Today (Jan. 30), Billboard announced the honorees for the 2023 Women in Music Awards. Puerto Rican icon Ivy Queen and Mexican-American pop star Becky G will be honored at the event in March. The Billboard Women in Music Awards were launched in 2007, aiming to celebrate the women who ruled the charts as well as the trailblazers. Among the artists celebrated, Ivy Queen and Becky G are the only Latinas honored this year.
Ivy Queen will receive the Icon Award, given to accomplished women who have made historic contributions to the music industry. As the first lady of reggaeton music, Ivy Queen was a pioneer for women in the genre. She came up alongside Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, and Tego Calderón. It will be amazing to see her be celebrated for the path that she paved for women in reggaeton. Previous Icon Award honorees include Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Lopez, and Cyndi Lauper.
Becky G is going to be honored with the Impact Award, presented by American Express, given to women who use their platform for good and to inspire change. Throughout her career, Becky G has released music and spread messages of women empowerment while speaking on the struggles that Mexican people face on both sides of the Mexico-U.S. border. Alicia Keys, Jessie Reyez, and H.E.R. have previously been honored with that award.
“We’re thrilled to recognize these groundbreaking artists across genres and generations who are defining today’s sound and paving the way for tomorrow’s women in music,” said Billboard’s editorial director Hannah Karp in a statement.
The awards will take place on March 1. Emmy-winning writer and actress Quinta Brunson will host this year’s ceremony at the YouTube Theater in L.A. Lana Del Rey, Kim Petras, TWICE, Latto, and Lainey Wilson will also be honored with awards this year.