Women’s History Month kicked off in a big way this year! The 2022 Billboard Women in Music Awards happened last night (March 2) and honored several iconic women in the music industry, as it was filled with music, awards, and stars.
Host Ciara opened the show with a moment of silence for those in Ukraine by saying, “Before we begin this celebration, we want to take this moment of silence to send out thoughts and prayers to the people of Ukraine, especially women and girls, and hope for a peaceful resolution.”
The night continued with a performance from Trailblazer Award recipient Phoebe Bridgers, who sang her song “Kyoto.”Presented to her by her mother, Jamie Bridgers. the award is given to a female artist who uses their platform to highlight unheard voices and for someone who continues to break barriers for future performers.
Singer-songwriter Jackson Brown then took the stage to perform the song “Angel from Montgomery” with Bonnie Raitt before presenting her with the Icon Award. Raitt used her speech to also speak on the situation happening in Ukraine, saying her “heart is heavy for the people of Ukraine.”
Female rapper, Saweetie, made an appearance at the show as well, performing her iconic song “Closer” before receiving the Game Changer Award for being on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart over 100 times. H.E.R. also took the stage to receive the American Express Impact Award, which represents the singer’s empowerment for women in both music and beyond.
Fans also got a little taste of country during the WIM Awards when Gabby Barrett took the stage with her husband, Cade Foehner, to perform her hit song “I Hope.”. Barrett has been dominating the scene one step at a time, and because of this, she was given the Rising Star Award.
The show then took a trip to Planet Her when Doja Cat took the stage to receive the “Powerhouse Award” for her domination in streaming, sales and radio play. Summer Walker was also in attendance to slay a performance of “Session 32” and receive the Chartbreaker Award for her album Still Over It, which went straight to No.1 on the Billboard 200, with all 18 tracks made an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts.
Billboard also partnered with the co-founder of World of Woman, Yam Karkai. Karkai came on stage to introduce singer Christina Aguilera to talk about her edition of the first NFT Billboard Magazine cover, with two other covers made for Madonna and Mariah Carey. Karaki designed the covers, which are available for auction at FTX US NFT Marketplace, and each star’s cover will have a portion of the proceeds go to a non-profit of their choosing.
The night couldn’t end without special tribute to Olivia Rodrigo, who was award the Billboard Woman of the Year Award by none other than Sheryl Crow.
Rodrigo has been shattering the charts (and breaking the glass ceiling for pop music) with her debut album Sour, so it comes to no surprise that the 19-year-old would receive the evening’s highest honor.
A huge advocate and inspiration for young female artists, Rodrigo shared a heartfelt speech in dedication to those aspiring female songwriters, “I wanna say to all the young girls out there who are writing songs every day, in their journals, on their bedroom floors—-I am constantly moved by your vulnerability and your creativity and bravery,” continuing by saying, “I promise everyone here today is working to make this world and this industry a better place for you.”
Click through the gallery to see more red carpet and in-show moments from the 2022 Billboard Women In Music Awards and let us know which look you’re loving by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by tweeting us at @CelebSecrets.
