Global music authority Billboard announced that Doechii will receive the prestigious 2025 Woman of the Year Award at the Women in Music event taking place on Saturday, March 29 at YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, CA.
Hosted by Emmy® nominee, Laverne Cox, the star-studded evening will air LIVE on VIZIO WatchFree+ at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET and honor the most influential women in music spanning artists and industry leaders with inspiring performances, awards, and tributes.
The Tampa-born, L.A.-based rapper/singer/etc. is one of the most dynamic of her generation, as compelling delivering blunt bars over boom bap as she is cooing affirmations over astral jazz, barking orders over blistering house, or seducing over a radio-conquering R&B jam. In many ways — commercially, critically, personally — Bites is the culmination of the Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records innovator’s wild rise. In 2023 alone: Doechii scored her first RIAA Platinum® plaque and Billboard Hot 100 hit with the viral, “No Scrubs”-sampling “What It Is (Block Boy).” She turned heads again with Eurodance/rap hybrid “Alter Ego,” featuring JT. Next, she played Coachella’s main stage, popped in to perform on Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour, and hit the road with Doja Cat. Before the year was out, she was named a RISING STAR among Women in Music by Billboard (joining Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, et al.), and showed off her acting chops in A24 film Earth Mama. But that was then. More recently, Kendrick Lamar co-signed Doechii as “the hardest out,” Killer Mike said she’s “going to change music forever,” Tyler, the Creator tapped her for Chromakopia, Variety’s Hitmakers gave her the Hip-Hop Disrupter award, and countless critical institutions put Bites on their best-of-2024 lists. She also revealed herself to be a performer par excellence, not only selling out a headlining US/UK/EU tour, but also bringing complex choreo to Colbert, a 10-piece band to NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts, and a truly jaw-dropping production to the 2025 GRAMMY Awards (where she was also nominated for Best Rap Performance and Best New Artist). Ultimately, though, what’s most impressive about Doechii isn’t simply that she excels at literally every form she explores. It’s that she is at home in her artistry, wherever it takes her.
“After receiving the Billboard Women in Music Rising Star Award in 2023, Doechii is taking pop culture by storm, this year becoming the third woman in history to win a Grammy best rap album, and dazzling fans of every musical genre with her breathtaking performances, ultra-candid lyrics and utterly unique sound, style and spirit,” said Hannah Karp, Editor-in-Chief of Billboard. “We are thrilled to celebrate Doechii and cheer on her continued success.”
Billboard’s Woman of the Year Award has become one of the music industry’s highest honors. Past recipients include Karol G, SZA, Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Madonna, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. Doechii won the Rising Star award at the 2023 Billboard Women in Music event. She is just the third woman to progress from the Rising Star award to Woman of the Year, following Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande.
Doechii joins previously announced lineup of powerhouse women shaping the music landscape. aespa will receive the Group of the Year Award; Ángela Aguilar will receive the Breakthrough Award; Erykah Badu will receive the Icon Award; GloRilla will receive the Powerhouse Award; Gracie Abrams will receive the Songwriter of the Year Award; JENNIE will receive the Global Force Award; Megan Moroney will receive the Rulebreaker Award presented by Crown Royal Whisky; Meghan Trainor will receive the Hitmaker Award; Muni Long will receive the Rising Star Award presented by Honda Stage; and Tyla will receive the Impact Award presented by Bose.
Newly announced presenters Becky G and Suki Waterhouse will join previously announced presenters Julia Michaels, Kali Uchis, Madison Beer, Mickey Guyton, Summer Walker, Tanner Adell, and Zara Larsson. Previously announced performers include Ángela Aguilar, aespa, GloRilla, Gracie Abrams, Megan Moroney, Muni Long and Tyla, with additional performers and presenters to be announced in the coming weeks.
In addition, as Billboard’s global partners have expanded Women in Music with new events launched around the world, ANNA, named Billboard Italy Woman of the Year at its inaugural ceremony, and Charlotte Cardin, honored as the latest Billboard Canada Woman of the Year by Billboard Canada, will be celebrated as Global Women of the Year.
VIZIO WatchFree+ will be the exclusive home to the Billboard Women in Music 2025 live channel and on-demand collection from March 17 – April 5, with the LIVE show airing free on March 29 at 10pm ET / 7pm PT on VIZIO TVs and in the VIZIO mobile app. The channel and on demand collection will give viewers an inside look at the inspiring women artists shaping the music industry, featuring in-depth interviews, in-studio sessions with artists, episodic series, and more.
VIZIO TV owners can watch Billboard Women in Music 2025 and the LIVE event by opening the WatchFree+ app on their TV. For those who do not have a VIZIO TV, anyone can download the free VIZIO mobile app to their mobile device, click on the WatchFree+ button in the bottom row menu, and tune into the Billboard Women in Music 2025 channel.