The Billboard Women in Music awards event held on Wednesday marked a historic moment with Karol G being honored as the first Latina to receive the title of Woman of the Year. The reggaeton star's acceptance speech was marked by a tribute to this significant achievement, where she chose to express herself in Spanish. This feat is just one of many milestones in the artist's career, including her recent win as the first woman in the best urban music category at the Grammys, according to NBC News.

“As a woman of color in electronic music — specifically 2-step, drum and bass, it’s taken a lot for the genre to be recognized on a wider scale — a lot of people don’t expect me to look the way I did, making the music I was making,” she said in her speech. “Even now, people don’t want to take my music seriously. But I’m just happy that I have the opportunity to be recognized in a specific field by the Billboard Women in Music Award”.

The ceremony also recognized other leading figures in the music industry, highlighting the diversity and global reach of women in the contemporary music scene. Performances by artists such as Sofia Vergara, NewJeans, and Demi Lovato reflected this diversity, while speeches by PinkPantheress and Victoria Monét emphasized the importance of recognizing women in historically male-dominated fields.

In addition to the tributes and performances, the event also addressed relevant issues within the music industry, such as the representation of women in leadership positions. The award given to Michelle Jubelirer, president and CEO of Capitol Music Group, highlights the importance of ensuring that women have a seat at the table at all levels of the industry.

Not only did Billboard Women in Music celebrate the accomplishments of top artists and executives in the music industry, but it also served as a platform to discuss crucial issues of representation and gender equality in the music industry.