Every year, Billboard‘s Women in Music Awards celebrate the ladies in the industry who made some of the biggest strides of the past 12 months — and that’s exactly why in 2026, Teyana Taylor, Tate McRae, Ella Langley, Kehlani, Laufey and Zara Larsson have all made the latest honorees list.
This year’s Visionary Award will go to One Battle After Another actress Teyana Taylor, while Gen-Z Canadian pop star Tate McRae will receive the Hitmaker Award and Alabama country singer Ella Langley will take home the Powerhouse Award. All three ladies are in the midst of major career years, with Taylor earning a Grammy nod in November for her album Escape Room before winning a Golden Globe and earning an Oscar nomination this past January, and McRae and Langley scoring their first-ever Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits in the past year (for “What I Want” with Morgan Wallen and “Choosin’ Texas,” respectively).
Related
Several other women in music will also receive recognition at the ceremony this spring too: Kehlani is set to accept the Impact Award, Laufey will receive the Innovator Award and Mariah the Scientist will be given the Rising Star Award presented by Honda Stage. Zara Larsson is the winner of 2026’s Breakthrough Award, while Thalia is set to take home the Icon Award.
Hosted by Keke Palmer and complete with a dynamic lineup of performers and presenters, this year’s Women in Music celebration will take place April 29 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. Tickets and tables for the event will be available to the public to purchase.
The recipient of the coveted Woman of the Year prize — which went to Doechii in 2025 — will be announced in the coming weeks.
“The 2026 Billboard Women in Music honors artists who are not only shaping the sound of today, but defining the culture of tomorrow,” Jason Lipshutz, Billboard‘s co-chief content officer, said in a statement. “This year’s honorees represent bold creativity, global influence and artistic excellence across genres. From breakthrough voices to enduring icons, each of these women is pushing the industry forward in powerful ways.”
