{"id":100000,"date":"2025-10-02T22:59:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T22:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/100000\/"},"modified":"2025-10-02T22:59:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T22:59:08","slug":"10-best-moments-from-billboard-canada-women-in-music-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/100000\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Best Moments From Billboard Canada Women in Music 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

Billboard Canada Women in Music 2025 was a night to remember.<\/p>\n

With emerging stars and homegrown icons taking the stage at every glance, the evening honoured the many achievements of women onstage and behind the scenes in the second edition of Billboard Canada Women in Music.<\/p>\n

The packed blue-hued room <\/strong>at Rebel Toronto was full of some of the Canadian music industry\u2019s biggest names, from chart-topping producer Boi-1da and rock legend Bryan Adams to up-and-comers like R&B singer Aqyila and alt-singer-songwriter Baby Nova, plus COO of CARAS & MusiCounts president Kristy Fletcher, president and CEO of Universal Music Canada Julie Adam and Grammy-nominated songwriter Lowell (a writer behind Beyonc\u00e9’s “Texas Hold ‘Em”) \u2014 to name just a few.<\/p>\n

The evening brought Canadian women in music together to connect, celebrate their accomplishments and build community in a night that felt truly celebratory.<\/p>\n

Hosted by Keisha Chant\u00e9, the ceremony featured moving performances, impactful speeches onstage and empowering words from The Beaches as they received the Billboard Canada Women of the Year award \u2014 the first time it was given to a group. They were surprised by words of congratulations from music icon Elton John, Kid Cudi, Greta Van Fleet, Arkells and last year’s Woman of the Year Charlotte Cardin.<\/p>\n

Here were the best moments from the night.<\/p>\n

The Beaches Make History \u2014 And Get Surprised by Kid Cudi, Elton John & More<\/p>\n

One of the final moments of the night made for a memorable spectacle. The Beaches received the first-ever Women of the Year award at a Billboard Women in Music celebration. Previously, the award has been given to an individual winner, but this marks the first time a group has been awarded the flagship accolade.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor us it\u2019s always been about the music and having fun together,\u201d guitarist Kylie Miller shared in their acceptance speech.<\/p>\n

Before The Beaches \u2014 which consists of Kylie\u2019s sister Jordan Miller, Leandra Earl and Eliza Enman-McDaniel \u2014 took the stage, a special video montage featuring Elton John, Kid Cudi, Arkells, Greta Van Fleet and last year\u2019s Woman of the Year Charlotte Cardin, flashed across the screen. As each person was revealed, they got more and more excited. \u201cI hope this resonates to everybody in Canada that girl groups are really on the march,\u201d John said.<\/p>\n

As he and the other well-wishers played onscreen, their reactions got bigger, with Earl miming her mind being blown. \u201cThat video was f\u2014g crazy!\u201d Kylie said.<\/p>\n

Introduced by close friend of the group, Virgin Radio and iHeartRadio Canada\u2019s Shannon Burns, the Toronto quartet were praised for building a career that extends beyond writing hits like \u201cBlame Brett\u201d \u2014 rather, creating a space for women to be loud, hilarious, queer, authentic and unapologetically themselves and continuing to redefine what it means to be a woman in the music industry.<\/p>\n

The group eagerly took the stage, with frontwoman Jordan holding a bottle of Veuve Clicquot. It\u2019s a major feat for the group to have this much energy as they\u2019re in between dates on their No Hard Feelings tour.<\/p>\n

\"The The Beaches accept the Women of the Year award at Billboard Canada Women in Music on Oct. 1, 2025 at Rebel in Toronto.Door 24<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing able to share this award with my sisters means the absolute world,\u201d said Kylie. \u201cAnd [it] speaks volumes to the hard work and dedication that we\u2019ve put into this band for the past 13 years. She continued the celebration, tearing up as she shouted out the many members of their female-led team, including their manager Laurie Lee Boutet and day-to-day manager Alison Perdue, who were honoured as part of this year’s Industry Spotlight<\/a>. \u201cYou all inspire us so much and bring so much joy, love and warmth into this project and this wouldn\u2019t have been possible without you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The group wrapped up the final award speech of the night with a message to their fans and young girls looking to get their start in music \u2014 there\u2019s always an uphill battle, but being able to connect with supportive listeners and being able to pave your own path on the way up has made the journey incredibly bittersweet.<\/p>\n

Bryan Adams and deadmau5 Team Up to Present Lights with the Visionary Award<\/p>\n

For nearly 20 years, Lights has refused boundaries and gone wherever her creativity leads. She’s danced between the worlds of pop, dance, rock and punk, showing her vision has no bounds. The odd couple Canadian icons who presented her with the Visionary Award just proved that.<\/p>\n

The musician was surprised by an introduction by electronic star deadmau5 and one of Canada’s top-selling artists of all time, Bryan Adams, introducing her side-by-side. The two artists, both professed Lights fans, instantly hit it off. “I can’t believe I get to stand here with Bryan Adams,” deadmau5 said. Adams shared that he recently collaborated with Lights, and was \u201cblown away with her arrangements and her singing.” deadmau5, meanwhile, said he loves her nerdy production side.<\/p>\n

\"deadmau5 deadmau5 and Bryan Adams at Billboard Canada Women in Music at Rebel in Toronto on Oct. 1, 2025.Door 24<\/p>\n

Both presenters were a surprise to Lights, but one she happily embraced. As she graced the stage, she made sure to bow down to them, in complete shock of their dual honour.<\/p>\n

\"Lights Lights at Billboard Canada Women in Music at Rebel in Toronto on Oct. 1, 2025.Door 24<\/p>\n

While it was a big moment for Lights, she used the moment to empower other young women in the audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cSend the email. Write the novel. Quit the job and start the business. Draw the comic. Produce the album yourself. Start the label. Eat the whole fucking pint. There is no time to do anything other than what excites you,\u201d she advised. \u201cSo may we all be visionaries in our own experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Lights, Lights, deadmau5 and Bryan Adams at Billboard Canada Women in Music at Rebel in Toronto on Oct. 1, 2025.Door 24<\/p>\n

A Toast to the Industry Leaders in the Room<\/p>\n

While the night was filled with milestone achievements from Canadian female artists, the night wasn\u2019t only about the artists performing on stage \u2014 it was about recognizing talent across sectors of the industry and building community across the whole music landscape. The list of talented women in the room was incredibly diverse \u2013 not just in terms of genre, but in ways they shape the space \u2014 from executives and managers to engineers and promoters to publicists and producers.<\/p>\n

At the beginning of the evening, Billboard Canada\u2019s CCO Elizabeth Crisante led a champagne toast to the industry leaders sitting in the audience, asking everyone who was honoured on Billboard Canada Women in Music’s Industry Spotlight<\/a> to stand. As their names and faces flashed on the screen one by one, they each earned their own round of applause \u2014 a powerful and celebratory note to start the ceremony.<\/p>\n

Universal Music Canada\u2019s Julie Adam won Executive of the Year, accepting the award from her colleague, COO of CARAS & MusiCounts President Kristy Fletcher. As someone who has worked in the entertainment industry for over 20 years, Adam acknowledged the importance of celebrating Canadian artists and industry leaders. While she was the one winning the award, Adam highlighted the importance of determination, having a strong team and the trust of artists are her keys to success: \u201cI promise to give you every ounce of energy I have to help,\u201d she affirmed, citing her \u201cdelusional optimistic belief that anything is possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meg Symsyk, CEO of FACTOR, has been at the forefront of the industry, fighting a major bank over cybertheft<\/a>, engaging in ongoing CRTC discussions<\/a> and championing artists. Before Symsyk received the first-ever Champion Award from Wednesday Management\u2019s Laurie Lee Boutet, she was in for a special treat from her friend and client, Rush legend Geddy Lee. \u201cMeg, you rock and you are so deserving of this award,\u201d he shared via video, which elicited cheers from the crowd.<\/p>\n

Stepping on stage in awe, Symsyk talked about her background in rowing, equating the competitive nature and discipline of the sport to working in the music industry. \u201cWe may move around to different teams, but our sector and our community is actually quite tight-knit,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She recalled a moment when Geddy Lee bought her a wig during her cancer treatment (which, yes, she still maintained her strength and grit). She shouted out fellow winners The Beaches, recalling when she tapped them as concert openers in 2009 for her then-management client Brody Dalle, who had a rule that at least one member of every opening act had to be female. She also shouted out Charlotte Day Wilson, saying she should get an award for her Red Bull Symphonic concert<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Symsyk concluded with a crucial message for future music industry leaders. \u201cDon\u2019t be an asshole,\u201d she said definitively \u2014 proving that this accolade fits her perfectly.<\/p>\n

Julia Wolf Shouts Out Drake<\/p>\n

American alt-indie singer Julia Wolf has been making waves with her vulnerability and honest tracks like the viral \u201cIn My Room\u201d and \u201cLast Summer,\u201d making her this year\u2019s Billboard Canada Global Rising Star. Her album Pressure is turning heads all over the world \u2014 including one of music\u2019s biggest stars, Toronto\u2019s very own Drake, who spotlighted Wolf on his new song, \u201cDog House.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wolf was introduced by Billboard Canada National Editor Richard Trapunski, who said her music makes as much sense “at the Warped Tour as at OVO Fest.” Wolf\u2019s acceptance speech was brief, but it was packed with personality and gratitude.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes it feels like I only exist in a little bubble of self-doubt and self-consciousness, but moments like this really help snap me out of it,\u201d she shared, before shouting out some of the special women in her life, including Twilight protagonist Bella Swan and the Gilmore girls \u2014 plus a special shoutout to Drake.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been years of road blocks and dead ends and maybe right now I\u2019m circling the cul-de-sac, but at least I\u2019m moving!\u201d It\u2019s only up for Julia Wolf.<\/p>\n

Emerging Stars Ruby Waters, Aqyila and Baby Nova Made Their Mark On the Stage<\/p>\n

The celebration highlighted some of Canada\u2019s most exciting up-and-coming artists who took the stage to perform, including indie artist Ruby Waters, R&B songstress Aqyila and singer-songwriter Baby Nova.<\/p>\n

Opening the show, Waters took the stage with a cool confidence, sporting sunglasses indoors and her acoustic guitar slung over her body. \u201cLook at all you bad b\u2014es!\u201d she exclaimed, before launching into a brand new song, performed for the first time.<\/p>\n

Waters\u2019 aura is naturally captivating, a feat observed during her Billboard Canada NXNE performance<\/a> in June. It was a showstopping performance to introduce the night to the second-ever Canadian Billboard Women in Music event.<\/p>\n

After having viral success in Canada and Africa, R&B songstress Aqyila blossomed on-stage with her hit \u201cBloom” from her Sony Music Canada-released album Falling Into Place. As she sauntered onstage, emotion and soul oozed through her rich vocals and tone.<\/p>\n

Hailing from Nova Scotia, Baby Nova ran on-stage barefoot before eliciting a quiet \u201chello\u201d to the audience. The singer-songwriter introduced her viral track \u201cToo Pretty for Buffalo,\u201d which she wrote with Grammy-nominated songwriter and Billboard Canada Women in Music 2025 honouree Lowell who sat near the front row. It was a fitting track to play, she said, because an event honouring women in the music industry would mean many people in the room had “been through your fair share of BS” \u2014 which is what she wrote the song about.<\/p>\n

She wowed everyone with her performance \u2014 an acoustic rendition of her second-ever single that now has over one million streams.<\/p>\n

Charlotte Day Wilson Represents True Innovation<\/p>\n

For years, Charlotte Day Wilson has been breaking the artist mould. Since hitting the music scene in the mid-2010s, the Toronto singer-songwriter has become a homegrown name, Grammy-nominated engineer and an advocate for women in the recording studio, consistently challenging convention and bringing fresh ideas to life. \u201cI\u2019ve been nominated for every award in this country,\u201d she joked as she caught herself calling herself a nominee rather than a winner.<\/p>\n

Wilson is the recipient of Billboard Canada\u2019s Innovator Award \u2014 and as far as she could remember, it’s her first. (She did win the 2018 Prism Prize, a music video award she shared with director Fantavious Fritz.)<\/p>\n

She shared that being honoured for innovation means a lot because it\u2019s at the core of how she approaches being in the music business, including owning all of her music, which was always incredibly important to her. \u201cWhen I started my career 10 years ago, I was adamant about being not only a singer but also the engineer, producer, instrumentalist and songwriter behind my music,\u201d shared Wilson, who owns her imprint Stone Woman Music.<\/p>\n

While it has proven to be a challenge at times competing with “major label budgets,” Wilson said innovation has always been about freedom. \u201cIt\u2019s about building something new when the structures that exist don\u2019t leave enough room for dreams or passion to live with longevity.\u201d Community is key, she said, shouting emerging Canadian stars including Saya Gray, Bambii and Nemahsis as some of the most innovative women in music now. Wilson accepted the award with deep gratitude and the promise that she\u2019ll continue creating on her terms.<\/p>\n

Noeline Hofmann Celebrates Her Strength <\/p>\n

Noeline Hofmann <\/strong>is building a serious name for herself. Hailing from the small ranch town of Bow Island, Alberta, the rising force in country music emerged with \u201cPurple Gas,\u201d which captured hearts online, then took off when reimagined as a duet with Zach Bryan \u2014 which landed on the Billboard Hot 100. This year, she won SiriusXM\u2019s Top of the Country contest, received multiple Canadian Country Music Awards and played the famed Grand Ole Opry.<\/p>\n

Now, she\u2019s the winner of Billboard Canada\u2019s Breakthrough Award, which celebrates her bubbling momentum as she continues to prove herself a young leading voice in Canadian country. Her message of perseverance? \u201cBet on yourself,\u201d she told the crowd.<\/p>\n

Receiving the accolade from Montreal creator and choreographer Enola B\u00e9dard, Hofmann doubled down on her powerful words: \u201cI choose to view a challenging hand dealt as an opportunity to prove what is possible,\u201d Hofmann said. \u201cShowing up as a woman in music is an act of resistance and resilience in itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later, she celebrated the accolade by performing the hit track that helped bring her to international attention and showed off the beauty of her classic country songwriting.<\/p>\n

Qu\u00e9bec\u2019s Alexandra Str\u00e9liski and C\u0153ur de pirate Join Forces On Stage<\/p>\n

Representing the francophone community, acclaimed artist and label owner C\u0153ur de Pirate teamed up with fellow Quebecoise artist, neo-classical composer Alexandra Str\u00e9liski. The duo performed a heartfelt collaboration that started with Str\u00e9liski\u2019s captivating piano before C\u0153ur de pirate took the stage to sing a track on her recently released album, Cavale.<\/p>\n

Earlier in the evening, C\u0153ur de Pirate, born Beatrice Martin, was awarded the Trailblazer Award. Martin has built a remarkable career with devoted audiences across the country and globally for nearly two decades. Beyond her artistry, she has become a champion for others behind the scenes as president and artistic director of Bravo Musique, where she is shaping a stronger and more positive future for music.<\/p>\n

During her acceptance speech, Martin shared that she is \u201cincredibly lucky in life,\u201d but noted that the award didn\u2019t solely belong to her. \u201cI want to celebrate all the women present here tonight, thank you for making the industry a safe place for artists,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

WondaGurl Inspires Future Generations of Producers<\/p>\n

WondaGurl\u2019s talent and influence is undeniable. Over the past decade, her sound has anchored hits for Travis Scott, Rihanna, Drake and the late Pop Smoke, while her company Wonderchild Music has become a launchpad for new voices through her publishing partnership with Cactus Jack and Sony Music Publishing.<\/p>\n

With multiple awards and accolades, she has dominated a space that often excludes women. At 28, she has started opening doors for the next generation of producers, especially young women breaking into the music space. The past year has signalled her next evolution, as she released her debut album, Metal Tail, stepping into the spotlight as an artist herself. It\u2019s that duality \u2014 executive force and creative visionary \u2014 that positions her as one of the most important figures shaping the future of music today.<\/p>\n

Mentor, renowned producer and her namesake, Boi-1da, presented the award for Producer of the Year to WondaGurl and called her “the greatest female producer of all time.”<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope this award encourages more women to pursue their dreams in this field and thank you for helping us spread this important message,\u201d she said in her speech. \u201cThis award isn\u2019t just mine. It belongs to everyone who believed in me, listened and shared in this journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

MD Motivator Gave Back to Women in the Community<\/p>\n

MD Motivator, born Zachery Dereniowski, is one of Canada\u2019s biggest TikTok content creators. With over 49 million followers on the platform, Dereniowski is a digital humanitarian who turns compassion into action. \u201cI\u2019m not here to celebrate me,\u201d he said as he took the stage. He shared that 25 single mothers were invited to tonight\u2019s ceremony, but were given no further information.<\/p>\n

Dereniowski then led the blindfolded participants to a parking lot alongside Rebel, as the crowd eagerly and politely watched onscreen indoors during the long march to the surprise waiting. An act of goodwill, the content king graciously gifted 25 cars to the group, eliciting tears and screams from the women. While the gift commemorated an evening filled with awards that elevate women in music, the ceremony closed with a gesture for women in the larger community.<\/p>\n

Stay tuned for more videos of speeches and performances from Billboard Canada Women in Music 2025.<\/p>\n

Billboard Canada Women in Music is proudly supported by FACTOR Canada, SiriusXM, Restylane Skinboosters, L\u2019Or\u00e9al Paris, Interac, W Toronto, Masrawy Egyptian Kitchen, Yves Saint Laurent, INK Entertainment, Hennessy, Veuve Clicquot and iHeartRadio.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Billboard Canada Women in Music 2025 was a night to remember. With emerging stars and homegrown icons taking…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":100001,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[264],"tags":[63515,63510,63516,63507,63512,63509,63514,18,117,19,17,63513,63520,46554,63519,337,63518,63517,63508,63511],"class_list":{"0":"post-100000","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-music","8":"tag-alexandra-streliski","9":"tag-aqyila","10":"tag-baby-nova","11":"tag-billboard-canada-women-in-music","12":"tag-boi-1da","13":"tag-charlotte-day-wilson","14":"tag-coeur-de-pirate","15":"tag-eire","16":"tag-entertainment","17":"tag-ie","18":"tag-ireland","19":"tag-julia-wolf","20":"tag-julie-adam","21":"tag-lights","22":"tag-meg-symsyk","23":"tag-music","24":"tag-noeline-hofmann","25":"tag-ruby-waters","26":"tag-the-beaches","27":"tag-wondagurl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100000","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=100000"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100000\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/100001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100000"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=100000"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=100000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}