Women in Music
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Kim Petras would do unholy things to work with Madonna. While walking the red carpet at Billboard‘s 2023 Women in Music event Wednesday (March 1), the night’s Chartbreaker honoree gushed about her love for the Queen of Pop — who introduced Petras and Sam Smith’s performance at the Grammys in February — and revealed her hopes to work together in the future.
“I’m such a huge fan,” Petras told Entertainment Tonight. “I don’t know how good of a friend I can be to her because I’m just like, Confessions [on a Dance Floor], Ray of Light changed my life!’ Every time I see her, I just talk about her music and how much it means to me, but it’s just been the most incredible thing for me to get respected by Madonna, and for her to even know anything about me.”
When asked if their newfound friendship but someday turn into a collab, the “Unholy” singer said, “I would die to.” “I would die to have Madonna on anything, or be on anything Madonna, so yeah, absolutely,” she added.
Later that evening, Petras performed her latest single, “Brrr,” for the Women in Music crowd at Los Angeles’ YouTube Theater before accepting the Chartbreaker Award, a moment that made her the first transgender woman to be honored at the annual event. “Growing up, I would question what rooms I would be put into and what boxes I would be put into — and I’m grateful it’s this one,” she said during her acceptance speech.
In January, the German dance-pop star became the first transgender artist to win a major category Grammy award when “Unholy,” her Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 duet with Sam Smith, took home best pop duo-group performance. While accepting the Grammy, Petras gushed, “I don’t think I could be here without Madonna.”
Later that night, the “Material Girl” singer herself introduced Petras and Smith before their performance of “Unholy.” “So now, speaking of controversy, it gives me great pleasure to introduce two incredibly talented artists who have risen above the noise, the doubt, the critics into something beautifully unholy,” Madonna said. “Here are two Grammy award winners, Sam Smith and Kim Petras.”
Billboard Women in Music honored executives, artists and power players in the music industry on Wednesday night (March 1) at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles. In addition to Woman of the Year SZA and Executive of the Year Sylvia Rhone, Lana Del Rey was feted with the Visionary Award — which was presented to her by 2022’s Billboard Woman of the Year Olivia Rodrigo.
Here’s Del Rey’s full acceptance speech.
“We made it. Well, I’m not much of speech person either. Olivia Rodrigo – I really don’t deserve her giving me this wonderful award. She’s so endlessly glamorous and talented I cannot tell you how much it means that someone who wrote ‘Drivers License’ is standing next to me. Thank you, John Janick [CEO, Interscope] for giving me the friendship of Olivia and also Billie [Eilish] and all the wonderful artists on the label. Thank you Carole Kinzel for being here with me and my besties Jen Stith and Alex Kaye, who choreographs my show.
“And, okay, deep breath. I don’t see SZA, but I want to say, SZA, from the minute I heard you I knew I wanted to know you. Congratulations. Well, well deserved on being Woman of the Year. To Rose, staggeringly amazing. Kim, congratulations. I’m so glad I got the meet the vloggers who got me through COVID – Remi Ashten, Ali and Alicia Marie.
“I’m gonna get close to the mic because I’m really, really quiet. I think the word ‘visionary’ could have been exchanged with any word when you’re up here. But if you were wondering, for my fans, I don’t exactly have a long-term vision, at all. But if you were curious, I am very, very happy to be a female singer, that is a wonderful feat.
“When I released my first album 14 years ago, the waters were not quite as warm. So I’m really happy for everyone who feels like it’s a wonderful time in the culture to be themselves and to express themselves. It didn’t feel that way in 2008 and I’m so grateful to be in the best company I’ve ever been in. Thank you. I feel like being happy is the ultimate. So I did it. Thank you, Billboard.”
Lana Del Rey’s next album, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, comes out March 24.
Lana Del Rey was honored with the Visionary Award at the 2023 Billboard Women in Music Awards at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles on Wednesday (March 1). And last year’s Woman of the Year, Olivia Rodrigo, stopped by to introduce the trailblazing singer-songwriter.
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Rodrigo, a chart-topping, award-winning superstar is just 20 but she’s already packed in more highlights than many would achieve in a full life. But tonight, it was all about Del Rey and the many and varied gifts she’s shared with her fans.
“Lana has raised an entire generation of music lovers and songwriters like me,” Rodrigo enthused, “and taught them that there’s beauty in their vulnerability and power in their melancholy.”
Like many of us, it was 2012’s “Video Games” that hooked-in Rodrigo. “I still consider that song to be probably the best love song of all time,” she explained. “She captures sadness, anger and sensuality in a way only the greatest of songwriters ever could.”
The greatness doesn’t end with those “perfectly written albums, life-changing poetry and heavenly voice,” said Rodrigo, praising the living legend’s “unwavering authenticity.”
Billboard’s Visionary Award recipient, she continued, “has forged her own path, her entire career constantly raising the bar for herself and creating art that pushes boundaries and changes lives.”
Rodrigo, a three-time Grammy Award winner, is one of those fans who’s life is changed by Del Rey, for the better.
Read Olivia Rodrigo’s induction speech in full below.
Hey guys, I am so grateful to be here tonight celebrating so many incredible women. And I’m beyond honored to present the visionary award to someone who couldn’t be more deserving of it if they tried, Miss Lana Del Rey.
Lana’s career has spawned 15 Hot 100 hits and eight consecutive top 10 albums on the Billboard 200. She’s brought equal passion to poetry, photography and film, including collaborations with soundtracks like “Big Eyes” and “The Great Gatsby.”
More important than her lost list of accolades though, is the unique way she impacts everyone who encounters her in her music. Lana has raised an entire generation of music lovers and songwriters like me, and taught them that there’s beauty in their vulnerability and power in their melancholy.
The first song that I ever heard of Lana’s was “Video Games.” I still consider that song to be probably the best love song of all time. She captures sadness, anger and sensuality in a way only the greatest of songwriters ever could.
What I admire most about Lana though, even more than her perfectly written albums, life-changing poetry and heavenly voice is her unwavering authenticity.
Lana has forged her own path, her entire career constantly raising the bar for herself and creating art that pushes boundaries and changes lives.
She never sacrificed her unique voice and perspective on a world and an industry that constantly tries to put people in a box. And if that doesn’t make you a visionary, I truly don’t know what does.
She’s also just the coolest, kindest, nicest girl to ever exist, and Lana…I love you.
SZA took the stage at YouTube Theater on Wednesday (March 1), where she was being honored as the Woman of the Year at the 2023 Billboard Women in Music Awards.
After an in-person introduction from Coi Leray and a partially sung message from Lizzo via video, the SOS auteur – who has topped the Billboard 200 for 10 weeks and counting – took the stage.
Here’s her full speech.
“I’m taped in here for high hell, y’all,” she said of her outfit. “I just want to thank God and my parents are here, my mom and my dad and right here, and my whole team [at TDE], Punch [Terrence Henderson] and MeLisa [Heath] and Top [Anthony Tiffith] and Amber, who is my best friend, we were roommates in college, and now she just makes sure I don’t fall apart every single day. To RCA, just everybody.
“I don’t know. A couple days ago MeLisa was like – I was about to go on stage, I’m on tour right now, today is my day off – she was like, ‘You should take time to write your speech.’ And then it’s like, ’10 seconds to stage’ and it’s like, ‘OK.’
“I didn’t write anything but that’s also who I am. I’m a very off the dome person. What I wanted to say is that 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.
“Whether it’s Lana Del Rey or Olivia Rodrigo or Chloe or Doechii who is a f–king star or Latto, or even Coi, my very own Jersey baby. I think sometimes there’s a misconception where everybody always feels like that girl, like, oh, I know I’m that b—-h and I have a lot of confidence. It’s OK to not be that person all the time. I used to feel like I didn’t belong because I don’t always feel like that. But I realized that the key is to stay open and available for whatever the universe or God wants to do with your life. Even when you don’t know who you are or you may not see, I don’t know why telling these on Billboard, I’m grateful — I love you too [aside to an audience member].
“But I really just want my life to be more than music, to be more than just an artist. I want to serve others, I want to serve people I want to be open and available to whatever God wants from 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. It’s really the only way we walk through those doors. I encourage everybody to continue to be inspired and just stay available. You don’t have to be confident or even know that you are the one, or anything like that, you just have to say yes to the possibility. I’m grateful and thank you all for saying yes to me and I hope everybody has a blessed night. Thank you very much.”
Some of music’s biggest names and rising stars gathered to celebrate and support woman artists, executives, producers and creators who have made an impact in their communities and the music industry at Billboard’s annual Women In Music event on Wednesday (March 1) at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles.
The star-studded event featured performances from Woman of the Year honoree SZA, Becky G (Impact Award), Doechii (Rising Star), Kim Petras (Chartbreaker), Lainey Wilson (Rulebreaker) and TWICE (Breakthrough Artist). On hand to present were Sabrina Carpenter, Dove Cameron, Chloe Bailey, Coi Leray and Wondagurl. There was also a surprise appearance by global superstar Bad Bunny, who was on hand to present Ivy Queen with the Icon Award.
This Women In Music Executive of the Year honoree was Sylvia Rhone, the CEO and chairwoman of Epic Records. During her speech, she gave a shout-out to her fellow honorees SZA and Rosalia, who received the inaugural Producer of the Year Award. “You changed the game for R&B music, and R&B music is where I come from, and we’re back!” Rhone said of the “Kill Bill” artist. “And Rosalia particularly because that’s a historic win to be producer of the year.”
During her own acceptance speech — which was unscripted — SZA shared her deep respect for the other women in the room. This could have been any of us,” she said.
This year’s ceremony was hosted by Emmy Award-winning actress and writer Quinta Brunson. Check out moments from the 2023 Billboard Women In Music event below.
Becky G & Dove Cameron
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Becky G and Dove Cameron at Billboard Women In Music held at YouTube Theater on March 1, 2023 in Los Angeles.
Doechii
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Doechii performed “Crazy” and “Persuasive” at the 2023 Billboard Women In Music event.
Lana Del Rey & Rosalía
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Lana Del Rey and Rosalía — both of whom were honored during the evening — posed together at Billboard Women In Music.
Latto
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Latto performed “Lottery” and accepted the Powerhouse Award at Billboard Women In Music.
Doechii
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Doechii accepted the Rising Star Award from her mother at the 2023 Billboard Women In Music event.
Bad Bunny
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Bad Bunny presented Ivy Queen with the Icon Award during his surprise appearance at the 2023 Billboard Women In Music event.
Quinta Brunson
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Quinta Brunson hosted the 2023 Billboard Women In Music event.
Kim Petras
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Kim Petras made a plea for body autonomy while accepting the Chartbreaker Award at the 2023 Billboard Women In Music event, where she also performed “Brrr.”
Rosalía
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Rosalía marveled at the “chain” (a diamond necklace given to each honoree) while accepting the inaugural Producer of the Year Award at the 2023 Billboard Women In Music event.
Kim Petras
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Kim Petras accepted the Chartbreaker Award from Wendy Goldstein onstage at Billboard Women In Music event.
Lainey Wilson
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Lainey Wilson performed “Heart Like a Truck” at the Billboard Women In Music event.
Wendy Goldstein
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Wendy Goldstein spoke onstage at the Billboard Women In Music event before presenting an award to Kim Petras.
Kim Petras
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Kim Petras performed “Brrr” at the Billboard Women In Music event.
WondaGurl
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WondaGurl spoke onstage at the Billboard Women In Music event.
Piper Parabo & Lainey Wilson
Image Credit: Rich Polk/PMC
Piper Parabo and Lainey Wilson posed together at the Billboard Women In Music event.
Sabrina Carpenter & Lauren Spencer-Smith
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Sabrina Carpenter, who presented TWICE with the Breakthrough Award, and Lauren Spencer-Smith struck a pose together at the Billboard Women In Music event.
Latto & Chlöe
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Latto and Chlöe at Billboard Women In Music event as Latto accepted the Powerhouse Award.
Chlöe
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Chlöe presented the Powerhouse Award to Latto at the Billboard Women In Music event.
Ivy Queen
Image Credit: Rich Polk/PMC
Ivy Queen accepted the Icon Award at the Billboard Women In Music event.
Piper Parabo
Image Credit: Christopher Polk/PMC
Piper Parabo at Billboard Women In Music event.
Lainey Wilson
Image Credit: Christopher Polk/PMC
Lainey Wilson accepted the Rulebreaker Award at the Billboard Women In Music event.
Coi Leray
Image Credit: Christopher Polk/PMC
Coi Leray presented the Woman of the Year Award to SZA at the Billboard Women In Music event.
Latto hit the stage at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles on Wednesday night (March 1) to perform her new single “Lottery” and receive the Powerhouse award during the 2023 Billboard Women in Music event.
Flanked by four backup dancers, the rapper swaggered and danced her way through the disco-inflected track in a sparkling body suit and matching opera-length gloves and dramatic heels.
Following her performance, Latto was presented her award by previous Rising Star honoree Chlöe Bailey, who called her pal and “For the Night” collaborator “a force to be reckoned with,” “an icon for young women everywhere” and “the personification of a powerhouse.”
“Megan Thee Stallion won this award, Doja Cat won this award. It’s crazy because I’m fans of my peers and they’re now my peers,” Latto said, gratefully gripping Bailey’s hand for support. “All the inspiring women who paved the way for me and all the women that there are to come. I’m grateful to be a part of this new wave of female rap and baby, we kickin’ down the door and we ain’t takin’ no for an answer.”
Latto recently sat down with Billboard at Los Angeles’ luxe Paramour Estate to reflect on her rise to Powerhouse status and her dedication to supporting the upcoming generation of female MCs.
“My No. 1 thing has been being a girl’s girl,” she said, giving props to the likes to Flo Milli, Lola Brooke and GloRilla. “I utilize my power in uplifting others on my way up. When you see Latto do a feature with an upcoming female rapper, I don’t charge them.”
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.”