ENTERTAINMENT | Karol G first Latina named woman of the year by Billboard
Karol G performs as part of the “Manana Sera Bonito” tour at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Thursday, February 8, 2024. PHOTO: AP
.
.
INGLEWOOD (AP) – Karol G made history at Wednesday night’s Billboard Women in Music awards ceremony.
“This is the first time, ever, a Latina is named woman of the year,” Karol G began her acceptance speech after a fiery performance of her reggaetón hit, “Amargura.” And so, in honour of that incredible feat, she delivered the rest of her speech in Spanish.
The global superstar received the award at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, after a lively introduction from her “Griselda” co-star Sofia Vergara.
Of course, Karol G is used to making history at this point. Last month, she became the first woman to win in the best música urbana category at the Grammys, a moment that may reflect changing perceptions of reggaetón and Latin hip-hop as exclusively “men’s music.”
Memento Maxima Digital Marketing.
Last year, her album “Mañana Será Bonito,” one of The Associated Press’ picks for best of the year, became the first ever Spanish-language album by a female artist to hit No 1 on the Billboard 200.
(Not only that, but “Mañana Será Bonito” is the first Latin album — by a Latina — to reach No 1 on the albums chart since Selena Quintanilla’s posthumous “Dreaming of You,” did in 1995 following her high-profile murder.)
When Karol G embarked on a stadium tour in support of the release, she became the first Latina to headline at many of the venues where she performed. To call Karol G’s rise meteoric wouldn’t be hyperbole.
In the crowds above the stage at the YouTube Theatre, fans wielded glowing light sticks — official merchandise for the K-pop girl group NewJeans, who attended, performed an animated medley of their viral hits “Super Shy” and “ETA,” and were awarded the title of group of the year.
A new award category heralding performers who are “global forces” were given to women from around the world for their needle-moving contributions to their home countries, including Annalisa representing Italy, Sarah Geronimo from the Philippines and Luísa Sonza from Brazil, who performed and was joined by Demi Lovato for “Penhasco2,” their Portuguese power ballad.
The second annual producer of the year award was given to PinkPantheress, known for her jungle and UK garage beats woven into songs that avoid easy classification.
“As a woman of colour in electronic music — specifically two-step, drum and bass, it’s taken a lot for the genre to be recognised on a wider scale — a lot of people don’t expect me to look the way I did, making the music I was making,” she said in her speech. “Even now, people don’t want to take my music seriously. But I’m just happy that I have the opportunity to be recognised in a specific field by the Billboard Women in Music Award.”
Performers at the ceremony included Maren Morris, Young Miko, Tems, Victoria Monét — all of whom received awards. Charli XCX debuted a new song titled “So I,” about “a person who is no longer with us,” as she explained in her introduction.
Monét led the night — with a brassy performance of her massive hit “On My Mama.” Immediately afterward, her mother presented her with the rising star award. “She didn’t tell me she was coming, y’all!” Monét exclaimed, clutching Mama Monét, as she attempted to read from a teleprompter. In her acceptance speech, Monét shouted out “women doing the thankless jobs” in addition to those “behind the scenes and in front of the curtain.”
Across two and a half hours, Ice Spice and Kylie Minogue were some of the other music artists who were recognized at the event, which celebrated the achievements of top female performers and executives in the music industry.
Presenters included Katy Perry, Coco Jones, Andra Day, Saweetie, Ellie Goulding, GloRilla, Bebe Rexha and Lainey Wilson.
@[email protected]
