HUNTR/X singers EJAE, AUDREY NUNA and REI AMI, who are set to receive Billboard’s 2025 Woman of the Year award at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles on April 29, join a very impressive roster of recipients. The 18 recipients to date have won a combined total of 115 Grammys, three Oscars and a Primetime Emmy.
Reba McEntire, who became the first recipient in 2007, went on to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and receive the Kennedy Center Honors. Madonna, who was named Woman of the Year in 2016, is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Taylor Swift, the only two-time Woman of the Year recipient, went on to become the only four-time Grammy winner for album of the year. Beyoncé, Woman of the Year for 2009, went on to become the artist with the most Grammy Awards in history. Billie Eilish, Woman of the Year for 2019, went on to become the first artist in nearly four decades to sweep the Big Four categories at the Grammys in one night. This year, Eilish earned another laurel (alongside her brother, Finneas) as the first three-time song of the year recipients in Grammy history.
EJAE, AUDREY NUNA and REI AMI comprise the first group or duo to receive the honor. EJAE won a Grammy on Feb. 1 for co-writing “Golden,” which took best song written for visual media. She is also nominated for best original song at the Oscars on Sunday March 15 for co-writing the global smash. The trio will perform the song on the telecast.
The Woman of the Year award is an outgrowth of Billboard’s Women in Music list, which was launched in 2005 as a magazine-only feature. As noted, McEntire became the first Woman of the Year honoree in 2007, at an event, “Top 20 Women in Music,” held in conjunction with Lifetime. The first event branded Women in Music was held in 2008. The event has been held every year since, except 2021, when it transitioned from an early-winter to a late-winter gathering.
Check out the past years’ honorees in the gallery below.
-
Reba McEntire, 2007 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Theo Wargo/WireImage Reba McEntire at the 2007 Billboard Women in Music breakfast at the Core Club in New York City on Sept. 5, 2007.
-
Ciara, 2008 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Mike Coppola/WireImage Ciara attends the Billboard Women in Music breakfast at the St. Regis Hotel on Oct. 24, 2008, in New York City.
-
Beyonce, 2009 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage Beyonce attends Billboard’s Women in Music event at The Pierre Hotel on Oct. 2, 2009, in New York City.
-
Fergie, 2010 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Jamie McCarthy/WireImage Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas attends Billboard’s Women in Music Awards at The Pierre Hotel on Dec. 2, 2010, in New York City.
-
Taylor Swift, 2011 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Theo Wargo/WireImage Taylor Swift attends Billboard’s Women in Music event at Capitale on Dec. 2, 2011, in New York City.
-
Katy Perry, 2012 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Mike Coppola/GI Katy Perry poses with her Billboard Woman of the Year award at the 2012 Billboard Women in Music luncheon at Capitale on Nov. 30, 2012, in New York City.
-
P!nk, 2013 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Larry Busacca/GI P!nk speaks onstage at Billboard’s annual Women in Music event at Capitale on Dec. 10, 2013, in New York City.
-
Taylor Swift, 2014 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: D Dipasupil/FilmMagic Taylor Swift attends the 2014 Billboard Women in Music luncheon at Cipriani Wall Street on Dec. 12, 2014, in New York City.
-
Lady Gaga, 2015 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/GI for Lifetime Lady Gaga speaks onstage during Billboard Women in Music 2015 on Lifetime at Cipriani 42nd Street on Dec. 11, 2015 in New York City.
-
Madonna, 2016 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Nicholas Hunt/GI for Billboard Magazine Madonna speaks on stage at the Billboard Women in Music 2016 on Dec. 9, 2016 in New York City.
-
Selena Gomez, 2017 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Michael Kovac/GI for Billboard Selena Gomez accepts the Woman of the Year Award onstage at Billboard Women In Music 2017 at The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center on Nov. 30, 2017 in Hollywood, Calif.
-
Ariana Grande, 2018 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Mike Coppola/GI for Billboard Ariana Grande speaks onstage at Billboard Women In Music 2018 on Dec. 6, 2018 in New York City.
-
Billie Eilish, 2019 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Rich Fury/GI for Billboard Billie Eilish accepts the Woman of the Year Award onstage during Billboard Women In Music 2019, presented by YouTube Music, on Dec. 12, 2019 in Los Angeles.
-
Cardi B, 2020 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: 2020 Billboard Women In Music/GI for Billboard Cardi B accepts the Woman of the Year Award during the Billboard Women In Music 2020 event on Dec. 10, 2020.
-
Olivia Rodrigo, 2022 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Emma McIntyre/GI for Billboard Olivia Rodrigo accepts the 2022 Woman of the Year award onstage during Billboard Women in Music 2022 at YouTube Theater on March 2, 2022 in Inglewood, Calif.
-
SZA, 2023 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Christopher Polk SZA accepts the 2023 Woman of the Year award onstage during Billboard Women in Music 2023 at YouTube Theater on March 1, 2023 in Inglewood, Calif.
-
Karol G, 2024 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Rich Polk Karol G (with presenter Sofia Vergara) at Billboard Women In Music 2024 held at YouTube Theater on March 6, 2024 in Inglewood, Calif.
-
Doechii, 2025 Woman of the Year
Image Credit: Brandon Todd/Billboard Doechii at the Billboard Women in Music 2025 event held at the YouTube Theater on March 29, 2025 in Inglewood, California.
