Milan reconfirmed itself as Italy’s capital of music by hosting the first Italian (and European) edition of Billboard Women In Music, the award ceremony that celebrates the most influential women in the music industry.

Kickstarting Fashion Week, the event took place Monday (Sept. 16) at Teatro Manzoni, with the patronage of the Municipality of Milan and Camera della Moda, the association of Italian fashion brands.

Opened by a video message from the mayor Giuseppe Sala, the show was hosted by two protagonists of Italian cinema and TV, Cristiana Capotondi and Maurizio Lastrico. With their sympathy and energy, the two hosts introduced the honorees and the special guests who took the stage.

In addition to the awards, the first edition of Billboard Italia Women in Music also saw special performances by Gaia (Hitmaker of the Year, who sang her summer hit, “Sesso e Samba”), emerging talent Bu Cuaron, Federica Abbate (Songwriter of the Year, who sang a medley of some of the biggest hits she wrote for others) and Ariete.

At the end of the show, Rinascente, Italy’s top luxury store and one of the main partners of Billboard Italia Women In Music, welcomed guests to a spectacular party on the rooftop of the iconic store in Piazza Duomo, where the music continued with DJ sets by Anfisa Letyago (DJ of the Year) and Margherita Grechi and live performances by Alexia and Gaia, who sang “Sesso e Samba” again but this time with the surprise participation of Tony Effe.

In addition to Rinascente itself, the sponsors were Rabanne and Bellissima, which presented the “Stylist of the Year” award.

Radio 105 was the official radio station of Billboard Italia Women in Music and presented the “Hitmaker of The Year” award, in addition to animating both the event at Teatro Manzoni and the aftershow with its speakers and DJs.

Billboard Italia Women in Music was created with the support of the collecting society SIAE (Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori) and produced in collaboration with Vivo Concerti, with direction by Gianlorenzo Mortgat. Ticketmaster Italia was the ticketing partner of the event.

Below is the complete list of honorees, with the official reasons for their respective awards.

ANNA, Woman of the Year
Her new album, Vera Baddie, broke several records, some unbeaten for almost 20 years, occupying the first place in the Italian chart for nine consecutive weeks. Since 2020, she has been breaking down the gender gap in Italian rap like never before.

Laura Pausini, Icon
She’s the artist who, more than anyone else, in her 30-year career, has held the flag of Italian music high in the world. A globally recognized talent, Pausini is an artist who, despite having achieved all possible goals, never stops putting herself on the line.

Elodie, Performer of the Year
Her tour in the arenas was explosive and entirely sold out, with a live show that was a manifesto of freedom. With two dates in the stadiums already scheduled for next summer in Milan and Naples, she will be the third Italian female artist to take the stage of San Siro Stadium and the first woman to perform at the Maradona Stadium.

Gaia, Hitmaker of the Year by Radio 105
An artistic vision that leaves nothing to chance and steals nothing from her naturalness. Gaia is synonymous with freedom of expression, in music but not only. This summer she was an absolute protagonist with “Sesso e Samba” feat. Tony Effe. That refrain is exactly what we can’t get out of our heads.

Rose Villain, Impact Award
From her debut album Radio Gotham onwards, she has established herself on the Italian charts. Rose Villain has never stopped expressing her opinions, from the topic of environmental sustainability to that of the inequality of treatment between men and women in music and all other professional sectors.

BigMama, Breakthrough
With an explosive participation in the Sanremo Festival, where she honored women with a performance in which the key words were “sisterhood” and “female power,” Italy was able to get to know her music and her personality better. BigMama is the most disruptive revelation of 2024.

Clara, Rising Star
A rising star of Italian music, she introduced us to her talent as a singer and as an actress, obtaining impressive results in a very short time, from the success of the TV series Mare Fuori to her participation in the Sanremo Festival. For this reason, Clara is the Rising Star at Billboard Italia Women in Music.

Federica Abbate, Songwriter of the Year
How many hits of the last few years in Italy bear her signature? Many. Federica Abbate is a singer-songwriter who a year ago published her first album of unreleased songs, Canzoni per gli Altri. From pop to rap, everything her pen touches turns to gold. Or rather platinum, and in one case, even diamond.

Anfisa Letyago, DJ of the Year
A true pride of the Italian electronic scene, Anfisa Letyago has climbed to the top of the international dance scene with her engaging DJ sets and her sophisticated productions. Now she is touring the world but her heart stays in Naples, a city that never ceases to give her ideas and inspiration.

Marta Salogni, Producer of the Year
She’s the producer and sound engineer who makes Italy proud on a global level. Björk, Depeche Mode, Animal Collective and Bon Iver are just some of the artists who have had the pleasure of having her in the control room. For this reason, Marta Salogni is Producer of the Year of Billboard Italia Women in Music.

Marta Donà, Manager of the Year
From the courageous choice to start a managerial career on her own, very young, in 2012, to the most recent milestone of Angelina Mango’s victory at the Sanremo Festival, from the strength of her all-female team to the passion she puts in her work: this is why Marta Donà is Manager of the Year of Billboard Italia Women in Music.

Sara Potente, A&R of the Year
She discovered new talents of Italian music and with determination worked alongside them until she achieved the success she deserved. Now she is the director of Numero Uno, the historic label (part of Sony Music Italy) that was founded by legendary Lucio Battisti and songwriter Mogol.

Ramona Tabita, Stylist of the Year by Bellissima
She takes care of the image of some of the most important protagonists of the Italian music scene and beyond. She is a creative consultant for several brands. She is undoubtedly the name that best embodies the connection between music and fashion, and that is why Ramona Tabita is Stylist of the Year by Bellissima.

Over the past 30+ years Pharrell Williams has written and produced hits for everyone from *NSYNC (and solo smashes for Justin Timberlake) to Usher, Britney Spears, Busta Rhymes, No Doubt, Clipse, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Robin Thicke and many more.

But in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 51-year-old singer/rapper/producer and fashion designer who is the subject of the upcoming genre-busting LEGO biopic Piece By Piece opened up about some of the mega collaborations that got away, as well as one that he suggested he might be revisiting soon.

When Pharrell, who has worked on a number of albums and singles with Beyoncé over the past two decades — including producing her 2002 debut solo single, “Work It Out” — was asked what it’s been like to see the singer evolve from her Destiny’s Child days to now, the response likely made the Beyhive sit up and take notice.

“So happy for her. And I’m so grateful to be a part of her story and her journey and her trajectory,” said Pharrell of the singer who broke out in yet another direction earlier this year with her chart-topping , country-leaning Cowboy Carter album, on which he co-wrote and co-produced the song “Sweet Honey Buckiin’” featuring Shaboozey. “We’ve had a lot of fun. Get ready, though. Just get ready.”

When asked what we should prepare for, Williams was coy but adamant, reiterating, twice, “Just get ready.”

Skateboard P would not elaborate on what that meant, which makes Bey’s recent comments in a GQ email interview even more intriguing. In the piece, Beyoncé explained that anymore she likes to limit public appearances — even while promoting an album — and that she is not really into all the other expectations of the publicity machine.

“I create at my own pace, on things that I hope will touch other people,” she told the publication. “I only work on what liberates me. It is fame that can at times feel like prison. So, when you don’t see me on red carpets, and when I disappear until I have art to share, that’s why.” 

While that sure sounds like we might be in for a wait until her next project, Pharrell’s tantalizing tease seemed to suggest otherwise; a spokesperson for Beyoncé had not responded to Billboard‘s request for additional information on her upcoming plans at press time.

Williams also weighed in on the burning question of whether he thinks Bey this is the year she’ll finally win her long-sought album of the year Grammy for Cowboy Carter. “It better be. It better be. They know,” he said of what could be the singer’s fifth shot at the Recording Academy’s top award.

Elsewhere in the interview, Pharrell opened up about how a trio of No. 1 hits a decade ago — Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” and his own “Happy” — kind of threw him for a loop. He also dove into the last time he spoke to Britney Spears, originally pitching the Clipse hit “Frontin’” to Prince, how most of music from Timberlake’s solo debut album, Justified [2002] was originally written with Michael Jackson in mind and why Sade is at the top of his want-to-work-with list.

Piece By Piece (Oct. 11), directed by Oscar-winner Morgan Neville features the voices of Pharrell (who wrote five new songs for the film), Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Missy Elliott, Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Timbaland and Busta Rhymes. Williams also just wrapped Atlantis, a movie musical based on his childhood growing up in Virginia Beach’s Atlantis Apartments that features Elliott, Halle Bailey, Quinta Brunson, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Brian Tyree Henry, Janelle Monaé, Anderson .Paak and Kelvin Harrison Jr.

If you’re tempted to wish Chappell Roan some good luck, babe, at the 2025 Grammys, save it. The 26-year-old pop star isn’t gunning for any other major awards this cycle, even after winning best new artist at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards. 

In her cover story interview with The Face published Monday (Sept. 16), Roan explained why she’s “kind of hoping” she doesn’t take home any trophies for her massive debut album era with The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. “My mom would love to go to the Grammys or the Brits,” she told the publication. “[But] I’m kind of hoping I don’t win, because then everyone will get off my a–: ‘See guys, we did it and we didn’t win, bye!’ I won’t have to do this again!” 

The “Hot to Go!” artist went on to explain what’s more important to her than a golden gramophone statuette: sustainability. “That’s my biggest goal right now,” she said. “My brain is like: Quit right now, take next year off. This industry and artistry f–king thrive on mental illness, burnout, overworking yourself, overextending yourself, not sleeping. You get bigger, the more unhealthy you are. Isn’t that so f–ked up?” 

“The ambition is: How do I not hate myself, my job, my life, and do this?” she added. “Because right now, it’s not working. I’m just scrambling to try to feel healthy.” 

Roan has been open about feeling overwhelmed in the face of sudden super fame, the negative aspects of which she compared to an “abusive ex-husband” in the cover story. But whether she’s ready for it or not, the Missouri native is expected to snag nominations for many of the major Grammy categories ahead of February’s ceremony, particularly best new artist. 

And if the Sept. 11 VMAs are any indication, Roan is a shoo-in. After delivering a fiery Joan of Arc-inspired performance of her Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit “Good Luck, Babe!” on the UBS Arena stage in New York, the musician beat out Tyla and Gracie Abrams for best new artist.  

“I dedicate this to all the drag artists who inspire me, and I dedicate this to queer and trans people who fuel pop,” she said during her acceptance speech. “To the gays, who dedicate my songs to someone they love or hate … for all the queer kids in the Midwest watching right now, I see you. I understand you, because I am one of you.”