As someone who constantly sees their favorite female artists snubbed and unappreciated in the music industry, the Billboard Women in Music yearly event has become one of my favorite events in media, as it recognizes female musicians and businesswomen who have made a remarkable impact in music. The most significant honor of the night is the “Woman of the Year” award, which in past years has gone to artists like Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, and many more. This year, it was deservingly awarded to SZA. 

Besides Woman of the Year, many other honorees were recognized for their work. For example, Lana Del Rey received the Visionary Award, Rosalía received Producer of the Year, and the K-pop group TWICE received the Breakthrough award. Other recognized women of the night included Becky G, Kim Petras, Latto, and much more. The night was also filled with great performances from SZA, Becky G, Doechii, Kim Petras, Lainey Wilson, and TWICE. Each performer truly shined in their own way, all while keeping up the spirit of the impactful night. 

The entire night was filled with women supporting other women, one of the most encouraging things to see in this competitive industry. Almost every award was presented by another female artist, and nearly every acceptance speech was filled with appreciation for the other women in the room. Rosalía shouted, “Lana Del Rey, te quiero,” at the end of her acceptance speech. Doechii (Rising Star award) and Latto (Powerhouse award) both mentioned how honored it was to get the same recognition as the previous women who had won the awards the years past, like Doja Cat, Nicki Minaj, and Megan Thee Stallion.

Arguably the most fun part of the night was seeing the unlikely friendships between celebrities you would never think had known each other. Olivia Rodrigo and Lana Del Rey were seen hugging and sitting near each other the entire night, with Lana Del Rey mentioning her in her acceptance speech: “I cannot tell you how much it means that someone who wrote Drivers License is standing next to me.” Sabrina Carpenter showed her gratitude for TWICE by sharing with the audience that she had been a fan of theirs for a long time and even covered their hit song “Candy Pop” at a show years ago. Also, TWICE’s Chaeyoung was seen fangirling over meeting Kim Petras, and they posted many selfies after the event. 

Overall, the Billboard Women in Music event was a great night filled with influential, talented women recognized for their industry expertise. As Women’s History Month begins, it is more important than ever to acknowledge the underdogs in the music industry, whether they be singers, producers, or the women behind the scenes of it all.