P!nk, Janelle Monáe, and the top women in business were honored at Billboard’s Women in Music event that took place at Capitale
Tuesday at NYC’s Capitale, luminaires from the music industry celebrated the top women in the business at Billboard’s annual Women in Music event. P!nk was named Woman of the Year, while Janelle Monae was honored as the Billboard Rising Star. Among the top women in music were:
- · Debra Lee – chairman & CEO, BET Networks
- · Ethiopia Habtemariam – EVP/head of urban music, Universal Music Publishing Group & SVP, Motown Records
- · Bozoma Saint John – director, cultural branding, music & entertainment marketing, PepsiCo
Other notable names in attendance were Melanie Fiona, Skylar Diggins, and Vashtie Kola. Indie pop duo, Tegan and Sara, and breakout synth rock band, CHVRCHES, honored P!nk and Janelle Monáe respectively with covers of P!nk’s “Just Like a Pill” and Janelle’s “Tightrope.” Nate Ruess of fun was also at the event to honor the two women with whom he has collaborated and received Grammy Award nominations. The event was presented by COVERGIRL, Nikon, Target and City National Bank.
Janelle Monae says …
“I was inspired to create the change that I wanted to see, which the electric lady was. The electric lady is bold, fearless; she stands up for those voices who are often ignored.
“I want to use this award as motivation to keep writing more songs and cultivating new ideas and help all the young women across the world to truly embrace the things that make them unique.
“At Nelson Mandela’s memorial service, one of the things the president said was ‘don’t ever underestimate the power of one man.’ So don’t ever underestimate the power of one woman.”
Nate Ruess about Janelle:
“Anytime she’s around, I just want to dance.”
Nate Ruess about his song with P!nk:
“I just wanted to write the song, not sing it, but [P!nk] twisted my arm and I’m so glad she did.”
P!nk says …
“What do you say when someone says ‘Hey Woman of the Year!’? Well if you’re me you think of all the other women who deserve it more. These are the names that pop into my head, Hillary Clinton, Angelina Jolie … Miley Cyrus if you’re high as s— and have a thing for tongues.
“I’m grateful that I have helped girls from feeling different, ugly, un-empowered.
“Here’s what I wish, I wish that girls embrace their power and their worth and their value and their youth and not settle or barter away anything and have to buy it back later in life. I wish for my daughter to grow up in a world where wonderful publications like Billboard celebrate women for their originality, individuality and willingness to be true to themselves, their encouraged to be scary and emotional and get shit done. I wish for women to stop apologizing for those very things that make us women.”
