Empowerment and Resilience Take Center Stage at Billboard Women in Music 2026

Billboard's 2026 Women in Music event at the Hollywood Palladium featured powerful speeches from Women of the Year Audrey Nuna, Ejae, and Rei Ami, alongside standout performances.

By: AXL Media

Published: May 1, 2026, 9:27 AM EDT

Source: Variety

"KPop Demon Hunters" Secure Woman of the Year Honors

The night’s most prestigious honor, Woman of the Year, was awarded to the trio known for the "KPop Demon Hunters" project: Audrey Nuna, Ejae, and Rei Ami. Their acceptance speeches provided some of the evening's most candid moments, tackling the complexities of being Asian women in a Western, male-dominated industry.

Ejae spoke emotionally about the lack of representation she saw growing up and how songwriting allowed her to find a space where her "Koreanness and womanness" were assets rather than barriers.

Rei Ami delivered a blunt assessment of the industry's "impossible" standards for women, highlighting the constant scrutiny regarding weight, confidence, and personality. "We are not too much; we are not too loud. We are exactly who the f*** we think we are," she told the crowd.

Audrey Nuna reflected on her journey since 2019, wearing boxing-glove shoes as a literal symbol of fighting against the "boxes" women are expected to fit into.

Standout Performances and Presenter Pairings