On Dec. 6, the music industry gathered in Manhattan in order to honor 2018’s best and golden new female artists at Billboard’s Women in Music event.
As the #MeToo movement tried to reach its objective; this past year hasn’t really had a positive change, or an adjustment in regards to the recent conflict that has taken place upon the women in the entertainment industry.
While this year was suppose to the greatest moment in which the voice of women are heard and uplifted, the rendition of it all has not quite improved.
One example is how the top streaming artists on Spotify are all men. While on the Billboard Number one albums list, it includes women only topping six times within 52 weeks. This just shows how the Billboard event was even all the more pivotal.
There was quite a variation of performers from different genres such as Ariana Grande, SZA, Hayley Kiyoko, Cyndi Lauper and Janelle Monae, who not only attened the event to honor their own achievements, but to also recognize and commemorated other artists in the room.
After a short shoutout to the new editorial director, Hannah Karp, Philadelphia rapper Tierra Whack introduced Monae, recipient of the Trailblazer award. She then shared a story that impacted her, including the release of her new album.
Besides Monae and St. Beaut taking the stage, Lauren Juaregui presented the Rising Star Award to her long-time friend and singer Kiyoko.
Fifth Harmony solo star, Camilla Cabello introduced “the thoroughly magnificent and incredibly cool Hayley Kiyoko,” who blazed through an energetic rendition of Expectations single “Curious.”
Patti Labelle presented Grande with the Women of the Year of Award. Labelle and grande formed a great relationship after a performance for President Obama back in 2014.
With an emotional video tribute ending with her One Love Manchester performance, Grande delivered a soaring performance of her current Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Thank U, Next.”
Once after, the magnificent R&B singer, Alicia Keys, came out on stage in order to prove a point that the music industry was also a part of the “She Is The Music.”
This is a strategy with Billboard that goes into helping the women in the music industry that builds a connection with one another so there is a clear and finer representation.
In tribute to the award recipient Cyndi Lauper, singer and actor Tituss Burgess provided a powerhouse performance of Lauper’s 1984 Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Time After Time,” earning a standing ovation.
Lauper accepted one of the most important awards, the Icon Award. In her speech, she included that when she first began her career, there were quotas for women.
“I guess it’s kind of still like that, but you [honorees] are kicking down doors and that is awesome,” stated Lauper. She went on to say that she stood on the shoulders of those who were before her.
She went on to conclude her speech that we “As you guys are standing on mine and others will come and stand on yours.”
