{"id":424873,"date":"2026-04-30T08:51:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T08:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/424873\/"},"modified":"2026-04-30T08:51:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T08:51:11","slug":"2026-billboard-women-in-music-awards-recap-best-moments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/424873\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Billboard Women in Music Awards Recap: Best Moments"},"content":{"rendered":"

From our Women of the Year — HUNTR\/X’s EJAE, AUDREY NUNA & REI AMI — and beyond, these were our favorite moments.<\/p>\n

\t4\/30\/2026\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Zara<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tZara Larsson performs on stage at the Billboard Women in Music 2026 held at the Hollywood Palladium on April 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRich Polk\/Billboard<\/p>\n

\n\tIn a night all about women supporting women, Zara Larsson took the Billboard Women in Music mission statement literally on Wednesday night (April 29) at the Hollywood Palladium, with the Swedish pop star being held aloft by her four backup dancers as she flawlessly performed her Grammy-nominated song \u201cMidnight Sun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd that was just one of many iconic moments in a night full of them. Larsson was honored with the Breakthrough award, for taking over the charts in a major way after 10 years in the business, while the singing voices of HUNTR\/X \u2014 EJAE, AUDREY NUNA and REI AMI \u2014 were celebrated for their \u201cGolden\u201d-powered KPop Demon Hunters success as our Women of the Year.<\/p>\n

\n\tHost Keke Palmer did double-duty, kicking off the night with the first performance, while Mariah the Scientist was honored as Honda\u2019s Rising Star and Tate\u00a0McRae received the Hitmaker title. Country chart-topper Ella Langley accepted the Powerhouse prize, and Laufey was honored as our Innovator. But we were just getting started: Kehlani took home the Impact award, Thalia was named our Icon, and Teyana Taylor was presented with the Visionary award.<\/p>\n

\n\tBeyond our artist honorees, ASCAP\u2019s\u00a0Beth Matthews\u00a0was also\u00a0celebrated with the\u00a0Executive of the Year\u00a0title, presented by Kim Petras.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd there were even two big global moments as well, with Canadian rockers The Beaches and Filipina girl group BINI accepting Global Force accolades, thanking Billboard Canada and Billboard Philippines for their support back home.<\/p>\n

\n\tBelow, go inside the empowering night with the 11 best moments from the 2026 Billboard Women in Music Awards.<\/p>\n

\tZara Larsson<\/p>\n

\n\tWhen Tyla presented Zara Larsson with the Breakthrough Artist award, Tyla called Larsson a \u201cfun time to be around.\u201d Larsson proved this to be true when she took the stage to perform her smash hit \u201cMidnight Sun.\u201d Clad in a sparkly top and skirt set with four dancers at her side, Larsson delivered stadium-worthy vocals and intricate choreography \u2014 she even belted while being lifted into the air by her dancers.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn her acceptance speech, the Swedish pop star reminded the audience that though she is winning the Breakthrough Award and may be new to many, she\u2019s been at it for over a decade now. Her secret to finally breaking through? \u201cI became the most \u2018me\u2019 around amazing women.\u201d\u00a0\u2014 ANNIE HARRIGAN<\/p>\n

\tMariah the Scientist<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Mariah
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Rich Polk\/Billboard\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tCoco Jones presented Mariah the Scientist with the Rising Star award presented by Honda Stage using a scientific method as a nod to Mariah\u2019s studies in biology. Jones celebrated Mariah\u2019s six Hot 100 hits before Mariah took the stage to perform\u00a0\u201cRainy Days,\u201d backed by a video of falling rain. Mariah then welcomed Kali Uchis to the stage to perform their hit \u201cIs It a Crime.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Rising Star recipient thanked Billboard for the recognition and continued support, stating, \u201cI appreciate you for designating this moment as mine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cTo all the women here,\u201d Mariah continued, \u201cI identify with you and all the challenges that come with cultivating your inner life.\u201d \u2014 TAYLOR MIMS<\/p>\n

\tTate McRae<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Tate
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Rich Polk\/Billboard\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tDespite being honored as Billboard\u2019s Women in Music Hitmaker for 2026, Tate McRae isn\u2019t entirely sure she lives up to the title.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe word \u2018hitmaker\u2019 makes it sound like you wake up every day knowing exactly what you\u2019re doing,\u201d McRae said from the stage, where she accepted the award from Victoria Mon\u00e9t. \u201cI can confirm I do not. Most of the time, I\u2019m in a room overthinking a song for eight hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cA lot of the songs that have done the most came from moments that felt very small at the time. Like emotions I didn\u2019t fully understand, or maybe couldn\u2019t communicate,\u201d she continued. \u201cAnd turning those feelings into music is my way of catching up with myself, I suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tPrior to accepting the award, McRae performed a pitch-perfect acoustic version of \u201cNobody\u2019s Girl\u201d from her Billboard 200 No. 1 album\u00a0So Close to What??? Speaking of hits, the album had plenty, from \u201cTit for Tat\u201d to \u201cSports Car\u201d to \u201cYou Broke Me First.\u201d Whether she feels like a Hitmaker or not, her Billboard chart history speaks for itself. \u2014 CHRIS EGGERTSEN<\/p>\n

\tASCAP\u2019s Elizabeth Matthews<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Kim
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Billboard\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tKim Petras presented Elizabeth Matthews, the CEO of ASCAP, with Women in Music Executive of the Year award. \u201cShe proves that being a boss and being an advocate go hand in hand,\u201d Petras said of Matthews.<\/p>\n

\n\tMatthews praised Petras and all songwriters in her acceptance speech, remarking, \u201cWithout you, there would be no music industry.\u201d She thanked her team and family, plus all the women at the Hollywood Palladium \u2014 a room she described as \u201cfilled with positivity and joy and all this estrogen.\u201d \u2014 RACHEL SCHARF<\/p>\n

\tElla Langley<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Ella
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Christopher Polk\/Billboard\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tElla Langley proved why she was Billboard Women in Music\u2019s Powerhouse recipient with a stripped-down performance of \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas,\u201d her record-breaking No. 1 smash on the Hot 100 from her Billboard 200-chart topping album Dandelion.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tFresh off her Stagecoach-headlining spot, Lainey Wilson presented to Langley, saying, \u201cShe\u2019s the kind of chick that doesn\u2019t just walk into a room; she kicks the door down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s crazy to see what\u2019s happening\u201d with country music\u2019s popularity, Langley said, ruminating on what the word \u201cpowerhouse\u201d meant to her, citing \u201cstrength, resilience\u2026 there hasn\u2019t been a day I wanted to do anything else.\u201d \u2014 MELINDA NEWMAN<\/p>\n

\tLaufey<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Laufey
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Christopher Polk\/Billboard\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tJazz-pop artist Laufey was presented with the Innovator award by Brandi Carlile. \u201cI was sharing like a dressing room wall with her last year at Glastonbury,\u201d Carlile said. \u201cAnd I heard this ridiculously angelic and timeless voice cutting through all the backstage noise\u2026I absolutely had to find out who that voice was, who it belonged to. And it was, of course, Laufey.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter playing a solo rendition of her song \u201cSilver Lining,\u201d Laufey accepted the award and used her speech to highlight women from her native Iceland who are \u201cwonderful examples of innovative women,\u201d as she put it. She points out how inspired she is by her mother, famous singer Bj\u00f6rk, and the country\u2019s female prime minister and president, but she ends by humbling adding \u201cbut I really think every woman in this industry is an innovator.\u201d\u00a0\u2014 KRISTIN ROBINSON<\/p>\n

\tKehlani<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Kehlani
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Rich Polk\/Billboard\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tIn presenting the 2026 Billboard Women in Music Impact award to Kehlani, Ciara said she\u2019s especially pleased \u201cwhen I get to celebrate an artist whose music keeps climbing the charts and whose compassion [for helping others] is off charts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter delivering a rousing performance of her Grammy-winning song \u201cFolded,\u201d Kehlani shared her definition of impact: \u201cI\u2019ve watched how easy it is for us to lose entire pieces of our lives; to be so consumed by what we\u2019re building that we forget to actually live inside of it. I used to think impact meant to reach numbers and visibility; being everywhere at once. But the older I get, the more I understand that impact is much quieter than that. It\u2019s in the way we show up for each other. It\u2019s in the boundaries we keep. It\u2019s in the parts of ourselves we refuse to abandon in order to succeed. Impact is choosing to stay human in a space that often rewards you for being anything but.\u201d \u2014 GAIL MITCHELL<\/p>\n

\tThalia<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Thal\u00eda
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Rich Polk\/Billboard\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tDressed in a red floral dress and backed by dancers in mariachi outfits, Thalia stormed the stage with her signature Mexican charm to\u00a0performi a medley of \u201cPiel Morena\u201d and \u201cAmor a la Mexicana,\u201d later joined by a mariachi band interacting with the audience, a staple in Regional Mexican music. The former song earned Thalia her first top 10 on Hot Latin Songs chart, reaching No. 7 in 1995, while \u201cAmor\u201d peaked at No. 6 in 1997. The Mexican singer\u00a0accepted the Icon award presented by Eva Longoria, who reflected on the singer\u2019s preeminent career spanning nearly four decades: \u201capproaching each start as a new adventure,\u201d Longoria highlighted.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u00a0\u201cI really receive this with so much love and gratitude,\u201d said an emotional Thalia, looking back at her remarkable success. \u201cAn icon is a survivor,\u201d she said, \u201cone who falls, stands up and keeps going because there is no other option. Go get your dreams!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI want to dedicate this award to the little girl who I once was,\u201d she added, \u201cthe little Thalia who stepped on a television set and found magic in front of the camera. To every single kid who dares to dream big, do not stop.\u201d \u2014 PAMELA BUSTIOS<\/p>\n

\tHUNTR\/X\u2019s EJAE, AUDREY NUNA & REI AMI<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Audrey
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Billboard\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tEJAE, AUDREY NUNA & REI AMI \u2014 the singing voices of HUNTR\/X, the girl group at the center of Netflix\u2019s KPop Demon Hunters \u2014 capped their golden year on Wednesday night as they were honored as the Women of the Year<\/a> at the Billboard Women in Music gala.<\/p>\n

\n\tThey performed \u201cGolden,\u201d the song that took them to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks last year, as images of their animated HUNTR\/X counterparts were projected behind them.<\/p>\n

\n\tEach of the women took a moment at the mic after being presented the award by Ella Mai, with EJAE up first. \u201cI just want to say to every woman who may feel unseen, your voice is something to honor,\u201d she said. \u201cYour story is not something to dilute, it\u2019s something to amplify. And your identity is not a barrier, it\u2019s your power.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tREI followed, saying in part: \u201cThank you to all the women in this room for using your superpowers to inspire, lead and protect. We are not too much. We are not too loud. We are exactly who the f\u2014 we think we are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAUDREY had the last word, saying in her speech: \u201cOur empathy is an asset, our humanness is a catalyst and portal for change. Thank you so much.\u201d \u2014 KATIE ATKINSON<\/p>\n

\tTeyana Taylor<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Teyana
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Rich Polk\/Billboard\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThe crowd welcomed the incomparable Dionne Warwick to the stage with a standing ovation, as she introduced Billboard\u2019s Women in Music Visionary, Warwick\u2019s self-proclaimed \u201calter ego,\u201d Teyana Taylor.<\/p>\n

\n\tDraped in satin, Taylor sat for a moving, acoustic rendition of \u201cBed of Roses\u201d from her Grammy-nominated Escape Room, released in August 2025. A five-piece band backed Taylor as rose petals floated down from the ceiling, and Wale joined her for his verses on the stripped-down performance.<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter, Taylor embraced Warwick and took out her glasses to read the teleprompter \u2014 which didn\u2019t have her speech. Taylor and Warwick abruptly left the stage to a stunned audience. But Taylor got her well-deserved moment, as she and Warwick returned at the show\u2019s end so Taylor could share her heartfelt speech.<\/p>\n

\n\tWearing a gray sweatsuit but still looking glamorous as ever, Taylor revisited 20 years spent \u201cholding onto a dream even when it felt like it was slipping through my fingers.\u201d Though she\u2019s explored a number of disciplines throughout her career, \u201cMusic is my first love,\u201d Taylor said. And in the spirit of the event, Taylor shouted out her mother, her \u201cbackbone,\u201d who advocated for her amid the teleprompter technical difficulties, as only a mom could. \u201cIt was so dope watching you curse them out backstage,\u201d she said, to applause and laughter from the crowd, while also thanking the team for its accountability in the next breath.\u00a0\u2014 CHRISTINE WERTHMAN<\/p>\n

\tKeke Palmer<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Keke
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Christopher Polk\/Billboard\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tKeke Palmer, the 2026 Billboard Women in Music emcee, also opened the show as its first performer, singing \u201cText Message Unsent\u201d from her upcoming movie I Love Boosters. As scenes from the Boots Riley-directed film (out May 22) played behind her, Palmer performed alongside two backup dancers shredding on guitars for the rock-tinged song.<\/p>\n

\n\tPalmer kept things fun and light throughout the night, especially when she vamped for time following the Woman of the Year acceptance to allow for Teyana Taylor\u2019s triumphant return to the stage for her speech, telling a story about her son Leo putting on Keke\u2019s Ugg boots and pretending to go to work to sing, just like his mama. \u2014 K.A.<\/p>\n

\t


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