Awards
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Selena Gomez, one of the stars of Emilia Pérez; second-generation comedy star Ben Stiller; and Joe Alwyn, one of the stars of The Brutalist (though probably still best-known by many as Taylor Swift’s ex) have been added to the list of presenters for the 2025 Oscars. The show will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu on Sunday, March 2, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
Other newly announced presenters are Sterling K. Brown, Willem Dafoe, Ana de Armas, Lily-Rose Depp, Goldie Hawn, Connie Nielsen and Oprah Winfrey.
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Previously announced presenters are Halle Berry, Penélope Cruz, Elle Fanning, Whoopi Goldberg, Scarlett Johansson, John Lithgow, Amy Poehler, June Squibb and Bowen Yang – as well as last year’s four acting winners: Cillian Murphy, Emma Stone, Robert Downey Jr. and Da’Vine Joy Randolph.
Hawn, Berry, Goldberg and Cruz are also past Oscar winners. In 2001, for her role in Monster’s Ball, Berry became the first Black actress to win best actress. These other stars won for best supporting actress – Hawn for Cactus Flower in 1970, Goldberg for Ghost in 1991 and Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona in 2009.
In 2011, Winfrey received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
Alwyn has had numerous film credits leading up to The Brutalist. He also appeared in The Favourite (2018), Boy Erased (2018), Mary Queen of Scots (2018) and Harriet (2019), among others.
Nick Offerman will serve as the announcer for this year’s Oscar telecast. Conan O’Brien will host for the first time.
The 97th Oscars will be held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu. The official live red-carpet show will air at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan are executive producers of the 2025 Oscars. Kapoor is also showrunner. He was also one of three executive producers for the Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, along with Ben Winston and Jesse Collins.
Paquita la del Barrio will be honored at Premio Lo Nuestro 2025 with an emotional performance by Pepe Aguilar and his children Leonardo y Ángela Aguilar, Billboard can exclusively announce Wednesday (Feb. 19).
The iconic Mexican ranchera singer, known for denouncing macho culture and attitudes in songs like “Tres Veces Te Engañé,” “Rata de Dos Patas” and “Las Rodilleras,” died this week at her home in Veracruz, Mexico, at age 77.
“Honoring the legacy of Paquita la del Barrio for me is a great responsibility and a true privilege. Her voice was an echo in the soul of our people, and her courage in telling stories paved the way for many generations,” Pepe Aguilar said in a statement, adding that he hopes “that this tribute is as significant with the depth of her spirit.”
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“Paquita la del Barrio taught us that a woman’s voice should never be silenced — she always sang what she felt, without fear and without excuses,” added Ángela Aguilar. “I had the incredible honor of opening her concerts when I was younger, witnessing firsthand the magic she created on stage. Having her as part of [my family’s show] Jaripeo Sin Fronteras was just as special — a true testament to the impact she has had on generations of artists.”
Meanwhile, Leonardo Aguilar expressed: “All my life I have been surrounded by powerful women — whose strength, resilience and passion have shaped who I am. Paquita la del Barrio personified that strength, breaking barriers and giving a voice to those who needed it most.”
With a career spanning over five decades, Paquita la del Barrio was an idol in popular music. In 2011, she received the Billboard Regional Mexican Music Award “La Voz,” and 10 years later, in 2021, she was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards for her exceptional career.
Born in Veracruz, Mexico, Francisca Viveros Barradas (her real name) discovered her powerful voice as a child while singing at school festivals. In the 1970s, she formed the duo Las Golondrinas with her sister Viola, and in 1984, she released her debut album, El Barrio de los Faroles, as Paquita la del Barrio. Since then, she recorded over 30 albums, which sold more than 30 million copies, with hits that also include “Las Mujeres Mandan,” “La Última Parada,” “Me Saludas a la Tuya,” “Soltero Maduro, Chiquito” and “Hombres Malvados,” among others.
In its 37th edition, the Premio Lo Nuestro ceremony will be broadcast live on Thursday (Feb. 20) starting at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT on Univision, UNIMÁS and ViX. Co-hosted by Laura Pausini, Thalia, and Alejandro Espinoza, it will feature performances by Becky G and Carín León, who lead this year’s list of nominees, as well as Shakira, Grupo Frontera, Marc Anthony, Will Smith and many more.
Central Cee, Ayra Starr and Vybz Kartel were all winners at the MOBO Awards (Music Of Black Origin) in Newcastle, England, on Tuesday evening (Feb. 18). The ceremony honors homegrown and international artists from diverse scenes including hip-hop, R&B, grime, jazz, and Afrobeats.
First held in 1996, the MOBOs were founded by Kanya King and Andy Ruffell to provide representation for Black artists at a dedicated ceremony. The awards were held every year up until 2017. Following a brief hiatus, they returned in 2021 and 2022, but took a fallow year in 2023 and resumed once again in 2024.
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Central Cee scooped the best male act prize for the second year in a row, and gave the Londoner his seventh MOBO trophy overall. The win puts him level with Stormzy as the most-decorated UK rapper in the Awards’ history.
British-Nigerian Afrobeats star Darkoo was victorious in the best female act category, earning the 23-year-old her debut MOBO Award. She also performed at the ceremony alongside Spice, Krept & Konan, Odeal, Nova Twins, Bashy and more.
The ceremony was hosted by comedian Eddie Kadi and Love Island star Indiyah Polack and broadcast live on YouTube. Highlights from the ceremony will air on BBC One on Friday evening (Feb. 21).
There were also wins in major categories for Bashy, who scooped best album for Being Poor Is Expensive, which featured in Billboard U.K.’s albums of the year list in December. Song of the year went to Darkoo for her Dess Dior collaboration “Favourite Girl,” while Benin-born, Nigeria-raised Ayra Starr won best international artist (the first African female to win the prize) and best African music act (the first female to win for 16 years).
Vybz Kartel won the honorary MOBO impact award, which in recent years has been awarded to pop trio Sugababes and boxer Frank Bruno. Ezra Collective prevailed in the best jazz category for the third time in their career; the London group are nominated for four awards at this year’s BRIT Awards on March 1.
In recent years the MOBOs has broadened its categories to recognise the contributions made by Black artists to the U.K’s rock scene and its club culture. At 2025’s ceremony, rock duo Alt Blk Era won the best alternative act, while DJ and producer TSHA picked up best dance act.
See the full winners of the MOBO Awards 2025 below.
Best male act
BashyWINNER: Central CeeD-Block EuropeGhettsNemzzzSampha
Best female act
Cleo Sol
WINNER: Darkoo
Jorja Smith
Little Simz
Nia Archives
Raye
Album of the year
WINNER: Bashy – Being Poor Is ExpensiveCleo Sol – GoldGhetts – On Purpose, With PurposeJorja Smith – Falling Or FlyingSampha – LahaiSkrapz – Reflection
Song of the year
Central Cee Feat. Lil Baby – “Band4band”
Chase & Status, Stormzy – “Backbone”
WINNER: Darkoo Feat. Dess Dior – “Favourite Girl”
Jordan Adetunji – “Kehlani”
Leostaytrill – “Pink Lemonade”
Odeal – “Soh-soh”
Best newcomer
Chy Cartier
Elmiene
Fimiguerrero
Flowerovlove
Jordan Adetunji
Len
Leostaytrill
Myles Smith
WINNER: Odeal
Pozer
Video of the year
Meekz – “Mini Me’s” (Directed By Kc Locke)
WINNER: Mnelia – “My Man” (Directed By Femi Bello)
Raye – “Genesis” (Directed By Otis Dominique & Raye)
Sampha – “Only” (Directed By Dexter Navy)
Skepta – “Gas Me Up (Diligent)” (Directed By Steveo)
Unknown T Feat. Loyle Carner – “Hocus Pocus” (Directed By Felix Brady)
Best R&B/soul act
Cleo Sol
Elmiene
Flo
Jaz Karis
Jorja Smith
Nippa
WINNER: Odeal
Sasha Keable
Shae Universe
Sinead Harnett
Best alternative music act
WINNER: ALT BLK ERA
Bob Vylan
Hak Baker
Kid Bookie
Native James
Spider
Best grime act
Chip
D Double E
Duppy
Kruz Leone
Manga Saint Hilare
WINNER: Scorcher
Best hip hop act
WINNER: Bashy
Cristale
Headie One
Nines
Potter Payper
Skrapz
Best drill act
163MargsCentral CeeHeadie OneKairo KeyzK-trapWINNER: Pozer
Best international act
AsakeWINNER: Ayra StarrBeyoncéGloRillaKendrick LamarLattoMegan Thee StallionNicki MinajTemsTyla
Best performance in a TV show/film
Angela Wynter As Yolande Trueman In EastendersCaroline Chikezie As Noma In Power Book II: GhostDiane Parish As Denise Fox In EastendersDionne Brown As Queenie In QueenieGhetts As Krazy In SupacellWINNER: Jacob Anderson As Louis In Interview With The VampireJasmine Jobson As Jaq In Top BoyJosh Tedeku As Tazer In SupacellKingsley Ben-adir As Bob Marley In Bob Marley: One LoveTosin Cole As Michael In Supacell
Best media personality
WINNER: 90’s Baby ShowAJ OduduChuckie OnlineCraig MitchHenrie KwushueMadame JoyceMicah RichardsSpecs GonzalezThe Receipts PodcastZeze Millz
Best African music act
Asake (Nigeria)
WINNER: Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Bnxn & Ruger (Nigeria)
King Promise (Ghana)
Odumodublvck (Nigeria)
Rema (Nigeria)
Shallipopi (Nigeria)
Tems (Nigeria)
Tyla (South Africa)
Uncle Waffles (South Africa)
Best Caribbean music act
Popcaan
WINNER: Shenseea
Skillibeng
Spice
Valiant
Yg Marley
Best jazz act
Amy Gadiaga
Blue Lab Beats
Ego Ella May
WINNER: Ezra Collective
Kokoroko
Yussef Dayes
Best electronic/dance act
Eliza Rose
Nia Archives
Pinkpantheress
Salute
Shygirl
WINNER: Tsha
Best producer
Ceebeaats
Inflo
WINNER: Juls
M1onthebeat
P2j
Sammy Soso
Best gospel act
WINNER: Annatoria
Imrhan
Limoblaze
Reblah
Still Shadey
Volney Morgan & New Ye
Brat Summer has extended deep into awards season. Charli XCX’s Brat is competing for a Brit Award for British album of the year on Saturday (March 1), just weeks after it competed in the Grammy race for album of the year. Brat is the first album to be nominated for the top album honor on […]
On May 8, the Academy of Country Music Awards will return to Texas for its milestone 60th anniversary show, to be held live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas (home of the Dallas Cowboys), streaming exclusively on Prime Video and hosted by Country Music Hall of Famer Reba McEntire. Starting today (Tuesday, Feb. 18), fans can purchase tickets to attend the milestone 60th anniversary ACM Awards.
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Starting today, pre-sale tickets are available for ACM A-List subscribers. To gain access to presale tickets before they go on sale to the general public, sign up for the ACM A-List free email newsletter to receive a pre-sale code that will grant access to purchase tickets in advance of the public on-sale.
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General on-sale tickets will become available to the public at 11 a.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 21 through SeatGeek.
“This year’s ACM Awards is a celebration sixty years in the making, and we plan to make it one of the biggest and best shows yet!” ACM CEO Damon Whiteside said in a statement. “The 60th ACM Awards will mark our third consecutive year at Ford Center in The Star District, home of the Dallas Cowboys in Frisco, Texas, and we can’t wait to bring the ACM Awards back to the loyal Country Music fan base in Texas, and to those watching all around the globe on Amazon Prime Video. With Reba at the helm as our host, we’ll be commemorating the legends of Country Music while honoring the biggest and brightest stars of today.”
“The bar has been set very high during the first two years of hosting Country Music’s Party of the Year,” added Dallas Cowboys owner, president and general manager Jerry Jones. “I think we all agree, though, that the upcoming Academy of Country Music Awards’ 60th show is going to exceed that bar. Having an amazing icon of music and entertainment in Reba back for another year as host just sets this up to be one of the best ever and the Ford Center will be home to Country Music’s biggest and brightest stars once again.”
The ACM Awards have been held at the Ford Center since 2023. Last year’s show, which McEntire also hosted, featured 18 performances from 19 artists, including Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, Chris Stapleton and Dua Lipa, Cody Johnson, Jason Aldean, Jelly Roll, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan, Lainey Wilson, Miranda Lambert, Nate Smith and Avril Lavigne, Parker McCollum, Post Malone, Reba McEntire, Thomas Rhett and Tigirlily Gold.
Last year, Wilson and Stapleton earned some of the evening’s top honors, as Wilson was named entertainer of the year and female artist of the year (and also took home the music event of the year honor for “Save Me” with Jelly Roll), while Stapleton picked up male artist of the year, album of the year (for Higher) and artist-songwriter of the year wins.
More details surrounding this year’s nominees, performances and additional ACM events will be announced in the coming months.
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The BRIT Awards has finalized its performer lineup for the 2025 ceremony with two new additions. Sam Fender and Lola Young will both play live during the broadcast on March 1 at The O2 Arena in London. They join a stacked bill of performers including Sabrina Carpenter, Shaboozey, Teddy Swims, JADE, The Last Dinner Party […]
Doechii has something to say to anyone questioning the authenticity of her jaw-dropping performance at the 2025 Grammy Awards. On Saturday (Feb. 15), the 26-year-old rap star addressed rumors suggesting she was lip-syncing during her innovative delivery of “Denial Is a River” and “Catfish” at the Feb. 2 ceremony in Los Angeles, where she also […]
The producers of SNL50: The Anniversary Special, the three-and-a-half-hour salute to Saturday Night Live, which aired on NBC on Sunday (Feb. 16), had five decades of music to draw on for the handful of music performance spots on the show, but chose music from the 1960s to both open and close the show. Paul Simon and Sabrina Carpenter opened the show with Simon & Garfunkel’s 1966 classic “Homeward Bound.” Paul McCartney closed the show with the prized closing medley from The Beatles’ 1969 album, Abbey Road.
On the Grammy Awards two weeks earlier, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars bypassed their own Grammy-nominated (and ultimately, Grammy-winning) smash “Die With a Smile” to perform the Mamas and the Papas’ 1966 smash “California Dreamin’” as a tribute to Los Angeles, which was battered by wind-whipped fires in January.
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On the upcoming Oscars, A Complete Unknown, the hit biopic about Bob Dylan which focuses on the period between 1961-65, is nominated for eight awards, including best picture. It’s the first biopic where three actors received Oscar nominations for playing real-life musicians — Timothée Chalamet as Dylan, Edward Norton as Pete Seeger, and Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez.
It is not known if Chalamet or Dylan (or in the best of all possible worlds, both of them together) will perform on the Oscars, but you can bet the producers have made the calls.
On the Tonys last June, The Who’s Pete Townshend joined the cast of the revival of The Who’s Tommy to perform “See Me, Feel Me”/”Pinball Wizard” from the band’s classic 1969 album. The show was nominated for best revival of a musical.
On that same show, the cast of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club performed “Wilkommen” from Kander & Ebb’s landmark 1966 musical Cabaret. Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club was also nominated for best revival of a musical.
So, what do we make of all this? Part of it is that smart TV producers, going back to Ed Sullivan on his long-running variety show, like to have something for viewers of all ages.
But another reason is simply the greatness of 1960s music, an era when The Beatles, Dylan, The Brill Building, Motown, Stax, Bacharach & David, Aretha Franklin, Simon & Garfunkel, The Who, The Beach Boys and The Rolling Stones, among many others, were at their peaks, spurring each other on to greatness.
Every generation likes to think their generation’s music was the best ever. But people who came of age in the 1960s can simply point to the above-named artists and hit factories to make a pretty compelling case.
Incidentally, this wasn’t the first time McCartney has closed a high-profile TV show by performing the closing medley (“Golden Slumbers,” “Carry That Weight” and “The End”) from Abbey Road. He closed the 2012 Grammy ceremony with that same medley, joined by such guest musicians as Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl and Joe Walsh.
Carpenter and Simon engaged in some light banter on SNL50 before their performance of “Homeward Bound.”
“I sang this song with George Harrison on Saturday Night Live in 1976,” recalled Simon. “I was not born then, and neither were my parents,” replied Carpenter, who was born in May 1999.
Simon probably could have lived without the zinger about her parents, but it points to the staying power of his songs. “Homeward Bound,” like “California Dreamin’” and the Abbey Road medley, is nearly 60 years old, but its magic holds up.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris will make her first major appearance since leaving office on Jan. 20 to accept the Chairman’s Award during the 56th NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, Feb. 22. The show will air live from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, Calif., at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS. This year, the broadcast will be extended 30 minutes to 2.5 hours.
The Chairman’s Award honors individuals who “excel in public service and leverage their unique platforms to ignite and drive meaningful change.” Past honorees include then-Sen. Barack Obama (2005), former VP Al Gore in tandem with Kenyan social, environmental and political activist Wangari Waathati, Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, the late Rep. John Lewis, Rev. James Lawson, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, Rep. Maxine Waters and former Surgeon General Regina Benjamin.
Previously announced special award recipients at this year’s NAACP Image Awards are comedian Dave Chappelle (President’s Award) and The Wayans Family (NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame).
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Harris made history as the first woman, Black person and South Asian person to become vice president. She previously served as U.S. Senator and California Attorney General. In 2024, she became the first Black and South Asian woman nominated for president by a major party, receiving more than 75 million votes in what BET reminds us was “the shortest modern general election campaign.” President Biden was fully expected to be the Democratic nominee until a shaky debate performance on June 27 caused many, even in his own party, to call for a new nominee. Biden withdrew on July 21. Harris was voted the party’s nominee by delegates on Aug. 5, just three months before Election Day.
“Vice President Kamala Harris is more than a leader – she is a force of change, driven by an unwavering passion to shape a brighter, more equitable future,” Leon W. Russell, chair, NAACP national board of directors said in a statement. “… Her legacy is built on courage, compassion, and a profound commitment to uplifting those who need it most. Her tireless advocacy for the most vulnerable among us has made her a beacon of hope and progress.”
“Vice President Harris is deeply deserving of the NAACP Chairman’s awards for both her historic accomplishments and her incredible legacy of service to America and our community,” added Scott Mills, president and CEO of BET Media Group. “… Her unwavering commitment to justice, equity and progress has inspired millions, and her journey is a powerful testament to that which can be achieved through resilience, strength and brilliance.
“Vice President Harris embodies the power, grace and unyielding courage that Black women have long brought to the heart of the United States,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO. “With bold determination, Vice President Harris fights for justice, amplifies the voices of the marginalized and stands as a beacon of hope. She embodies the resilience and brilliance of Black women, uplifting their legacy as the driving force behind change in this country. VP Harris reminds us all that when Black women lead, the entire nation rises.”
Cynthia Erivo, Keke Palmer, Kendrick Lamar, Kevin Hart and Shannon Sharpe are competing for entertainer of the year at this year’s NAACP Image Awards. GloRilla received the most nominations in the music/recording categories, with six, followed by Doechii, Lamar and Usher, with four nods each. RCA Records received 11 nominations, the most among record labels.
NAACP will recognize winners in non-televised categories virtually on Tuesday, Feb. 18, and Wednesday, Feb. 19, on its YouTube channel and at the 56th NAACP Image Awards Creative Honors Friday, Feb. 21.
The red carpet was filled with glamor at the 2025 BAFTA Awards, where music stars including Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Camilla Cabello were in attendance at London’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday (Feb. 16).
Gomez was a nominee for her work in the film Emilia Pérez, and Grande and Erivo were both nominees with Wicked. Meanwhile, Cabello appeared at the BAFTAs to present the children’s and family film award, which went to Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.
Emilia Pérez and Wicked were both honored with two awards at Sunday night’s ceremony in London. Director Jacques Audiard won the film not in the English language award for Emilia Pérez, and Zoe Saldaña won supporting actress for her role in the film; Gomez and Grande had also been nominated in the same supporting actress category.
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Wicked costume designer Paul Tazewell took home the costume design award, and the film’s production designers were honored with the production design award. Erivo was nominated for leading actress, but Anora‘s Mikey Madison was honored with the award.
Gomez sparkled in a form-fitting, custom Schiaparelli gown along with jewels from Tiffany & Co., according to stylist Erin Walsh. Tiffany & Co. shared further details: the singer-actress wore designs from the Tiffany Archives, including drop earrings with pear-shaped diamonds, diamond bracelets and a “Tiffany High Jewelry ring in 18k white gold set with a round brilliant diamond of over 10 carats and over total 8 carats of diamond accents, as well as a Tiffany Victoria diamond vine band ring in platinum.”
Grande wore Louis Vuitton, says stylist Mimi Cuttrell. She accessorized her pink and black dress, with its sleek top and voluminous skirt, with Chaumet jewelry. Wicked co-star Erivo also graced the red carpet in custom Louis Vuitton — a white gown with a structural, lace bodice — paired with Tiffany & Co jewels, according to creative director Jason Bolden.
Cabello wore a Sabina Bilenko design and Tasaki jewlery, according to stylist Katie Qian. The singer’s dress, consisting of a bodysuit topped with an intricate, embellished overlay, is from the SS25 couture collection.
See photos of the music (and musical) stars’ dresses at the 2025 BAFTA Awards below, and catch up with the full list of winners from the BAFTA Awards here.
Selena Gomez attends the BAFTA Film Awards 2025 at the Royal Festival Hall on Feb. 16, 2025 in London, England.
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Ariana Grande attends the BAFTA Film Awards 2025 at the Royal Festival Hall on Feb. 16, 2025 in London, England
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Cynthia Erivo attends the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards at The Royal Festival Hall on Feb. 16, 2025 in London, England.
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Camila Cabello attends the BAFTA Film Awards 2025 at the Royal Festival Hall on Feb. 16, 2025 in London, England.
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