The singing voices of HUNTR/X from KPop Demon Hunters, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA & REI AMI, perform “Golden” at Billboard Women In Music 2026. 

At the Hollywood Palladium on Wednesday night (April 29), Billboard Women in Music 2026 is honoring EJAE, REI AMI, AUDREY NUNA, Kehlani, Teyana Taylor, Ella Langley, Thalia, Zara Larsson, Laufey and Tate McRae.

Singing voices of HUNTR/X from KPop Demon Hunters, EJAE, REI AMI and AUDREY NUNA, accept the Women of the Year award at Billboard Women In Music 2026. 

At the Hollywood Palladium on Wednesday night (April 29), Billboard Women in Music 2026 is honoring EJAE, REI AMI, AUDREY NUNA, Kehlani, Teyana Taylor, Ella Langley, Thalia, Zara Larsson, Laufey and Tate McRae.

Teyana Taylor accepts the Visionary Award at Billboard Women In Music 2026.

During Billboard Women in Music an issue with the teleprompter prevented Teyana Taylor from giving her speech during her special moment. We apologize to Teyana Taylor for the uncomfortable error and are grateful that she agreed to graciously return to the stage, delivering an incredible speech as this year’s Visionary Award recipient.

At the Hollywood Palladium on Wednesday night (April 29), Billboard Women in Music 2026 is honoring EJAE, REI AMI, AUDREY NUNA, Kehlani, Teyana Taylor, Ella Langley, Thalia, Zara Larsson, Laufey and Tate McRae.

BINI caught up with Drew Afualo & Billboard’s Lyndsey Havens on the red carpet at the Billboard Women in Music 2026.

The singing voices of HUNTR/X from the ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ EJAE, Audrey Nuna & Rei Ami, caught up with Drew Afualo & Billboard’s Lyndsey Havens on the red carpet at the Billboard Women in Music 2026.

Teyana Taylor caught up with Drew Afualo & Billboard’s Lyndsey Havens on the red carpet at the Billboard Women in Music 2026.

Ella Mai caught up with Drew Afualo & Billboard’s Lyndsey Havens on the red carpet at the Billboard Women in Music 2026.

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In conversation with Billboard and Honda Stage, Mariah the Scientist reflects on the early days of her career, the moment she decided to fully commit to music, and what it’s felt like to grow from intimate performances to bigger and bigger stages. Honest and introspective, she opens up about trusting herself, navigating uncertainty, and embracing the evolution of her artistry and connection with fans.

Mariah the Scientist: I discovered my love for music in elementary school when I joined the chorus, and it created a love for the intricacies of music, the sonics, the lyrics, the art form, but I got a scholarship to go to St John’s for science. The science that I was most interested in is biology. I really started to feel, hmm, college is cool, but if I want to go to medical school, they don’t really give scholarships out for medical school. And I started thinking, Well, what else am I good at? I was looking on YouTube every single night, all night seeing what was inspiring me searching insert artists Type Beat. I just had so many significant changes going on in my life. There were so many factors that made me think I should move in that direction. I never regarded music or the music industry as something that I would be a part of. I feel like I started to see my flowers when I started doing shows. What really shocked me is that I’ve gone to a lot of these places, like in Europe, South Africa. Now sometimes the English is not their first language, so to know that they have learned these songs has blown my mind. When it’s all said and done, I want people to think of Mariah the Scientists to have been hard working, creative, a lover, not just lover of art, but creator of art.

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 In conversation with Billboard and Honda Stage, Mariah The Scientist explores authenticity, artistry and connection — reflecting on her creative journey, the vulnerability behind her songwriting and the deep, honest relationship she shares with her fans. 

Mariah The Scientist: Mariah The Scientist is just a scientist, you know? Mariah The Scientist was a scientist, at least, and one day she just decided she wanted to explore a different science.

I think songwriting is really, really important. I think that the way I look at it is that it’s something that you make from scratch. “Rainy Days” is more the kind of song where I’m, like, super vulnerable and discussing, constantly fighting to prove a point. Vulnerability is very expensive.

Honestly, to make a good song, you wind up exploiting your trauma, but it becomes rewarding at the end, once you do 1,000 shows, and you go and you see people crying and singing it because it makes you feel like you did something that people can connect to, and they feel seen and now, and them feeling seen now, you feel seen. When my fans tell me that they feel like I’ve written something about them, or I look at them more like my friends than a fan.

The very first show, I was like, “Oh my gosh, people are coming to see me, they’re singing.” I was so nervous, but I felt like I didn’t have to be nervous by the end because they were singing the words for me. Honestly, sometimes I get emotional when I hear them singing certain songs or, like, and I’ll just cry on the stage. I’ll be trying not to do that, though.

When Honda Stage gave me a call and said, “Hey, would you like to collaborate on this Rising Star opportunity with Billboard?” I said, “Wow, I’m not under a rock anymore, and maybe all the work, tireless nights and tireless days are getting me somewhere.” I’m just so flattered, and I am hoping that I can live up to my new title, Rising Star.