Summer Walker performed at Billboard‘s Women in Music event on Wednesday (Mar. 2), and sang a stunning ballad of her 2018 debut single, “Session 32.”
For the live performance, Walker swapped out the song’s stripped acoustic guitar melody for a piano accompaniment. She emotively sang the heartbreaking track without the help of backup singers or a backing band, allowing the lyrics — which discusses a failed romance that the 25-year-old can’t help but reminisce on — to take center stage.
Following her performance, Ari Lennox presented her with the Chart Breaker Award for her achievements on the Billboard charts: Her album, Still Over It, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 shortly after its Nov. 5 release and landed all 18 of its eligible tracks on the Billboard Hot 100. Walker accepted the award and gave a prepared speech thanking Billboard for the honor, as well as her closest peers, members from her label, and her fans for their support.
“I’m not really one for speeches. I like to keep it cute and quick, but today I’m not. Thank you Billboard Women in Music for acknowledging me, I really appreciate it,” she said. “Thank you to Interscope, LVRN, Lisa, Sean Garrett, Nija, Lacey, Rolex Windell, Sarita, Larry and my band. I really love my band.”
“I couldn’t have got this award without my fans, so thank you for y’all support. Shout out to all the amazing women and moms here,” she continued. “Thanks to anyone who inspired me to write these songs whether it came from a bad place or not, it changed my life for the better and most importantly, thanks to the great creator, my ancestors, spirit guides, and my nino and nina. Thank you.”
