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The 2026 Billboard Women in Music Awards took over Hollywood on Wednesday night, and from the red carpet to a ceremony presided over by host Keke Palmer, one thing was clear: This wasn\u2019t just a celebration. It felt like a moment.<\/p>\n
The guest list alone read like a snapshot of where music is right now \u2014 and where it\u2019s headed: Teyana Taylor. Zara Larsson. And the Oscar-winning KPop Demon Hunters<\/em> trio \u2014 Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami \u2014 bringing global star power.<\/p>\n Yahoo was on the carpet talking to more than 15 artists spanning different genres \u2014 pop, country, hip-hop \u2014 and the message was surprisingly unified: There\u2019s never been a more expansive (or exciting) time to be a woman in music. \u201cEverybody here\u2019s an inspiration to me,\u201d Mariah the Scientist, who took home the Rising Star award, told us, summing up the tone of the evening in a single sentence.<\/p>\n That next-gen energy was everywhere, especially in artists like Ella Langley. Fresh off a buzzy Stagecoach set<\/a>, the \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas\u201d breakout is not only making noise in country, she\u2019s also making history, recently breaking a decade-old<\/a> record held by Taylor Swift.<\/p>\n \u201cIt means that my head\u2019s spinning around like an owl,\u201d Langley joked on the carpet when we asked her about the milestone moment. \u201cYou ever seen that? It\u2019s pretty scary. It\u2019s nuts. I\u2019m just excited.\u201d<\/p>\n Inside, the energy only ramped up, with high-gloss fashion, emotional speeches and performances that felt less like a victory lap and more like a handoff from one generation of powerhouses to the next.<\/p>\n Below, take a look at the best moments from the night, from standout style to the quotes and superlatives that defined it.<\/p>\n