Awards

07 Mar 2024

Tems Delivers Angelic Performance of ‘Not an Angel’ at Billboard Women in Music 2024

Tems might claim she’s “Not an Angel” in her latest single, but she sure looked like one Wednesday night (March 6) when she performed it at Billboard Women in Music.

The Nigerian singer-songwriter and producer took the stage at YouTube Theater in Inglewood, Calif., cloaked in a white bedazzled hooded dress, the smoke billowing from underneath her acting as a long, flowing train. “Not an Angel” is one of two singles Tems released last year, arriving two months after “Me & U.” In her Women in Music profile, she assured her highly anticipated debut album “is 1,000% coming out this year.”

Following her peformance, Tems accepted the Breakthrough Award from Savannah James, who said that Future‘s Grammy-winning Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Wait for U,” featuring Drake and Tems, is her “personal favorite.” Tems said she had prepared a speech for the evening, but “I have forgotten everything completely,” she admitted before one fan screeched, “You’re the best!” and more applause followed. “One thing that’s uniquely special to me is that I’m in a room full of amazing women and I’m standing with a continent behind me, I’m standing with the people behind me, and it makes me feel like I’m part of something just being in this room.”

Tems dedicated her award to “the first woman I ever met,” her mother, who broke with Yoruba tradition by choosing her daughter’s name Témìládè Openiyi — a role typically reserved for the father’s side of the family — because “God told me,” Tems’ mother explained on For Broken Ears’ “Témìládè Interlude.“

Growing up, “everybody just called me Temi. Nobody really called me by my full name. It wasn’t something that was on my mind,” Tems previously told Billboard. “It’s only now, as an adult, that I started realizing that it meant ‘the crown is mine.’ I think that’s really powerful. It feels manifested, based on how my life has gone.“

“I really want to use this opportunity to say to all the women in the room, in the world, that no matter what you’re going through, you should know you’re not alone. So even when you’re sad, even when you’re angry, there’s someone that’s angry, too. So uplift everybody around you because they need that like you and somebody’s there for you,” she concluded her speech. “It’s the women that got the women, trust me.”

07 Mar 2024

Katy Perry Introduces Executive of the Year Michelle Jubelirer as a ‘Beacon for Artists’ at Billboard Women in Music 2024

Katy Perry made a surprise appearance at the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards on Wednesday (March 7) to present the award of Executive of the Year to her longtime champion and label chief Michelle Jubelirer.

“I am so grateful to be here today to celebrate my dear friend and my iced latte hiking buddy Michelle Jubelirer,” Perry said. “She has been a beacon for artists, nurturing their talents and supporting their personal growth. She heard me, she saw me, she created space for me, even supported me through my journey of motherhood.”

This was Jubelirer’s first speech since she decided to leave her post as CEO and chair of Capitol Music Group on Feb. 6, amidst the drastic restructuring of UMG’s recorded music division. The storied record label has since been folded into the new umbrella Interscope Capitol Labels Group and many staff members have been let go since her departure.

“This has been a very tough period in the music business,” Jubelirer said. “Countless numbers of people have suddenlylosttheirlivelihoods … and this means that dozens of artists have lost their champions. Relationships are everything. It takes tremendous faith for artists to entrust their music to others. To have built those relationships only to see them abruptly end is more than disconcerting for an artist; it’s heartbreaking.”

“Even though I am no longer peering out the top floor window of the Capitol tower,” she said, “my diamond heart leads my mission. I will always be a fierce advocate for artists and promise to put real and meaningful action behind the words I’ve spoken tonight.”

Jubelirer also addressed misogyny in her speech, saying: “Do these comments sound familiar? ‘You’re too emotional.’ ‘You don’t have to be so direct when you talk.’ We all know that’s code for: ‘Stop being a bitch.’ ‘You should smile more’ — that’s one of my personal favorites. We’ve all heard these glib phrases and countless others throughout our careers. … But I wholeheartedly believe that I relate to artists differently because I am a woman. I have a stronger connection with my colleagues because I am a woman. I am able to make decisions that consider a wider range of factors because I am a woman.”

She continued: “This approach informed the culture we built at Capitol Music Group, and we achieved historic success operating in this manner. So yes, I am a better leader because I am a woman.”

Jubelirer joined Capitol in early 2013 after a fruitful career as an artist attorney to talent like Tyler, the Creator, M.I.A., Frank Ocean, Pharrell and more. By 2015, she rose to become COO to Steve Barnett, the then-CEO of CMG, which also encompassed Motown, Blue Note, Astralwerks and, until recently, indie distributor Virgin Music. She remained on as COO and president under Barnett’s successor, Jeff Vaughn, who spent about a year in the role, before the role was handed to Jubelirer at the end of 2021. She was the first female chief executive in Capitol’s 80-plus-year history.

“The challenges [I inherited at Capitol] were plentiful,” Jubelirer admitted in her interview for Billboard‘s Women in Music issue. CMG faced a falling market share, staff turnover, pandemic challenges and an unwieldy artist roster. “The truth is, a lot of change happened in a short period of time.”

But under her reign, Capitol’s fortunes quickly began to turn. The company signed Ice Spice (with 10K Projects), released the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Unholy” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras, worked with UMe to release the Beatles’ AI-powered single “Now and Then,” and went viral multiple times over, including with Doechii’s “What It Is (Block Boy).”

In 2023, Capitol earned a 6.66% market share in the U.S., including a 5.90% current market share — which measures releases from the past 18 months — which was fifth among all labels for the full year. Both numbers were up significantly over her first year as CEO/chair in 2022, when Capitol’s overall market share stood at 6.40% and current market share was 4.97%.

07 Mar 2024

Maren Morris Performs ‘Girl’ & Thanks Women Who ‘Held Me Upright’ This Year at Billboard Women in Music

Maren Morris delivered an inspiring — and very fitting — rendition of her 2019 No. 1 Country Airplay hit “Girl” before accepting the Visionary Award at the Billboard Women in Music celebration Wednesday night (March 6) at YouTube Theater in Inglewood, Calif.

Accompanying herself on guitar, and backed only by a guitarist and keyboardist (“Girl” co-writer Greg Kurstin), Morris advised “Don’t you lose your halo” in the song that serves as a pep talk to herself and all women who despair when they compare themselves to others, instead of focusing on their own gifts.

Accepting her award from Andra Day, Morris then delighted the audience by admitting that she didn’t consider herself a visionary, but joked, “I have visions. I have delusions. So I appreciate getting a trophy for them.”

Morris, who previously received the Billboard’s Breakthrough Award at the 2016 Women in Music ceremony, thanked the women in her circle for helping her through the past year, which saw the Grammy winner break ties with the country music community and go through a divorce from Ryan Hurd. “I would not have been able to survive this past year of my life, not to get too serious, but this year has been a lot and the women in my life have truly banded around me and held me upright,” she said. 

She also praised her largely female team, including manager Janet Weir, for taking her dreams and making them come true. “My favorite thing about my team, and just women in general — our visions, our ideas, our crazy theories, whatever it is — our ideas don’t just sit in a voice note. We figure out how to execute them on the phone with each other the next day and we make them real. I feel like we’re the best at that.”

Morris ended her speech with a nod to her fellow honorees and her plans for the rest of the night. “Everyone that’s getting honored tonight deserves it so much. I’m a fan of all of them,” she shared. “I’m just excited to have a drink after this and enjoy the rest of show.”

Watch her performance of “Girl” above and her acceptance speech below:

07 Mar 2024

PinkPantheress Says She Never Thought She’d Be Recognized as a Producer at Billboard Women in Music

Despite her prowess behind a board, electronic artist PinkPantheress admits it took her a long time to give herself credit as a producer.

While accepting the Producer of the Year honor at the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards on Wednesday (March 6) in Inglewood, Calif., the 22-year-old artist shared that she wrote and sang over recognizable beats as an anonymous artist before she started adding her own touches and finally realized she was doing the work of producing her own music.

“Only as my music started to develop did I think of adding my own drums, my own keys, until I was making some beats from scratch,” PinkPantheress said. “That’s when I finally felt comfortable calling myself a producer.” 

PinkPantheress was visibly nervous as an enthusiastic crowd cheered her on. She received the accolade from singer and actress Coco Jones at the YouTube Theater, revealing at the start of her speech that “I never thought I’d be recognized as a producer.” 

She began her speech by stating she wanted to mention her roots as a producer and explained, “I was at university in a dorm room – oh my heart’s beating really quickly – when I decided there was no way graduating university was going to make me happy in the long run. But I was simultaneously too shy to admit that I wanted to be a musician. Because of this, I had to make music in private.”

With her first mixtape released in 2021 and her debut studio album in 2023, PinkPantheress has already made a name for herself in those few years since attending university, picking up only the second producer of the year award at this year’s ceremony. The inaugural producer of the year award went to Rosalia – who PinkPantheress called “my queen” — in 2023. The English artist was honored in the March 2 issue of Billboard for her production work on her 2023 debut album Heaven Knows, as well as early viral single “Pain” and her 2023 hit “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2” with Ice Spice. 

“As a woman of color in electronic music, specifically two step and drum and bass,” PinkPantheress said from the stage, “it has taken a lot in the genre to be recognized on a wider scale. A lot of people didn’t expect me to look the way I did, making the music I was making. Even now, people don’t want to take my music seriously, but I am happy that I have the opportunity to be recognized in this specific field by the Billboard Women in Music Awards.” 

07 Mar 2024

Billboard Women in Music 2024: Photos From the Show

The 2024 Billboard Women in Music brought together today’s brightest female stars for a night of celebration at Los Angeles’ YouTube Theater on Wednesday night (March 6). The ceremony featured jaw-dropping performances as well as heartfelt speeches as the evening’s honorees accepted their awards.

“I’m super happy,” this year’s Woman of the Year, Karol G, told Billboard before the event on the red carpet. “It’s the most significant award or recognition that I can get in my life. I always fight a lot being a woman in this industry, and to have Woman of the Year is kind of crazy; it’s a lot of responsibility but it’s… I don’t know, Im super proud of my team, of my family, of the people that trusted me, of the women that worked so much.”

The superstar also took the stage to perform “Amguara” before accepting her honor. Powerhouse Charli XCX performed an unreleased track, Impact Award recipient Young Miko delivered a duet of “Curita” with Demi Lovato, Visionary Maren Morris stripped down her hit “Girls” during the ceremony, Group of the Year NewJeans mashed up “ETA” and “Super Shy,” Rising Star Victoria Monet took the stage to perform “On My Mama,” Breakthrough artist Tems took the stage showing off her power, and Global Force Luisa Sonza represented Brazil with her performance.

Other superstars who received awards but did not perform include Ice Spice (Hitmaker), Kylie Minogue (Icon), Michelle Jubelirer (Executive of the Year), PinkPantheress (Producer of the Year, presented by Bose), Sarah Geronimo (Global Force) and Annalisa (Global Force).

For fans who weren’t at the show in person, you can watch a full stream of the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards on Thursday, March 7, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on billboardwomeninmusic.com. See below for all the photos from the Billboard Women in Music Awards ceremony.

07 Mar 2024

Billboard’s 2024 Women in Music Global Force Honorees

In addition to the many female artists and executives honored at the Billboard Women in Music Awards this year, several women have been selected by Billboard outlets around the world to receive recognition as Global Forces in the industry.

Spanning Argentina, Brazil, China, Georgia, Italy and the Philippines, these visionaries are singers, songwriters, instrumentalists and producers making groundbreaking contributions to the music industry. Each of them will be spotlighted at the Thursday (March 7) Women in Music ceremony, presented by Marriott Bonvoy and hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross at the YouTube Theatre in Los Angeles.

The event’s billing also includes Karol G, Billboard’s 2024 Woman of the Year as well as this year’s Powerhouse honoree, Charli XCX, Hitmaker prizewinner Ice Spice and Icon titleholder Kylie Minogue. Maren Morris will accept the Visionary award, NewJeans will take home Group of the Year presented by Coke Studio, PinkPantheress is Producer of the Year presented by Bose and Tems is 2024’s Breakthrough star.

Plus, Victoria Monet will be honored with the Rising Star title presented by Honda, and Young Miko will receive the Impact Award from American Express.

Fans can watch the show at 5pm PT/8pm ET March 7 at billboardwomeninmusic.com.

Ready to meet the seven women who are Billboard’s 2024 Global Force honorees? Keep reading to learn more about Sherine Abdel-Wahab, Annalisa, Maria Becerra, Sarah Geronimo, Nini Nutsubidze, Tia Ray and Luísa Sonza below. You can see photos of all the stars on the 2024 Billboard Women in Music red carpet here.

07 Mar 2024

NewJeans Hints at New Music: ‘We’re Preparing & We’re Practicing Hard’

NewJeans brought the fun to Billboard’s Women in Music event on Wednesday night (March 6), where they took the stage to perform a high-energy mash-up of “OMG” and their viral hit, “Super Shy,” before accepting the Group of the Year award.

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Earlier in the night, the group stopped by to chat with Billboard on the red carpet, where they were asked about touring and new music plans. “We can’t spoil too much, but I’m just going to say that we’re preparing and we’re practicing hard,” Danielle subtly revealed. “We can’t wait to share new music with everyone. We’re really looking forward to it.”

On whether or not they knew “Super Shy” was going to be a hit, the girls agreed that they loved the song from the start. “When we first heard it, we were all like, ‘This is so catchy,’” Danielle said, before Hanni added, “It was stuck in our heads when we were making it.”

Danielle continued, “It’s really the choreography and the feel of everyone dancing together and having fun, that really makes it a song that’s like, ‘We’re together. We can do this together.’”

In 2023, Get Up — the group’s sophomore EP — debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (chart dated Aug. 5, 2023), edging out the star-studded Barbie soundtrack by just 500 units. Get Up also hit No. 1 on Top Album Sales, Tastemaker Albums and World Albums (10 weeks).

Watch Billboard‘s full red carpet interview with NewJeans at Billboard Women in Music above.

07 Mar 2024

Country Music Association Reveals Recipients for 14th Triple Play Awards

The Country Music Association has revealed the recipients of the 14th annual CMA Triple Play Awards, which celebrate songwriters who write three No. 1 songs within a 12-month period, based on Billboard‘s Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs charts, as well as the Country Aircheck chart.

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This year features seven honorees: Ashley Gorley (a three-time recipient this year, for contributing to nine No. 1 hits over the 12-month period), Charlie Handsome, Jelly Roll, Chase McGill, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt and Thomas Rhett. Celebrating their first CMA Triple Play Award wins this year are Jelly Roll and Schmidt. Gorley remains the most decorated recipient, receiving his 21st, 22nd and 23rd CMA Triple Play Awards. 

Chairman/CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group Nashville, and CMA Board member Troy Tomlinson will be feted with the CMA songwriter advocate award, which honors an individual who has made significant contributions and dedicated their life to supporting and advancing the careers of songwriters and the art of songwriting. Among the artists Tomlinson has championed are Kelsea Ballerini, Casey Beathard, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Dean Dillon, Tom Douglas, Miranda Lambert, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, Thomas Rhett, Hank Williams and others. Tomlinson has also served organizations including Nashville Songwriters Association International, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Board of Officers and Trustees, and Belmont University. 

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“Since I was about six years old, songs have painted pictures that helped me both escape and embrace life,” Tomlinson said in a statement. “To have spent the past four decades supporting and advocating for the world’s greatest songwriters has been nothing less than an honor and a privilege. Being honored by CMA at this point in my life is extraordinarily rewarding and humbling.” 

The CMA Triple Play Awards will be held Monday, April 15, in Nashville, and hosted by songwriter and CMA Board member Jim Beavers.

See this year’s CMA Triple Play Award honorees, as well as the songs they are being celebrated for, below:

Jelly Roll 
“Son of a Sinner,” recorded by Jelly Roll 
“Need a Favor,” recorded by Jelly Roll 
“Save Me,” recorded by Jelly Roll featuring Lainey Wilson 

Ashley Gorley 
“She Had Me at Heads Carolina,” recorded by Cole Swindell 
“You Proof,” recorded by Morgan Wallen 
“Last Night,” recorded by Morgan Wallen 
“What He Didn’t Do,” recorded by Carly Pearce 
“Gold,” recorded by Dierks Bentley 
“Girl in Mine,” recorded by Parmalee 
“Thinkin’ Bout Me,” recorded by Morgan Wallen 
“God Gave Me a Girl,” recorded by Russell Dickerson 
“World on Fire,” recorded by Nate Smith   

Charlie Handsome 
“Wasted on You,” recorded by Morgan Wallen 
“You Proof,” recorded by Morgan Wallen 
“Last Night,” recorded by Morgan Wallen 

Chase McGill 
“With a Woman You Love,” recorded by Justin Moore 
“5 Foot 9,” recorded by Tyler Hubbard 
“Next Thing You Know,” recorded by Jordan Davis 

Hunter Phelps 
“Best Thing Since Backroads,” recorded by Jake Owen 
“New Truck,” recorded by Dylan Scott 
“Wait in the Truck,” recorded by HARDY featuring Lainey Wilson 

Jordan Schmidt 
“Wait in the Truck,” recorded by HARDY featuring Lainey Wilson 
“Bury Me in Georgia,” recorded by Kane Brown 
“Watermelon Moonshine,” recorded by Lainey Wilson 

Thomas Rhett 
“Half of Me,” recorded by Thomas Rhett featuring Riley Green 
“Angels (Don’t Always Have Wings),” recorded by Thomas Rhett 
“Stars Like Confetti,” recorded by Dustin Lynch 

07 Mar 2024

Cool It Now: New Edition to Be Honored at 2024 NAACP Image Awards

New Edition will be inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame during the 55th NAACP Image Awards, which will air live on Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS. Queen Latifah is set to host the show.

New Edition is the seventh group to receive this honor, following The Four Tops, The O’Jays, The Temptations, The Dells, Earth, Wind & Fire and The Isley Brothers.

R&B singer and songwriter Frankie Beverly will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award during the NAACP Image Awards Dinner, which will be held on Thursday, March 14 in Los Angeles. The award is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to civil and human rights in addition to their contributions in the entertainment industry.

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“It is our distinct honor to celebrate New Edition and Frankie Beverly – two musical icons that have been instrumental in shaping our cultural landscape with their remarkable talent and enduring influence,” NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement. “We recognize the power of their artistry in showcasing the enduring power of Black excellence in the arts.”

Connie Orlando, EVP specials, music programming & music strategy at BET, added: “New Edition and Frankie Beverly’s influence has laid the foundation for modern R&B, shaping the genre’s sonic landscape and resonance in numerous ways. … We are thrilled to celebrate these musical luminaries, whose melodies are intricately woven into the very fabric of our culture.”

Both acts have received Lifetime Achievement Awards on the separate BET Awards. Beverly’s group, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, received the honor in 2012. New Edition was honored five years later. In addition, BET aired the miniseries The New Edition Story (produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment), which aired over three nights in January 2017.

New Edition landed five No. 1 hits on what is now Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the 1980s and ’90s: “Candy Girl,” “Cool It Now,” “Mr. Telephone Man,” “Can You Stand the Rain” and “Hit Me Off.” In addition, group members Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill, Ralph Tresvant and the members of spinoff group Bell Biv DeVoe (Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe) have achieved success on their own. New Edition’s The Culture Tour was named the top R&B concert of 2022. Most recently the group has embarked on a residency at the Wynn Las Vegas.

Maze featuring Frankie Beverly had a pair of No. 1 hits on what is now Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in the ’80s – “Back in Stride” and “Can’t Get Over You.” The group had 29 hits on that chart between 1977 and 1994. Remarkably, Beverly was the sole author of every single one of them. In 2019, Beyoncé covered Beverly’s 1981 hit with Maze, “Before I Let Go,” on Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé and in her corresponding album, Homecoming: The Live Album. Beyoncé was born two weeks after Maze’s record entered what is now known as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, a sign of the staying power of Beverly’s songs.

Both New Edition and Beverly have been under-recognized by the Grammy Awards. New Edition received just one Grammy nod — best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal for “If It Isn’t Love” 35 years ago. Beverly has never been nominated for a Grammy – on his own or with Maze.

NAACP will recognize winners in non–televised Image Awards categories from March 11-13 on its website, during the Awards Dinner on March 14 and Fashion Show on March 15.

07 Mar 2024

How to Watch the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards

The 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards is officially in the books, with Karol G, Ice Spice, Charli XCX and more groundbreaking female artists all receiving honors Wednesday night (March 6) at YouTube Theater in Los Angeles. And now, it’s the public’s turn to get in on the fun. 

Though the ceremony wasn’t livestreamed this year, fans all over the world can watch their faves accept honors recognizing their contributions to the music industry, as the full show is set to stream online just one day after the celebration wrapped.  

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Tune in Thursday (March 7) on billboardwomeninmusic.com at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT to watch the show, which includes performances from NewJeans, Maren Morris, Charli XCX and more. 

This year’s Women in Music Awards, presented by Marriott Bonvoy and hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross, saw many powerful women taking home awards such as Woman of the Year, which went to Karol G. Ice Spice accepted the Hitmaker title and Charli XCX was named 2024’s Powerhouse, while Annalisa, Luísa Sonza, Sarah Geronimo and more international icons were honored as Global Forces, and several female executives were spotlighted for paving the way behind the scenes. 

Plus, Kylie Minogue was selected as this year’s Icon winner, Maren Morris accepted the Visionary award, NewJeans was named Group of the Year presented by Coke Studio, and Pinkpantheress received Producer of the Year presented by Bose. Tems was crowned 2024’s Breakthrough artist, Victoria Monét was named Rising Star presented by Honda, and Young Miko took home the Impact Award presented by American Express. 

Presenters included Andra Day, GloRilla, Ellie Goulding, JoJo, Coco Jones, Bebe Rexha, Saweetie and Lainey Wilson. Stars such as Katy Perry were among the many A-listers who caught up with Lilly Singh and Billboard‘s own Rania Aniftos on the red carpet.  

For more information about the BillboardWomen in Music Awards, visit billboardwomeninmusic.com.