Awards
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Becky G was honored on Wednesday night (March 1) with the American Express Impact award at 2023 Billboard Women in Music.
The bilingual crossover star also brought Latinidad flair to the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles during the show by performing a solo rendition of her Karol G collab “Mamiii” while flanked by a guitarist, percussionist and two backing vocalists. “Lo que no sirve, que no estorbe/ Te metiste autogol por torpe/ Te quedó grande este torque/ Ya no estoy pa que de mí te enamores, baby/ Sin visa ni pasaporte/ Mandé tu falso amor de vacaciones,” she sang in Spanish.
The singer later got teary-eyed as she accepted this year’s Impact award from Dove Cameron. “Let’s talk about my friend Becky G,” the Vengeance actress said while introducing her pal. “Her music is incredible, spans multiple languages and keeps racking up the hits.”
From there, Cameron ran through Becky’s litany of recent accomplishments, including five career top 10s on the Hot Latin Songs chart, her first No. 1 on the Latin Pop Albums chart (thanks to her 2022 sophomore full-length Esquemas) and more than two billion U.S. streams (per Luminate), before touting the reasons Becky G is this year’s Impact honoree.
“A second-generation Mexican-American, Becky G has made it a point to represent her community and celebrate Latinidad culture and 200 percenters through her music, her beauty brand and her new production company, which will focus on storytelling [in] underrepresented communities,” Cameron explained.
“She has donated funds from merchandise to help underprivileged students from Los Angeles access digital technology to attend online classes, used her platform to support Black Lives Matter and Dreamers and was a co-chair of Michelle Obama’s voter registration nonprofit When We All Vote,” she continued. “The word ‘impact’ can mean so much to so many and there is no one who is more deserving than this tonight.”
TWICE basked in the spotlight for its performance of “Moonlight Sunrise” at Billboard’s 2023 Women in Music event held at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles on Wednesday (March 1).
As the performance kicked off, images of each of the members flashed on giant screens amid shots of gorgeous sunrises. As the screens lifted to reveal the K-pop group in matching black outfits, TWICE dazzled the audience — which was packed with screaming ONCE — with spot-on choreography throughout the sweet set.
The song — off upcoming mini album Ready to Be — is the K-pop group’s second English-language single; the first was “The Feels,” which arrived in October 2021. “Moonlight Sunrise,” released in January, debuted and peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 84 on the Feb. 4-dated chart. Predecessor “The Feels” arrived and topped out one spot better – at No. 83 on the Oct. 16, 2021-dated tally — it was also the group’s first song to crack the Hot 100.
Earlier in the evening, TWICE – comprised of Chaeyoung, Nayeon, Tzuyu, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun and Jeongyeon – were honored with the Billboard 2023 Women in Music Breakthrough Award, which Sabrina Carpenter presented to the K-pop stars.
“I was especially thrilled they were being recognized because I’m a really big stan,” the “Nonsense” singer admitted to the audience. “They’re so talented, and now I consider myself a ONCE, which is what half this room is! I really hope this award will expose them to a wider U.S. audience.”
After the group took the stage to accept the honor, Chaeyoung held the award and was first to speak. “Receiving Breakthrough Artist at Billboard Women in Music is the most magical way to start our year,” she began. “Ever since we became TWICE, we believed in each other to always be together when taking a step toward our future. This moment is especially meaningful because all nine of us are standing here together in front of our fans who made our dreams come true. This title Breakthrough Artist proves that if you confidently push for your dream, people who support you will always be your team, you will break through.”
Added Tzuyu: “This accomplishment will forever motivate us to challenge ourselves to break more barriers.”
In an interview with Billboard ahead of the event, TWICE shared their thoughts on their rising global success despite language differences. “I think it’s the songs of ours that carry TWICE’s color rather than the language in which the song is sung,” Jihyo said at the time. “I don’t think the language is that relevant in carrying out TWICE’s [identity].”
Chaeyoung added that their songwriters know each of women’s personalities and strengths well, so are able to better craft tunes for the group. “They really express our personalities well, so I think that really establishes our style,” she shared. “That’s why it carries over different languages.”
And while they’ve now been named Billboard’s Breakthrough artist and have started making their way onto the Hot 100, TWICE is aiming high for the future. Said Chaeyoung to Billboard earlier: ““My personal goal going forward is to top the [Hot 100].”
After a night spent honoring some of this year’s most impactful female musicians, Lana Del Rey closed out the 2023 Billboard Women in Music list of awards recipients Wednesday (March 1) by accepting the night’s Visionary Award, well-earned after 14 years and nine genre-defining studio albums.
Last year’s Woman of the Year Olivia Rodrigo was on hand to present the 37-year-old singer-songwriter with the Visionary Award, with Lana mouthing “I love you so much” to the “Deja Vu” singer from her seat in the audience before taking the stage to deliver her acceptance speech.
“I can’t tell you how much it means that someone who wrote ‘Drivers License’ is standing next to me,” Lana said after Rodrigo handed her the award, before shouting out this year’s Woman of the Year: “SZA, from the minute I heard you, I knew I wanted to know you.”
“I don’t exactly have a long-term vision at all, but if you were curious, I am very, very happy,” Lana continued during the speech. “When I released my first album 14 years ago, the waters were not quite as warm. I’m really happy for everyone who feels like it’s a wonderful time in the culture to be themselves and express themselves. It didn’t feel that way in 2008.”
“I feel like being happy is the ultimate goal, so I did it,” she concluded. “Thank you, Billboard!”
After hitting a career high No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Snow On The Beach,” her Midnights collaboration with Taylor Swift, and donating a celestial original song to Euphoria’s Season 2 soundtrack, the indie pop auteur is now gearing up to release her next album Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd — her fourth record in under four years — on March 24. The two singles to be released so far off the project, “A&W” and its title track, are peak Lana: ethereal, gloomy, jarring and, well, visionary.
“Eleven years ago I wanted it to be so good,” she told Billboard of the new album in her Women in Music interview. “Now, I just sing exactly what I’m thinking. I’m thinking a little less big and bombastic. Maybe at some point I can have fun creating a world again, but right now, I would say there’s no world building. This music is about thought processing. It’s very, very wordy. I’m definitely living from the neck up.”
King Stingray wins the 18th annual Australian Music Prize, with the indie-rock outfit’s self-titled debut LP.
When their name was announced Wednesday (March 1) during a ceremony in Sydney, the Stingers, as they’re affectionately known in these parts, collected the $30,000 ($21,000) champion’s check, courtesy of major sponsor Soundmerch.
The AMP, which recognizes the outstanding creative Australian album of the past year, is the latest accolade for a band very much on the rise.
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Hailing from the Northern Territory, the Stingers are the reigning Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist winner at the 2022 ARIA Awards, and five tracks from the album impacted the triple j Hottest 100 countdown, making it one of the most successful Australian debuts in the poll’s history.
Also, the record led double j’s 50 best albums of 2022 list, and the group got a shout-out from prime minister Anthony Albanese, who chose album cut “Get Me Out” as his favorite song of the year.
Growing up in Yirrkala in north-east Arnhem Land, founding members Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu (frontman) and Roy Kellaway (guitar) formed King Stingray with friends Dimathaya Burarrwanga (rhythm guitar backing vocals and yidaki), Campbell Messer (bass) and Lewis Stiles (drums) in 2019. Last year, the group welcomed Yidaki-master Yimila Gurruwiwi into the fold.
King Stingray’s Kellaway and Burarrwanga accepted the AMP at the Oxford Art Factory in central Sydney.
“We’re so unbelievably stoked to have won the 18th AMP,” they said. “We had so much fun making this record and we just hope that listeners can hear the joy that we had making it, as well as feel the joy for themselves.”
The lads beat out a shortlist of albums by the likes of Sampa The Great, Julia Jacklin, and Tasman Keith.
“It really means the world to us to hear people enjoying the album,” the Stingers said, as they went on to thank their supporters and professional network.
A limited edition vinyl repress of King Stingray (via Cooking Vinyl/The Orchard) is due out March 24, and is sure to be a hot item.
The AMP is modeled on Britain’s Mercury Music Prize and Canada’s Polaris Prize, with a longlist of 490 eligible Australian albums individually reviewed this year by a panel of music experts.
Genesis Owusu’s lauded collection Smiling With No Teeth won the prize last time.
The shortlist of the 18th Soundmerch AMP:1300 – Foreign LanguageBody Type – Everything Is Dangerous But Nothing’s SurprisingCamp Cope – Running With The HurricaneJulia Jacklin – Pre PleasureKing Stingray – King Stingray –WINNERLaura Jean – AmateursParty Dozen – The Real WorkSampa The Great – As Above, So BelowTasman Keith – A Colour Undone
Sylvia Rhone, the CEO and chairwoman of Epic Records, was recognized as Billboard’s 2023 Women In Music Executive of the Year on Wednesday (March 1) at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles.
She was presented the award by Fatima Robinson, who praised Rhone for using her position to fight for hip-hop and paving a way for women in the industry. “You are magic, a force, an alchemist a savant of creative artistry and an inspiration to all women,” Robinson said. “Thank you for all the glass ceilings you have conquered.”
Rhone — who was named Epic Records’ CEO and chairwoman in April 2019, making her the first Black industry executive and woman to hold the dual title at a major record label – gave a that expressed her passion for her career, and for some of her fellow honorees of the evening, including SZA (Woman of the Year) and Rosalia (inaugural Producer of the Year).
“It’s a true privilege to be honored with these women in music – special shoutout to SZA because you changed the game for R&B music, and R&B music is where I come from, and we’re back!” Rhone said excitedly. “And Rosalia particularly because that’s a historic win to be producer of the year.”
The executive also discussed her time in the music industry. “I’m still as excited about the business today as I was over 40 years ago because it’s simply, simply my passion,” she shared, also highlighting how proud she is to run a label where more than 50 percent of senior leadership is female and people of color.
As for her promotion to Epic’s CEO and chairwoman, Rhone previously told Billboard that she had to set aside any worries that she wouldn’t succeed in the role, and found the courage to forge ahead. “I concluded that this was my chance, my time,” she said. “And that’s the takeaway I would share with whoever has that doubt: Always believe in yourself and your worth.”
This year’s event was hosted by Emmy-winning writer and actress Quinta Brunson of Abbott Elementary. The 2023 Women In Music honorees include SZA, who was recognized as Billboard’s Woman of the Year; Chartbreaker Kim Petras; American Express’ Impact Award winner Becky G; Lana Del Rey, who received the Visionary Award; Producer of the Year Latto; and K-pop group Twice for the Breakthrough Award.
SZA capped off an astonishing run of critical acclaim and commercial success by accepting the Woman of the Year award at the 2023 Billboard Women In Music ceremony, taking the stage to accept the trophy from Coi Leray on Wednesday night (Mar. 1).
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After Leray called SZA an “amazing soul” and then introduced a pre-recorded congrats from SZA’s “Special” remix pal Lizzo (“You are the real deal! Such a genuine human being,” Lizzo said), SZA took the stage to rapturous applause, and was beaming as she accepted her trophy. After thanking God, her parents, her team and label, SZA revealed that she wanted to keep her acceptance speech as natural as possible.
“I didn’t write anything, but that’s also not who I am,” SZA said. “I’m a very off-the-dome kind of person, and I guess what I wanted to say is like, there’s so many women in this room right now that I respect so deeply. This could have been any of us in this room.”
SZA proceeded to shout out several of the 2023 Women In Music honorees, from Doechii to Lana Del Rey to Latto, and then talked about how appearing ultra-confident is often a misconception projected upon artists. “I used to feel like I didn’t belong,” SZA admitted, “but I realized that the key is to stay open and available for whatever the universe or God wants to do with your life.
“I really just want my life to be more than music,” she continued, “to be more than an artist. I want to serve others, I want to serve people, I want to be open and available for whatever God wants for me, and saying yes to everything that’s scary, to everything that feels like it’s not for you or where you don’t belong, is really the only way where we walk through those doors.”
SZA concluded with a powerful affirmation: “You just have to say yes to the possibility,” she said. “And thank y’all for saying yes to me.”
The Woman of the Year honor arrives during a week in which SZA’s sophomore album, SOS, spends a 10th nonconsecutive week atop the Billboard 200, becoming just the eighth album since 2010 to notch double-digit weeks at No. 1 on the chart. The blockbuster full-length has also spawned SZA’s biggest solo hit to date — “Kill Bill,” which has peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart — and has turned the R&B star into an arena headliner, with her tour in support of SOS kicking off last month.
“It really scares me,” SZA told Billboard during her Woman of the Year interview, when asked what the award means to her. “But I really want to do something with my time in the sun right now. There’s so much I want to do for other people. I need to do something to deserve that in a way that has nothing to do with me, something that’s selfless and uplifts other women, people, period. It makes me feel more responsible than I was before. I feel like I owe everyone so much more than just smiling and getting onstage and waving. Part of it I know is just letting God use me and be myself and letting that be part of the work. But I know that there’s something more that I have to do.”
SZA was previously given the Rulebreaker Award at Billboard Women In Music in 2018. She now joins recent Woman of the Year recipients like Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B, Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande.
Twenty years after entering the Billboard charts for the first time with “Quiero Bailar” (2003), Ivy Queen was honored with the Women In Music Icon award at the 2023 Billboard Women in Music on Wednesday (March 1).
The 50-year-old Puerto Rican rapper — who to date has 20 entries on Latin Rhythm Airplay chart, among other accolades — was presented with the coveted award by Bad Bunny, who during his presentation said he is the artist he is today because he has a part of Ivy Queen in his musical DNA. “She gave me the strength to be myself and to work double,” he said.
“As a fan of reggaetón, I’ve waited a long time for this moment,” he continued, “and I think that in 2023 is the time where more female reggaeton exponents exist, and I’m sure it’s because of the root that Ivy planted a long time ago.”
Dazzling in an all-silver, body-hugging gown, Queen accepted the award, giving an empowering speech.
“When I fell in love with music I found myself constanly battling to earn my spot, to earn my own lane, and to find my own identity between the guys,” she said. “The movement was underground, then turned reggaeton. I traveled around the island of Puerto Rico measuring my skills against male MCs. Bars became my self-defense mechanism. Through lyrics, I encouraged other Latinas that stand around me to stand for themself and also to not stay quiet when something hurts. I call upon all the Latin and industry women to not allow others to split us and divide us no more. … Let’s stay authentic, let’s stay healthy, let’s walk with grace, let’s laugh more but also remember that beauty is a mental attitude, and with that said, please, ladies, do not go to bed with makeup tonight, OK?”
In addition to Ivy, this year’s honorees included SZA (Billboard’s Woman of the Year); Becky G (Impact Award); Lana Del Rey (Visionary Award); Kim Petras (Chartbreaker Award); Latto (Powerhouse Award); Honda’s Rising Star Doechii; Lainey Wilson (Rulebreaker); Rosalia (Bose’s Producer of the Year Award); and K-pop group TWICE (Breakthrough Award).
Billboard’s annual Women in Music awards returned Wednesday (March 1) for the 2023 edition to honor the most influential powerhouses – including artists, creators, producers and executives — in music today who are contributing to the industry and community. The ceremony took place at the YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles, and was hosted by award-winning writer-actress Quinta Brunson.
Billboard Women in Music honors executives, artists and power players who have worked against the odds to succeed in a male-dominated business (and any way you crunch the numbers, that’s just a fact). But few of the 2023 honorees have had a path like Ivy Queen. With tenacity and talent, the Puerto Rican singer not only made a name for herself in the predominantly male world of reggaetón in the ‘90s but established herself as one of the genre’s all-time icons.
So it’s only fitting that at the 2023 Billboard Women in Music event, Ivy Queen is honored with the Icon Award. After a surprise introduction from Bad Bunny – Billboard’s Top Artist of 2022 – at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles on Wednesday (March 1), Ivy Queen took the stage.
“When I fell in love with music, I found myself constantly battling to find my own lane, spot and identity between the guys,” she told the Los Angeles crowd. “Bars became my self-defense mechanism.”
The diva also urged the crowd “not to stay quiet when something hurts.”
“In a world that tell us women we’re always being measured by looks, by body type and sometimes by beauty — and that we are getting not equally paid for having ovaries — I call upon all the Latin and American industry women to not allow others to split us and divide us.”
Ivy Queen ended her speech with a meaningful, philosophical and extremely useful piece of advice. “Beauty is a mental attitude; with that said, please, ladies, do not go to bed with your makeup on.”
Lainey Wilson took the 2023 Billboard Women in Music stage Wednesday night (March 1) to perform her hit song “Heart Like a Truck” before accepting this year’s Rulebreaker Award.
Looking stunning in gold bell-bottoms and a wide-brimmed hat — her signature look — the 30-year-old singer-songwriter sang a gorgeous, stripped-down version of her May 2022 single, which just this week reached a new Billboard Hot 100 peak at No. 29. She was accompanied simply by an acoustic guitarist and keyboardist.
The country crooner is fresh off her best new artist and female vocalist of the year victories at November’s CMA Awards, and is readying herself to join Luke Combs on his stadium tour this spring and summer. Last year, she made her acting debut on season five of western drama Yellowstone.
Wilson’s Yellowstone costar Piper Perabo presented her “determined and confident” friend with the Rulebreaker Award, which the “Wait in the Truck” musician accepted with a hug after her performance.
“This is absolutely insane,” Wilson said in her speech. “This award right here is for all the women who do things their way. The ones who are not afraid to go against the grain and paint outside of the lines. The ones who take ‘no’ on the nose and somehow turn it into a ‘yes.’”
“This s–t is not for the faint of heart,” she continued. “All the women who are coming on this stage and in this room here tonight being honored can testify.”
It’s not difficult to see why Wilson is the perfect recipient for this year’s Rulebreaker award, considering how she first got noticed by her record label: by singing a song about sticking up her middle finger. “I just got to a certain point where I’d been in Nashville for so long [and] my give-a-damn was a little busted,” she recalled in her Women in Music interview with Billboard. “I felt like, ‘Why not just say what I want to say how I want to say it?’ That’s one of the thoughts that really set me free.”
Doechii was honored as Billboard’s 2023 Women in Music Rising Star on Wednesday night (March 1) at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles.
During the awards show, the rapper performed a mash-up of two of her hits — delivering a sultry rendition of “Persuasive” and a rapid-fire, ferocious take on”Crazy” — before being presented with her award by her mother, Celesia Moore.
“Girl, I done danced my shoe off,” the rapper quipped while accepting her award with a broken shoe before marveling that she’s joined the ranks of Billboard Women in Music Rising Star awardees who have come before her, including Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga and Janelle Monáe.
In an interview with Billboard ahead of the show, the boundary-breaking Top Dawg Entertainment signee dished on her five-year plan for her career in the wake of “Persuasive” garnering 30 million on-demand streams in the U.S., per Luminate.
“By year five I want to be at my peak. I want to be in my Sasha Fierce era, the top of my game with still a long way to go — but I want to reach my prime and never leave it,” she said.
Doechii also promised that fans can expect a pivot in her sound when she releases her debut full-length project later this year. “It’s my pop era,” she said. “Usually I’m alone [in the studio], but these days I’ve been inviting people in. Usually I like people to send me beats and I’ll just listen through, but recently I’ve been working with producers like J White in person, which is cool. So my vibe is kind of changing; it’s a lot of energy. It feels like a party.”