{"id":644035,"date":"2026-05-02T02:41:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T02:41:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/644035\/"},"modified":"2026-05-02T02:41:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T02:41:17","slug":"my-heads-spinnin-around-like-an-owl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/644035\/","title":{"rendered":"‘My head’s spinnin’ around like an owl’"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2026 Billboard Women in Music Awards took over Hollywood on Wednesday night, and from the red carpet to a ceremony presided over by host Keke Palmer, one thing was clear: This wasn\u2019t just a celebration. It felt like a moment.<\/p>\n

The guest list alone read like a snapshot of where music is right now \u2014 and where it\u2019s headed: Teyana Taylor. Zara Larsson. And the Oscar-winning KPop Demon Hunters trio \u2014 Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami \u2014 bringing global star power.<\/p>\n

Yahoo was on the carpet talking to more than 15 artists spanning different genres \u2014 pop, country, hip-hop \u2014 and the message was surprisingly unified: There\u2019s never been a more expansive (or exciting) time to be a woman in music. \u201cEverybody here\u2019s an inspiration to me,\u201d Mariah the Scientist, who took home the Rising Star award, told us, summing up the tone of the evening in a single sentence.<\/p>\n

That next-gen energy was everywhere, especially in artists like Ella Langley. Fresh off a buzzy Stagecoach set<\/a>, the \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas\u201d breakout is not only making noise in country, she\u2019s also making history, recently breaking a decade-old<\/a> record held by Taylor Swift.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means that my head\u2019s spinning around like an owl,\u201d Langley joked on the carpet when we asked her about the milestone moment. \u201cYou ever seen that? It\u2019s pretty scary. It\u2019s nuts. I\u2019m just excited.\u201d<\/p>\n

Inside, the energy only ramped up, with high-gloss fashion, emotional speeches and performances that felt less like a victory lap and more like a handoff from one generation of powerhouses to the next.<\/p>\n

Below, take a look at the best moments from the night, from standout style to the quotes and superlatives that defined it.<\/p>\n

\"Zara<\/p>\n

Zara Larsson performs at Billboard Women in Music.<\/p>\n

(Rich Polk\/Billboard via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The Swedish pop star brought the energy early with a high-octane performance of \u201cMidnight Sun,\u201d which had Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami dancing and singing from their seats. Larsson used her Breakthrough Artist win to gently (but firmly) reframe the narrative. Yes, she\u2019s having a moment. No, she\u2019s not new<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many years of hard work behind an overnight success,\u201d Larsson told the crowd, reflecting on what she described as a long-awaited career renaissance.<\/p>\n

In her speech, she got even more candid about the shift that got her here: letting go of chasing trying to be \u201cthe best\u201d and instead becoming \u201cthe most me.\u201d The result, she suggested, isn\u2019t a sudden glow-up \u2014 it\u2019s alignment. And maybe that\u2019s the real breakthrough.<\/p>\n

Best from-the-heart moment: Ella Langley\"Ella<\/p>\n

Ella Langley accepts the Powerhouse Award.<\/p>\n

(Christopher Polk\/Billboard via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Introduced by fellow country star Lainey Wilson, who praised her friend as \u201cstill Ella,\u201d despite all the recent success, Langley delivered one of the night\u2019s realest moments. She first took the stage for a stripped-down performance of her record-breaking No. 1 hit \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas,\u201d setting the tone for what followed.<\/p>\n

Then came the speech, and at an event where teleprompter hiccups were already in play, Langley ditched it altogether.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really tried to write a speech for a long time, and then I procrastinated until right now,\u201d she laughed, before shouting out her largely female team.<\/p>\n

What followed was entirely off the cuff. \u201cTo me, \u2018powerhouse\u2019 is strength. It\u2019s resilience. It\u2019s coming back when you don\u2019t necessarily want to, but you feel like, I\u2019m going to fight for this,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is something I\u2019ve wanted to do my whole entire life. \u2026 There wasn\u2019t a day I wanted to be anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most worth the wait: Teyana Taylor\"Teyana<\/p>\n

Teyana Taylor at the Hollywood Palladium.<\/p>\n

(Axelle\/Bauer-Griffin\/FilmMagic via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Fashionably late and immediately forgiven, Taylor was the last to hit the carpet. That cut into her interview time, but she made up for it in the best way possible: stopping to hug every person in her path on the way inside.<\/p>\n

Introduced by legend Dionne Warwick \u2014 who earned one of the night\u2019s few standing ovations \u2014 Taylor was honored as Billboard\u2019s Women in Music Visionary, a title that fits her multi-hyphenate career to a tee After a stripped-down performance of \u201cBed of Roses,\u201d she took the stage and thanked her mother.<\/p>\n

And despite earning critical acclaim (and an Oscar nomination) for her acting work, Taylor made one thing crystal clear: \u201cMusic is my first love.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most daring look: Tyla\"Tyla<\/p>\n

Tyla at Billboard Women in Music.<\/p>\n

(Axelle\/Bauer-Griffin\/FilmMagic via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Tyla didn\u2019t just wear a look \u2014 she owned it. The singer stepped out in a barely there, feathered ensemble that felt equal parts high fashion and fearless, with a dramatic open back and textured detailing that moved with her every step. It was the kind of outfit that requires total confidence, and she delivered, turning the carpet into her runway without missing a beat. We were all talking about it on the carpet.<\/p>\n

Most electric performance: Thal\u00eda\"Thal\u00eda<\/p>\n

Thal\u00eda performs.<\/p>\n

(Gilbert Flores\/Billboard via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re receiving the Icon award, expectations are high \u2014 Thal\u00eda lived up to them. The trailblazing Mexican singer-actor brought the room to life with a high-energy medley of \u201cPiel Morena\u201d and \u201cAmor a la Mexicana,\u201d complete with a mariachi band that had the audience on its feet.<\/p>\n

For Thal\u00eda, the performance was a full-circle moment. \u201cI want to dedicate this award to the little girl who I once was,\u201d she told the crowd. \u201cTo every single kid who dares to dream big: Do not stop.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most \u2018wait \u2026 are you going to run L.A.?\u2019 energy: Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt\"Spencer<\/p>\n

Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag.<\/p>\n

(Rich Polk\/Billboard via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

While Spencer Pratt continues to roll out campaign videos in his very real (and very online) bid to become mayor of Los Angeles, he took a rare step back on Wednesday, avoiding the red carpet and letting his wife shine.<\/p>\n

And she had plenty to celebrate. More than a decade after its release, her 2010 album Superficial surged to No. 1 <\/a>on the iTunes all-genre charts last year \u2014 a surprising second act that came just days after the couple lost their home in the Palisades fire.<\/p>\n

Montag told Yahoo that while the past year has been incredibly difficult, it has also reignited her passion for music.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has been the best and the hardest year of my life. \u2026 I think we\u2019re getting through a lot of the hardships and starting to focus more on the good \u2014 what\u2019s next, what I want to do with my life,\u201d she said, noting a new album is on the way this summer. \u201cLife is short. \u2026 I just want to work hard, balance being a mom \u2026 and now a supportive wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

That \u201csupportive wife\u201d mode is also a nod to the campaign trail \u2014 a role that, if things keep trending this way, might just come with a title upgrade.<\/p>\n

Most \u2018still Golden\u2019 energy: Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami\"Audrey<\/p>\n

Audrey Nuna, Ejae and Rei Ami.<\/p>\n

(Axelle\/Bauer-Griffin\/FilmMagic via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Less than two months after their awards season victory lap, the trio reunited onstage and closed out the night in a major way. Fresh off being named Women of the Year, they treated the crowd at the Palladium to a performance of their hit \u201cGolden,\u201d bringing the room to an emotional, energetic finish.<\/p>\n

But it was their message that lingered. \u201cMusic doesn\u2019t see race or gender; it only asks for the truth,\u201d Ejae told the crowd. \u201cWhen I brought my full truth into it \u2014 my voice, my Korean-ness, my women-ness \u2014 everything began to shift.\u201d She added, \u201cAs a woman, our power has never been in fitting in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most angelic voice: Laufey\"Laufey<\/p>\n

Laufey performs.<\/p>\n

(Rich Polk\/Billboard via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

If anyone in the room wasn\u2019t already familiar with Laufey, they were within seconds. The pop-jazz artist took the stage to perform \u201cSilver Lining,\u201d and the reaction was immediate. \u201cOh my God,\u201d one woman next to me whispered the second she opened her mouth, a sentiment that quickly spread across the room.<\/p>\n

Honored as the evening\u2019s Innovator, Laufey used her speech to zoom out, shifting the focus from herself to the women around her. \u201cIt feels funny to accept an award as an innovator, because I really do feel like every woman in this industry is an innovator,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re all here today not only because we pushed for change but because we made room for each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most personality: Mariah the Scientist\"Mariah<\/p>\n

Mariah the Scientist.<\/p>\n

(Axelle\/Bauer-Griffin\/FilmMagic via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Mariah the Scientist brought the emotion to the stage with a performance of \u201cRainy Days,\u201d showing exactly why she\u2019s one of the genre\u2019s most compelling voices right now.<\/p>\n

Earlier on the carpet, she kept things just as real. Asked which woman in music she\u2019d call for advice, Mariah immediately clarified: \u201cBusiness advice or relationship advice?\u201d Her answers were just as specific, tapping Latto and Kali Uchis for business and adding Ciara into the mix for matters of the heart.<\/p>\n

Best humble brag: Diane Warren\"Diane<\/p>\n

Diane Warren.<\/p>\n

(Monica Schipper\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The songwriting legend is a fixture on just about every major carpet \u2014 from the Oscars (where she\u2019s racked up 17 nominations) to the Grammys and beyond \u2014 so it felt fair to ask which ones she actually enjoys the most. Her answer? Instantly iconic.<\/p>\n

\u201cI prefer the movies because that means I\u2019m nominated for an Oscar,\u201d she said, before adding with a laugh, \u201cI\u2019m keeping that shit real.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most ubiquitous plus-one: moms\"Teyana<\/p>\n

Teyana Taylor brought along her mom, Nikki Taylor.<\/p>\n

(VALERIE MACON via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Call it a theme of the night: Moms were everywhere, either physically or in spirit. Laufey, Zara Larsson and countless others shouted out their mothers while accepting awards, turning the evening into a heartfelt (and very public) thank-you.<\/p>\n

Teyana Taylor took it a step further, bringing her parents along \u2014 and giving the audience one of the night\u2019s funniest moments. After a teleprompter mishap, Taylor that revealed her mom had some thoughts backstage. \u201cIt was so dope watching you curse them out back there,\u201d she joked, earning big laughs from the crowd.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2026 Billboard Women in Music Awards took over Hollywood on Wednesday night, and from the red carpet…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":644036,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[64,73668,63,252400,89857,134,528,100896,136,311645,142419,107018,244632,2897,107245,199080],"class_list":["post-644035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-au","tag-audrey-nuna","tag-australia","tag-billboard-women-in-music","tag-ella-langley","tag-entertainment","tag-getty-images","tag-mariah-the-scientist","tag-music","tag-nikki-taylor","tag-rei-ami","tag-rising-star-award","tag-spencer-pratt","tag-taylor-swift","tag-teyana-taylor","tag-zara-larsson"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/644035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=644035"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/644035\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/644036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=644035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=644035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=644035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}