On Wednesday, March 2 — just as Women’s History Month kicked off — Billboard hosted its annual Women in Music event at the newly unveiled YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif. The 6,000-person venue was packed with powerful executives and chart-topping artists, including honorees such as Executive of the Year Golnar Khosrowshahi of Reservoir Media and Woman of the Year Olivia Rodrigo. During the two-hour livestream, which aired on Twitter and was hosted for the second time by superstar Ciara, industry guests and fans — plus legends and presenters like Christina Aguilera and Sheryl Crow — were treated to performances by award recipients Bonnie Raitt (Icon), who duetted with Jackson Browne; Doja Cat (Powerhouse), whose plaque was presented by Normani (who told Billboard on the pink carpet that she would love to collaborate with the star); H.E.R. (Impact); Karol G (Rule Breaker); Gabby Barrett (Rising Star); Summer Walker (Chart Breaker); plus Phoebe Bridgers (Trailblazer) and Saweetie (Game Changer), both of whom were introduced by their mothers. As Rodrigo told Billboard backstage: “I’m just super honored to be in a room full of women supporting each other. There’s nothing better than that.”
A version of this story will appear in the March 12, 2022, issue of Billboard.
