. 2 on World Digital Song Sales.
You can watch the 2025 Billboard Women in Music ceremony here starting at 7 p.m. ET on Monday (March 31) and on VIZIO TVs and the VIZIO app. Watch Tyla’s acceptance speech above.
The first major dance music gathering of the year went down in Miami this past weekend, with Ultra Music Festival returning to downtown’s Bayfront Park from March 28-30.The annual event celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, with tens of thousands of fans descending upon the site to celebrate and hear music by artists both famous and up and coming.
While a strong wind was blowing through town on Friday (March 28), the weather held for the festival, with day one featuring sets from marquee acts including Charlotte de Witte, Alesso, Armin van Buuren and Dom Dolla and John Summit performing together as Everything Always. Saturday’s biggest stars included Axwell, Crankdat, Tokimonta, Gesaffelstein and KSHMR, while Sunday’s lineup included Martin Garrix, Zedd, Nico Moreno and Above & Beyond.
Beyond the fireworks and art installations, Ultra 2025 was made splashier by a series of mega-watt special guests. On Friday, David Guetta and Sia came out during Afrojack’s set to perform “Titanium,” with the three artists playing their 2011 smash together for the first time ever.
On Saturday, Skrillex brought out myriad stars during his headlining set — which marked his first appearance at Ultra in a Decade — with Flowdan appearing onstage to perform their 2023 collabs “Rumble” and “Badders.” Skrill then brought out Damian Marley, his collaborator on 2013’s “Make It Bun Dem” and then Young Miko, who performed what seemed to be an as-yet unreleased song. (To wit, the producer announced today, March 31, that he’ll release a new album tomorrow, April 1.) Then on Sunday, Steve Aoki also played the surprise guest game, bringing out Trippie Redd for their recently released track “Radio.”
Ultra 2025 also leaned hard into special b2bs. On Friday, Armin van Buuren played b2b with Maddix and Oliver Heldens for a Dutch triple-threat on the Worldwide Stage. Meanwhile over on the UMF Radio stage, Partiboi69 went b2b with both Juicy Romance and Kettama and Skream played played with Interplanetary Criminal.
On Saturday (March 29) under overcast skies, the festival again delivered a series of heavy-hitting b2bs that included Anyma and Solomun performing together for the first time and deadmau5 (sans his helmet) playing alongside Rob Swire of Pendulum.
While Ultra temporarily shut down on Sunday, March 30, due to rain, the festival eventually reopened and unleashed plenty of music, including b2bs by bass stars Alleycvt and Jessica Audifred (our Billboard Dance Rookie of the Month for March), bass titans Flux Pavilion and Doctor P going b2b and other pairings that included a major surprise b2b2b2b, with Solomun inviting Four Tet, Chloe Caillet and Mau P onstage during the last portion of his festival-closing show on Ultra’s massive Megastructure stage and the four artists taking turns on the decks.
See photos from Ultra Music Festival 2025 below.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Thanks to a decade-plus career racking up four Billboard Hot 100 top 10s — including the eight-week No. 1 “All About That Bass” — Meghan Trainor was honored at Saturday night’s 2025 Billboard Women in Music event with our Hitmaker award. But as she told the crowd during her hilarious and touching acceptance speech, she needs the uplifting messages of those upbeat hits just as much as her fans do.
“Everyone asks me: How are you so positive and how you do so much and smile all the time?” Trainor said after accepting the award from friend and fellow pop star Madison Beer. “But the truth is that I write these songs for myself, because I am so insecure and I have therapy a lot. I have a lot of therapy. I’m on medicine. Thank you!” she said as the crowd cheered on her efforts for better mental health. “I I love my medicine! I love my therapist so much! She’s probably watching!”
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Trainor added: “I write these songs because I need these positive affirmations for myself. And if it helps anyone else, that’d be amazing too.”
After thanking her husband, actor Daryl Sabara, and her parents — who were all on hand at a table on the floor of the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California — Trainor also called on the support system of all the women entertainers and music executives in the room to help each other feel less alone.
“I feel very alone — I really do — being a woman, putting on these heels, I shaved my face and my nose for this,” she said to big laughs. “I’m a mom and I’m a pop star, and I have no one who truly understands me — except for all the superwomen in this room tonight. So thank you. If anyone wants to do a sleepover at my house, because I don’t leave my house, we can talk about this. Just DM me, and I love you so much. Thank you, Billboard. We should help each other and we should talk about it.”
Other honorees on Saturday night included Woman of the Year recipient Doechii, as well as aespa (Group of the Year), Ángela Aguilar (Breakthrough), ANNA (Billboard Italy Woman of the Year), Charlotte Cardin (Billboard Canada Woman of the Year), Erykah Badu (Icon), GloRilla (Powerhouse), Gracie Abrams (Songwriter of the Year), JENNIE (Global Force), Megan Moroney (Rulebreaker), Muni Long (Rising Star), Tina Knowles (Mother of the Year) and Tyla (Impact).
Video of Trainor’s full speech will be available at 7 p.m. ET Monday night (March 31).
As her eldest daughter prepares for what’s sure to be one of the defining tours of the year, Tina Knowles graced the 2025 Billboard Women in Music stage to accept the inaugural Mother of the Year honor at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, on Saturday (March 29).
After beginning her acceptance speech praising all the other awardees — like Woman of the Year honoree Doechii, who gushed over Cowboy Carter on the red carpet before the show — Knowles took some time to reflect on her evolution as a mother, stressing that “there is no formal training class to prepare you for the most important job you’ll ever have in your life.” For Knowles, motherhood is all about committing to being the best you can be for your children each day.
“I want to thank my daughters, Solange, Beyoncé, Kelly [Rowland], [niece] Angie [Beyincé], and also Michelle [Williams], LaTavia [Roberson] and LeToya [Luckett],” she said to close her speech, name-dropping her “bonus” children in addition to her two daughters. “I got to mother you all in some way, and you believed in me early on to dress you and give love [and] creative input. Thank you, Mathew Knowles, who always fought for me, and I thank God Almighty for the privilege to be a mother. I’ll always say it’s the best job I’ve ever had. I dedicate this award to my amazing mother, Agnes, and all the mothers out there who have supported their kids in their dreams. Thank you.”
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Presented by Billboard editor-in-chief Hannah Karp during the final weekend of Women’s History Month, this year’s Mother of the Year award honors the ultimate 21st-century music matriarch. Tina Knowles, the mother of Grammy-winning, Billboard 200-topping music and cultural forces Beyoncé and Solange has been a key player behind the scenes of both of her daughters’ careers. In the early days of Destiny’s Child — and throughout their tenure as a group — Tina Knowles designed and crafted costumes for the R&B divas, cementing their singular Houston-indebted style. Her costume design also appeared in a slew of Beyoncé-led films, including Dreamgirls, Obsessed, Cadillac Records and Austin Powers in Goldmember.
In 2004, she and Beyoncé teamed up to launch House of Deréon, a clothing line named after Knowles’ own mother, Agnes Deréon. Twenty years later, the iconic mother-daughter duo would once again join forces for Cécred, an award-winning haircare line that brings Tina Knowles back to where it all started: the hair salon. Of course, she is also the grandmother of Grammy winner Blue Ivy, who recently starred in Disney’s box-office-topping Mufasa movie; rising fashion model Julez Smith; and twin siblings Rumi and Sir Carter.
Tina Knowles’ full Mother of the Year acceptance speech will be available here at 7 p.m. ET on Monday night (March 31).
Ye — formerly known as Kanye West — sat down (actually stood up) for an explosive interview with DJ Akademiks earlier this March. After making about “eight edits” at the request of West’s team, Ak premiered the interview during a live stream on Sunday (March 30). The Chicago native controlled the pace of the interview […]