In addition to the many female artists and executives honored at this year's Billboard Women in Music Awards, several women have been selected by Advertising sign stores around the world to gain recognition as global forces in the industry.
Spanning Argentina, Brazil, China, Georgia, Italy and the Philippines, these visionaries are singers, songwriters, instrumentalists and producers making groundbreaking contributions to the music industry. Each will be the focus of Thursday's (March 7) Women in Music ceremony, presented by Marriott Bonvoy and emceed by Tracee Ellis Ross at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles.
The event's bill also includes Karol G, Billboard's 2024 Woman of the Year, as well as this year's Powerhouse honoree Charli XCX, award-winning Hitmaker Ice Spice and Icon titleholder Kylie Minogue. Maren Morris will accept the Visionary Award, NewJeans will take Team of the Year presented by Coke Studio, PinkPantheress is Producer of the Year presented by Bose and Tems is the 2024 Breakthrough Star.
In addition, Victoria Monet will be honored with the Rising Star title presented by Honda and Young Miko will receive the Impact Award from American Express.
Fans can watch the show at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on March 7 at billboardwomeninmusic.com.
Are you ready to meet the seven women who are Billboard's 2024 Global Force honorees? Continue reading to learn more about Sherine Abdel-Wahab, Annalisa, Maria Becerra, Sarah Geronimo, Nini Nutsubidze, Tia Ray and Luísa Sonza below. You can see photos of all the stars on the Billboard Women in Music 2024 red carpet here.
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Billboard Arabia: Sherine Abdel-Wahab
Image source: Courtesy photo
when Billboard Arabia released her own Hot 100 chart in December, Sherine Abdel-Wahab became the first artist to reach No. 1 on the chart thanks to her song “Kalam Eneih.”
Sometimes known simply as Sherine, the Egyptian singer-actress has released her debut album Gar Tany in 2003. She served as a coach in its Arabic version The voice for three seasons.
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Billboard Italy: Annalisa
Image source: Courtesy photo
Annalisa is one of the most successful label artists in Italy, making her debut in 2011 with her first album Well after rising to fame on the singing competition show Amici di Maria De Filippi the last year. More than a decade later, she's fresh off the release of her eighth LP E Poi Siamo Finiti Nel Vorticewhich fell in September.
A singer who sometimes dips her toes into acting, Annalisa was named one of the Forbes ItalyThe 100 most successful women for 2023.
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Billboard Argentina: Maria Becerra
Image source: Agustin Prieto
At just 23 years old, Maria Becerra is one of Latin music's biggest rising stars. After first breaking through with 2019's EP 222the singer has gone on to collaborate with J Balvin, Becky G, Enrique Iglesias and more.
In 2021, her debut album was released Animal, which earned her the Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Music Album. The work followed La Nena De Argentina next year.
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Billboard Philippines: Sarah Geronimo
Image source: Courtesy photo
Trans. “Popstar Royalty” by Billboard PhilippinesSarah Geronimo got her big break after winning the singing competition series Star for a night in 2003. Since then, he has released a number of albums, one of which The Breakup Playlist The soundtrack, featuring Piolo Pascual, reached No. 9 on the World Albums chart in 2015.
Also known for singles like “Tala” and “Kilometro”, Geronimo returned to the TV competition circuit in 2013, participating in the Philippine edition The voice – this time as a coach rather than a competitor.
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Billboard Georgia: Nini Nutsubidze
Image Credit: Gio Matchavariani
Just two months into 2024, Nini Nutsubidze has already released two singles — “Nana Sh-t” and “Lutecia (Girl, You're Gold)” — as well as a three-track EP titled Paper airplanes. These were preceded by tracks like “Gamodi”, “Loving You”, “Paradise” and “Chemtvis”.
Nutsubidze combines Georgian culture with experimental electronic production.
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Billboard China: Tia Ray
Image credit: Billboard China
Tia Ray first cut through the noise by competing against China's version The voicetwo years after which she released her first solo album TIA Her latest LP, Allurearrived in December.
Born and raised in Huaihua, West Hunan, the singer-songwriter's bread and butter is Chinese soul music. “I crave freedom and pursue passion and things that allow me to imagine,” she said Billboard China. “The flexibility, openness, intensity and diversity of soul music make me feel free.”
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Billboard Brasil: Luisa Sonza
Image credit: Pam Martins
Luísa Sonza is the only Brazilian to be honored at this year's Women in Music. A top musician in her home country, the 25-year-old singer-songwriter has collaborated with Demi Lovato, Marshmello and Katy Perry, to name a few.
“It's very surreal,” he says Billboard Brazil. “I would never have expected it, but I'm very happy to represent Brazil and that they look at Brazilian artists.”
