Doechii Named Billboard Woman of the Year for 2025

Doechii is set to receive the 2025 Woman of the Year award at the annual Billboard Women in Music event. The star-studded event is taking place Saturday, March 29, at YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California.

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.

“After receiving the Billboard Women in Music Rising Star Award in 2023, Doechii has quickly gained recognition in the music industry for her bold creativity and impressive talent,” Hannah Karp, editorial director of Billboard, said in a statement. “With her genre-blending sound, Doechii is redefining what it means to be a trailblazer in the music industry. We are honored 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 is the second rap artist to win the award, following Cardi B in 2020. Doechii, who was born in Tampa, Florida, is the second artist from the Sunshine State to be named Woman of the Year. Grande, the 2018 recipient, was born in Boca Raton.

On Feb. 2, Doechii became the second solo woman to win the Grammy for best rap album, again following the lead of Cardi B. Doechii won for her acclaimed mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal. Her performance of “Denial Is a River” and “Catfish” on the Grammy telecast was rated as the night’s best by Billboard‘s Jason Lipshutz.

Less than three weeks later, Doechii was named outstanding new artist at the 2025 NAACP Image Awards.

Alligator Bites Never Heal has climbed as high as No. 14 on the all-genre Billboard 200. Two of Doechii’s songs have made the top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100: “What It Is (Block Boy)” and “Denial Is a River.”

Hosted by Laverne Cox, who received four Primetime Emmy nods for Orange Is the New Black, the event will air live on VIZIO WatchFree+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

The 2025 event will also honor aespa (Group of the Year), Ángela Aguilar (Breakthrough Award), Erykah Badu (Icon Award), GloRilla (Powerhouse Award), Gracie Abrams (Songwriter of the Year), JENNIE (Global Force Award), Megan Moroney (Rulebreaker Award presented by Crown Royal Whisky), Meghan Trainor (Hitmaker Award), Muni Long (Rising Star Award Presented by Honda Stage) and Tyla (Impact Award presented by Bose).

As previously announced, honorees aespa, Aguilar, GloRilla, Abrams, Moroney, Long and Tyla will also perform at the event. Becky G, Julia Michaels, Kali Uchis, Madison Beer, Mickey Guyton, Suki Waterhouse, Summer Walker, Tanner Adell and Zara Larsson are set as presenters. Additional performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.

Billboard’s global partners have expanded Women in Music with new events launched around the world. ANNA, named Woman of the Year by Billboard Italy at its inaugural ceremony, and Charlotte Cardin, honored as the latest Woman of the Year by Billboard Canada, will also 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 through April 5, with the live show airing free on March 29 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. 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 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.

Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster here. Prices start at $89. (Tables are also available to purchase; contact joe.maimone@billboard.com for additional information.)

Sponsors for the 2025 Billboard Women in Music event include Official Whisky Partner Crown Royal, HarbourView Equity Partners, Bose (presenter of the Impact Award), Sol De Janeiro and Honda Stage (presenter of the Rising Star Award).

This event is not affiliated with Women in Music, a nonprofit organization committed to advancing equality, visibility and opportunities for women in the musical arts through education, support, empowerment and recognition. To support the work of Women in Music, visit WomenInMusic.org.