Awards
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On Friday (May 23), 13 artists were presented with iHeartRadio Titanium Awards for reaching 1 billion spins of their songs across iHeartRadio stations in 2025 — and Billboard can exclusively reveal the new honorees. Artists that reached the milestone include: Benson Boone with “Beautiful Things”; David Guetta and Bebe Rexha with “I’m Good (Blue)”; Doja […]
Jennifer Lopez is set to host the 2025 American Music Awards, which will air live coast-to-coast on Memorial Day, Monday (May 26), and she’ll also open the show with a musical performance.
On Thursday (May 22), Lopez took a break from rehearsals to chat with Billboard about hosting and performing. She had a surprising revelation — “I don’t love being a host, to be quite honest” — but she will no doubt give the hosting gig everything she’s got, which is a signature J.Lo trait.
We discussed her debut performance on the show in 1991, as a backup dancer behind New Kids on the Block, a mid-performance slip in 2009 (ever the trouper, she was back on her feet instantly), and a tribute performance to salsa legend Celia Cruz in 2013 that she regards as one of her favorite performances she’s ever done.
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This year’s show will be held at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. It’s Lopez’s second time hosting the AMAs; she first hosted the show 10 years ago. Other performers on this year’s show include Janet Jackson (who is set to receive the ICON Award), Rod Stewart (who is set to receive a lifetime achievement award), Benson Boone, Blake Shelton, Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani, Lainey Wilson and Reneé Rapp.
Here’s our conversation, with just light edits.
The AMAs went on the air when you were 4 and a half. Did you grow up watching the AMAs and the Grammys?
Absolutely.
Did they kind of feed your dreams?
Yes, they did, absolutely. You can’t help but watch those [shows], being an artist or not even knowing you’re an artist yet, and just be pulled in by the performances and the incredible moments that you see, and people kind of being celebrated for what they do. It was just always amazing to see which moments kind of put a mark on your mind when you’re watching TV and those awards shows. And I do think it makes people who are young artists believe that it’s something you can actually accomplish.
Do you remember specific artists who had that effect on you when you were a kid?
I remember watching with my mom. She was a huge Diana Ross fan, and I remember seeing Diana Ross on the AMAs and the Grammys. I remember seeing all the Motown artists. Tina Turner was also a big one for me.
You’re the fourth music star to solo-host the AMAs twice, following Lionel Richie, Diana Ross and Pitbull. I’d say you’re all in good company.
Oh wow. Yeah, that’s good company. That’s a nice group.
I watched all 10 of your previous AMAs performances the other day – nice work if you can get it – and you really commit. You go all out. It’s like one of your songs says, “Go hard or go home.” You go hard.
I do go hard. I enjoy performing and I enjoy kind of pushing myself out of my comfort zone to do different things. I started as a dancer, so my performances are very kind of dance-oriented because that’s who I am at heart. I feel like I am a singer and I am an actress and I love doing those things, but I think I came out of the womb dancing. And my mother was a dancer, so I think I picked that up from her.
I grew up watching variety shows and specials headlined by people like Ann-Margret and Mitzi Gaynor. There aren’t many places anymore for that kind of all-around entertainer. Awards shows are about it. Just about all 10 of your AMAs performances were big production numbers with big production values. They gave you a showcase to show what you can do.
Yeah, that is true. There’s different things as an artist. I do films as an actor and I do my shows and my touring for my music. Trying to kind of bring those things together is never an easy thing and you don’t get to do that, but I think when you’re hosting an awards show, you get to sing a little bit and dance a little bit and people get to feel your personality and your energy.
I don’t love being a host, to be quite honest. I think that’s why it’s taken me 10 years to do it again. I do get – believe it or not – shy and nervous, but I do remember having a great time doing it back then [in 2015]. I felt like it was a good time to give it another try.
What do you remember about the 1991 show when you were a dancer behind New Kids?
Oh my God, I remember that was such an exciting moment for me. I had been hired as a dancer. This is before I was acting and singing and doing my own music. I was hired to be a backup dancer for New Kids. Just the idea of being part of that was such a big deal. I was right in the middle, in the center, and it was exhilarating, to be quite honest. It was amazing. I couldn’t believe it and being around all the other artists and seeing some of the stars that I liked. It was so much fun.
You were just 21, and that was back when awards shows reached a massive audience.
Yeah, everyone in my neighborhood saw it. They couldn’t believe it was me. It was so much fun. It was a great moment.
In 2009, performing “Louboutins,” you did a dismount and fell on your backside, but what impressed me watching it was how quickly you were back on your feet. It was a split second. Do you remember that?
Of course I do. I just slipped and fell down for a second, but yeah, I got right back up. And it wasn’t as big a deal as everybody made it, but yes, I was a little bit hurt for a couple of days. That whole day I didn’t feel it because I had so much adrenaline, and the performance went so well.
In 2013, you did a tribute to Celia Cruz, in which you performed “Químbara,” “Carnaval” and “Bemba Colorá.” Did you know her?
I did not know her very closely, but I had met her. I was always such a huge fan of hers. Like the minute they asked me to do the Celia Cruz tribute, I knew exactly what songs I wanted to do. I knew exactly the type of number that I wanted to do. It was an amazing moment. I felt kind of her energy flowing through me. That’s probably one of my favorite performances of all time that I’ve done.
The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
U2, Robbie Williams, Charli xcx and Lola Young were among the artists celebrated at the 2025 Ivor Novello Awards on Thursday (May 22) at the Grosvenor Hotel in London.
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Awards were handed out to 22 songwriters and composers across 14 categories, with more than 70% of the honorees winning an Ivor Novello for the first time.
Songwriter of the year with Amazon Music was presented to Charli xcx in recognition of her zeitgeist-busting Brat record. The LP topped the Official Albums Chart in the U.K. and hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
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She was bested in the best album category by Trinidad-born musician BERWYN, who collected the prize for his emotive debut album, Who Am I, released on Sony Music Entertainment. The record, which reflects on the Romford-based rapper’s heritage and upbringing as an immigrant in the U.K., was also nominated for the Mercury Prize in September 2024.
U2 was inducted into the Ivors’ Fellowship Academy, becoming the first Irish act to do so. Previous inductees include Paul McCartney (2000), Elton John (2005), Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb of The Bee Gees (2006), Andrew Lloyd Webber (2012) and Kate Bush (2020). Bruce Springsteen became the first U.S. musician to enter the fellowship in 2024.
Following the announcement of his forthcoming album Britpop, Robbie Williams was awarded the PRS for Music Icon Award in honor of his extensive songwriting catalog. The former Take That star is currently tied with The Beatles with 15 No. 1 albums on the Official U.K. Charts, and with his 18 BRIT Awards, he is the most successful artist in that show’s history.
New names, including Lola Young and Myles Smith, also enjoyed success. The former collected the rising star award with Amazon Music following the breakout success of her song “Messy,” which held the No. 1 spot on the Official Singles Chart for four weeks. Smith, alongside co-writers Peter Fenn and Jesse Fink, earned the PRS for Music Most Performed Work prize for their megahit “Stargazing.”
Best song musically and lyrically was presented to Irish singer-songwriter Orla Gartland for her track “Mine,” while the San Soucis collected best contemporary song for its release “Circumnavigating Georgia.”
There were winners across the arts in film, television and video games. The soundtrack for The Substance by Raffertie won best original film score; John Konsolakis triumphed in best original video game score for Farewell North; and Vince Pope won in the best television soundtrack category for his work on True Detective: Night Country.
Bloc Party were on hand to be awarded the prize for outstanding song collection, though original members Matt Tong and Gordon Moakes (who left in 2013 and 2015, respectively) were not in attendance alongside frontman Kele Okereke and guitarist Russell Lissack.
The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers earned the special international prize, and Self Esteem, who recently issued her third LP, A Complicated Woman, won the Visionary Award with Amazon Music.
The Ivor Novello Awards were streamed live on Prime Video, continuing a partnership that began in 2023. See the full list of winners below.
Best Album
WINNER: Brat written by Charli xcx, A. G. Cook and Finn Keane; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing, Concord Music Publishing obo Alias Guild and Universal Music Publishing; Performed by Charli xcx
On Purpose, With Purpose written by Ghetts and TenBillion Dreams; Published in the UK by BMG Rights Worldwide UK; Performed by Ghetts
The Loop written and performed by Jordan Rakei; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing
This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway written by William Brown, Conor Dickinson, Jared Solomon and Lola Young; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Day One Songs, Sony Music Publishing – Solomon Gouda and Sony Music Publishing; Performed by Lola Young
Who Am I written and performed by BERWYN; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing
Best Contemporary Song
“Allergy” written by Felix Joseph, Alastair O’Donnell and Pa Salieu; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing and Sony Music Publishing; Performed by Pa Salieu
“Angel of My Dreams” written by Pablo Bowman, JADE, Steph Jones and Mike Sabath; Published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing, Sony Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing obo Hipgnosis Hits-Steph Jones Who Music-Vistaville Music; Performed by JADE
WINNER: “Circumnavigating Georgia” written and performed by Sans Soucis; Published in the UK by Sentric Music
“Double Standards” written by Ghetts, EMIL, Sampha Sisay and R-Kay; Published in the UK by BMG Rights Worldwide UK, Ditto Plus Music Publishing and Sony Music Publishing – Young Songs; Performed by Ghetts feat. Sampha
“How Black Men Lose Their Smile” written by Bashy, Toddla T and Linton Kwesi Johnson; Published in the UK by Downtown Music obo DLJ Songs, BMG Rights Worldwide UK and Universal Music Publishing obo L-K-J Music Publishers; Performed by Bashy
Best Song Musically and Lyrically
“Child of Mine” written and performed by Laura Marling; Published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing
“Genesis.” written by Rodney Jerkins, RAYE and Toneworld; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music and Kobalt Music Publishing obo Mohemmusic-Songs by Seventy 7 Music; Performed by RAYE
“In the Modern World” written by Grian Chatten, Conor Curley, Conor Deegan, Thomas Coll and Carlos O’connell; Published in the UK by Domino Publishing Company; Performed by Fontaines D.C.
“Messy” written by Conor Dickinson and Lola Young; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Day One Songs and Sony Music Publishing; Performed by Lola Young
WINNER: “Mine” written and performed by Orla Gartland; Published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing obo San Remo Music
PRS for Music Most Performed Work
“As It Was” written by Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson and Harry Styles; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing and Concord Music Publishing obo These Are Pulse Songs; Performed by Harry Styles
“Houdini” written by Caroline Ailin, Danny L Harle, Tobias Jesso Jnr, Dua Lipa and Kevin Parker; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Viking Jamz Publishing, Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Music obo Radical 22 Publishing; Performed by Dua Lipa
“Last Christmas” written by George Michael; Published in the UK by Warner Chappell Music obo WHAM! Music Limited; Performed by WHAM!
“Prada” written by D-Block Europe, Obi Ebele (Da Beatfreakz), Uche Ebele (Da Beatfreakz), Jahmori “Jaymo” Simmons and RAYE; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing, Bucks Music Group Ltd obo Armada Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing obo Fat Pigeon (Publishing) Limited and Warner Chappell Music; Performed by Cassö, RAYE and D-Block Europe
WINNER: “Stargazing” written by Peter Fenn, Jesse Fink and Myles Smith; Published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing obo Songs by 308 Publishing-Where Da Kasz At, Lyric Global Copyright Services Crescendo obo Arcade Artists Publishing-Jesse Fink Publishing-Spirit One Music Crescendo and Sony Music Publishing; Performed by Myles Smith
Rising Star Award With Amazon Music
Bea and her Business
Liang Lawrence
WINNER: Lola Young
LULU.
Nia Smith
Best Original Film Score
Fly Me to the Moon composed by Daniel Pemberton; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Apple
Hard Truths composed by Gary Yershon; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo Thin Man Films
Kneecap composed by Michael ‘Mickey J’ Asante
WINNER: The Substance composed by Raffertie; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo Universal Pictures Music
The Zone of Interest composed by Mica Levi; Published in the UK by Domino Publishing Company
Best Original Video Game Score
Empire of the Ants composed by Mathieu Alvado and Mark Choi
WINNER: Farewell North composed by John Konsolakis
Flock composed by Eli Rainsberry
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II composed by David Garcia Diaz
The Casting of Frank Stone composed by Boxed Ape
Best Television Soundtrack
Black Doves composed by Martin Phipps; Publishing in the UK by BMG Rights Management UK obo Maisie Anthems
Mary & George composed by Oliver Coates; Published in the UK by SATV Publishing
Rivals composed by Jack Halama and Natalie Holt; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo Walt Disney Music Company
WINNER: True Detective: Night Country composed by Vince Pope; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo T-L Music Publishing
Until I Kill You composed by Carly Paradis; Published in the UK by BMG Rights Management UK obo Veti Music Publishing
PRS for Music Icon Award
Robbie Williams
Songwriter of the Year with Amazon Music
Charli xcx
Outstanding Song Collection
Bloc Party
Special International
Brandon Flowers
Visionary Award with Amazon Music
Self Esteem
Miley Cyrus is just over a week away from releasing her next album, Something Beautiful. But before she does, she’s reflecting on all the steps she needed to take to get to this moment, from taking control of her sobriety to winning a Grammy for her smash hit “Flowers.”
In an interview with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe posted Wednesday (May 21), the pop star opened up about how cutting out substances didn’t just change her life for the better, but ultimately paved the way for her to find unprecedented success with her Endless Summer Vacation album. “I’ve learned this about myself over the years,” she told Lowe. “The sobriety is like, that’s like my God. I need it, I live for it. I mean that it’s changed my entire life.”
Cyrus also got candid about how her attempt at sobriety around the time of her 2020 album Plastic Hearts went awry. “I know I needed to fall one more time,” she explained. “I just, I had to. It just never would have happened this way. I just never would have been sitting here. There were times in that section … I’m not proud of them. Definitely not my best moments, not some of my best work, any of that. But it all led me to writing ‘Flowers,’ which then was some sort of key right into the lock of all healing.”
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Released in 2023 as the lead single from Endless Summer Vacation, “Flowers” spent eight weeks atop the Hot 100 — completely blowing past the run of Cyrus’ only other No. 1 single so far, “Wrecking Ball,” which remained at the chart’s summit for three weeks in 2013. The self-love anthem would go on to win the Hannah Montana alum her first-ever Grammys — best pop solo performance and record of the year — at the 2024 ceremony.
In her interview with Lowe, Cyrus said that earning the Recording Academy recognition was just as “healing” as writing and releasing the song had been. “I think somewhere inside of me, I needed maybe to hold a trophy and just feel for a moment that I have something that I can hold in my hands that feels like a true achievement,” she explained. “And so at the Grammys, that’s why I went, it was actually for healing.”
The moment was particularly fateful as Cyrus says she originally wasn’t even going to go to the Grammys. In addition to suffering from extreme performance anxiety at the time, she also confided in Lowe that she was afraid to acknowledge to herself at the time just how much she wanted to win.
“There was somewhere that I was avoiding this, the fact that it did matter to me somewhere,” she shared. “And so once I received my Grammy, I was like, look, when you Google me, it says ‘Miley Cyrus, a Grammy Award-winning artist.’”
Pretty soon, Google will also say that Cyrus has released nine albums, with Something Beautiful set to drop on May 30. Led by singles “More to Lose,” “End of the World,” “Prelude” and its title track, the LP doubles as a visual album, with its accompanying film hitting theaters for one night only in June.
Two days prior to her Apple Music interview, the “We Can’t Stop” vocalist also unveiled the Something Beautiful tracklist, featuring collaborations with Brittany Howard and Naomi Campbell.
Watch Cyrus’ full Zane Lowe interview below.
Cardi B will receive the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Voice of the Culture Award, recognizing her groundbreaking influence on music and culture. On Wednesday (May 21), ASCAP announced that Cardi would be honored with the award for 2025, which comes after Usher received the award last year. “Cardi B has left an […]
This year, Kacey Musgraves will be honored with the Songwriter Icon award at the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) annual meeting. The NMPA will also honor longtime Nashville hitmaker Rhett Akins as its Non-Performing Songwriter Icon Award recipient this year for his three decades of contributions to country music, including songs performed by Brooks & Dunn, Blake Shelton, Thomas Rhett, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and more. The meeting will also feature a keynote conversation with Apple Music head Oliver Schusser.
The NMPA annual meeting, which will take place at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall on June 11 in New York, is known in the business as a state of the union for the music publishing sector each year and a gathering place for its top executives to mingle. Along with honoring some of the top songwriters in the industry, NMPA president/CEO David Israelite also gives a speech at each meeting, detailing how the publishing business is doing.
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Israelite has also been known to drop groundbreaking news every year in this speech. Last year, he targeted Spotify for cutting payments to songwriters and publishers by about 40% and announced his plan to send sending an official complaint to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as well as letters to the attorneys general of nine states and a list of consumer groups — urging them to stop Spotify’s efforts to bundle music and audiobooks into its premium tiers. That built on top of previous news that the NMPA had sent a cease and desist notice to Spotify for alleged unlicensed lyrics, video and podcast content on the platform, and thatthe Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) had sued Spotify. (In January, the MLC’s case was dismissed by a judge who said Spotify’s move to cut payments was supported by “unambiguous” regulations. The MLC said it plans to keep fighting.)
Other previous bombshell announcements have included major copyright infringement lawsuits against Roblox, Twitter and more, and legal action against 100 different apps for allegedly skimming music from digital services without a license.
This year’s annual meeting will include a special segment dedicated to the Billboard Songwriter Awards, which were scheduled to take place during Grammy week but were postponed due to the Los Angeles wildfires. The award recipients will be announced at the event.
“We are thrilled to honor Kacey Musgraves whose music has always been driven by lyric and melody,” says Israelite. “A consummate songwriter, she is a successful solo hitmaker and renowned collaborator. Additionally, we look forward to celebrating the career of Rhett Akins whose songwriting has been central to the growth of country music.
“We are particularly excited to feature the Billboard Songwriter Awards after our GRAMMY Week event was postponed. The honorees are incredibly deserving, and it will be a phenomenal special segment of the program.
“Finally, Oliver Schusser has been an innovator throughout his career and we are eager to get his perspective on the myriad of opportunities and challenges for digital services in the streaming economy.”
The 2025 American Music Awards will showcase a wide range of performers, from 22-year-old Benson Boone, who has back-flipped his way to stardom in the past year, to 80-year-old Sir Rod Stewart, who is set to receive a lifetime achievement award. This will mark Stewart’s first time on the AMAs stage since 2004.
The show, which is being held on Memorial Day for the first time, is set to kick off summer from the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Monday, May 26. The 51st AMAs will air live coast to coast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS, and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.
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This will mark the first regular American Music Awards broadcast since the show that aired in November 2022, and the first one to air on CBS. The show was a fixture on ABC from 1974 to 2022, and it will mark the first one not held in the Los Angeles area.
Jennifer Lopez is hosting the show for the second time. She previously hosted in 2015, when she opened the show with a performance of her 1999 hit “Waiting for Tonight” leading into a dance medley of the year’s biggest hits.
Two other performers on this year’s show are past AMAs hosts. Stewart co-hosted in 1989 with Anita Baker, Debbie Gibson and Kenny Rogers. Gloria Estefan co-hosted in 1990 with Alice Cooper, Anita Baker and The Judds, and in 1993 with Bobby Brown and Wynonna. Estefan will mark her first performance on the AMAs in 32 years, celebrating five decades of her career in music.
As previously announced, Janet Jackson will receive the Icon Award, which recognizes an artist whose body of work has marked a global influence over the music industry. The 11-time American Music Award-winner will also take the stage, marking her first television performance since 2018.
Gwen Stefani will perform a medley celebrating the 20th anniversary of her debut solo album Love.Angel.Music.Baby, including her Billboard Hot 100-topping smash “Hollaback Girl,” and a song from her newest album, Bouquet, which was released in November.
Fresh from winning four awards at the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards, country music star Lainey Wilson will perform.
Breakout artist and first-time American Music Award nominee Benson Boone will perform his latest single, “Mystical Magical,” from his upcoming sophomore album American Heart, which is due June 20.
Three-time American Music Award winner Blake Shelton will make his AMAs performance debut with a track from his new album, For Recreational Use Only, which was released on May 9.
Reneé Rapp will also make her AMAs debut, performing new music off her upcoming sophomore album.
The American Music Awards is the world’s largest fan-voted award show. Tickets to the show are available now on Ticketmaster.
Kendrick Lamar leads this year’s nominees with 10 nominations, followed closely by Post Malone with eight nods, and Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan and Shaboozey with seven each.
Nominees are based on key fan interactions — as reflected on the Billboard charts — including streaming, album and song sales, radio airplay and tour grosses. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and Luminate, and cover the data tracking eligibility period of March 22, 2024, through March 20, 2025.
Fan voting is now closed with the exception of collaboration of the year and social song of the year, which will remain open for web voting through the first 30 minutes of the AMAs broadcast via VoteAMAs.com.
The AMAs and Easy Day Foundation, a Las Vegas-based nonprofit organization committed to helping veterans transition to civilian life, will partner to present several in-show moments that celebrate veterans while raising funds for a variety of national and local organizations.
The 2025 American Music Awards will re-air on MTV (Tuesday, May 27, at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT), CMT (Wednesday, May 28, at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) and BET (Thursday, May 29, at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).
The show will also livestream on Harmony, Penske Media’s proprietary live streaming platform that can be viewed across Penske Media’s owned and operated websites, including Variety, Rolling Stone, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, WWD, Deadline, Vibe, IndieWire and Gold Derby.
The AMAs have also identified additional presenters and participants, including Nikki Glaser, who hosted this year’s Golden Globe Awards and has already been tapped to host next year’s show. Other presenters and participants include Tiffany Hadish and Wayne Brady, who have hosted other awards shows, and Shaboozey, who amassed seven AMA nominations this year.
Here is a list of performers and presenters on the 2025 American Music Awards. Additional names will be added as they are announced.
Performers
Benson Boone
Blake Shelton
Gloria Estefan
Gwen Stefani
Janet Jackson (Icon Award recipient)
Jennifer Lopez (host)
Lainey Wilson
Reneé Rapp
Rod Stewart (Lifetime Achievement Award recipient)
Participants & Presenters
Alix Earle
Cara Delevingne
Ciara
Dan + Shay
Dylan Efron
Jordan Chiles
Kai Cenat
Megan Moroney
Nikki Glaser
Shaboozey
Tiffany Haddish
Wayne Brady
The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
Grammy-winning artist Ciara, stylist and creative director June Ambrose, and music executives Phylicia Fant and Sylvia Rhone will be honored on Tuesday (June 3) at the inaugural Black Women in Music Dinner. The event, which honors Black women “for their contributions to music and for shaping popular culture,” will be held at the Audrey Irmas Pavilion in Los Angeles. The event was originally set for Jan. 28 but was rescheduled due to the L.A. wildfires, which devastated the region in January.
The Black Women in Music Dinner will serve as The Connie Orlando Foundation’s first fundraiser focused on supporting breast cancer awareness and research. By raising funds and driving attention to this critical cause, the foundation aims to empower women with the knowledge, resources and support they need to fight breast cancer and improve health outcomes.
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“Black women in music continue to be a transcendent and driving force of creative expression, shaping the musical landscape and enriching diverse cultures worldwide,” said Orlando, founder of The Connie Orlando Foundation, in a statement. “Their contributions are not just transformative; they are the heartbeat of innovation and culture. It is an immense honor to celebrate the trailblazing careers of Ciara, June Ambrose, Phylicia Fant, Sylvia Rhone, DJ Kiss, and Flo Ngala at our inaugural event. These powerful women come from diverse paths, yet they share a unified commitment to pushing boundaries and sparking meaningful change across the music industry.
“As we embark on this momentous journey to celebrate Black women in all their brilliance and as ‘guards’ of an ever-evolving industry, we are deeply grateful for the unwavering support of HarbourView Equity Partners as our founding partner, and Sherrese Clarke, whose leadership has been instrumental in bringing this mission to life.”
In addition to being the founder of the foundation that bears her name, Orlando is the executive vp of specials, music programming and music strategy at BET. She is serving as executive producer of the 2025 BET Awards, set for June 9.
Here’s a closer look at the 2025 Black Women in Music Dinner honorees:
Ciara, a singer/songwriter, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, will receive the Avant-Garde Award, recognizing her artistry and influence. Ciara topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 2004 with “Goodies” featuring Petey Pablo, topped the Billboard 200 in 2006 with Ciara: The Evolution and won a Grammy in 2006 for best short form music video for “Lose Control.”
June Ambrose, a creative director, costume designer and entrepreneur, will receive the Guardian of Vision Award. Ambrose is best known for styling prominent hip-hop and R&B artists, such as Missy Elliott and Jay-Z, in high-fashion pieces. Ambrose has designed for more than 200 music videos; published a book, Effortless Style, in 2006; and was hired at Puma in 2020.
Phylicia Fant will receive The New Guard Award, celebrating her role as a transformative leader. Fant is the head of music industry partnerships at Amazon Music and the former head of urban music at Columbia Records. She is also the founder/CEO of The Purple Agency, a public relations and marketing agency.
Sylvia Rhone, a trailblazing music industry veteran and the first Black woman to lead a major label, will receive the Vanguard Award. Rhone is the chair/CEO of Epic Records. Rhone previously served in senior positions at Universal Motown, Elektra Entertainment Group and Atlantic Records.
DJ Kiss, media personality and influencer, and Flo Ngala, editorial photographer and photojournalist, will be honored with The Guardian Angel Spotlights. This award recognizes individuals who serve as messengers, protectors and guides within the music industry, driving both artistic and commercial success.
H.E.R. was initially slated to be one of this year’s honorees, but that changed in the rescheduling, with Ciara now being honored instead.
Additional program details, including host, performers and presenters, will be announced at a later date.
If it seems as if Jennifer Lopez has been a part of the American Music Awards for decades, well, she has. Lopez was just 21 in 1991 when she made her AMAs debut as a dancer behind New Kids on the Block. She first performed on the show as a star attraction in 2001. She […]
Lady Gaga took home a Sports Emmy on Tuesday night (May 20) for her pre-Super Bowl performance of “Hold My Hand” in tribute to victims of the New Orleans terror attack on New Year’s Eve, Hurricane Helene in Florida and Georgia in the fall, and the January wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles County. In a […]