advertisement
Awards

Julia Wolf Named Global Rising Star for Billboard Canada Women in Music 2025

The New York-born singer and Drake collaborator will accept the inaugural award at Billboard Canada Women in Music in Toronto on Oct. 1

Julia Wolf

Julia Wolf

Courtesy Photo

Julia Wolf's rise will soon be recognized in a big way.

The Long Island-born, Los Angeles-based singer is being celebrated as Billboard Canada's Global Rising Star, an award that honours an emerging female artist who has made significant contributions and shows great potential in the music industry. She will accept the distinction at Billboard Canada Women in Music in Toronto on Oct. 1.


This will be the first time Billboard Canada presents the award, recognizing Wolf's fast rise and impact on a global stage.

Wolf has made a name for herself with her unique voice and musical style, which carries pop sensibilities even through dark sonic inclinations. After garnering fan and industry attention with her breakthrough trap-pop project Good Thing We Stayed (2023), the singer delved into a rawer, grungier sound on her next album. Released in June 2025, Pressure draws from a wide variety of bold and in-your-face genres including U.K, garage, shoegaze and emo music. Her vocals on the album's tracks carry a comforting softness while the songs also develop into evocative, cathartic sections with metallic and electric textures.

advertisement

The singer had a recent high-profile collaboration, guesting on Drake's new single "Dog House," which also features Los Angeles rapper Yeat. The high-energy, rage-style hip-hop cut kicks off with an emotional intro from Wolf where she sings over stripped-back electric guitar strums in her signature style.

Drake has been a big champion of Wolf, who has caught recent shows in the city and shouted her out as "my goat" on his Instagram story.

The Toronto hip-hop star is just one of many tapping her a major artist to watch. As Wolf continues to push forward stylistically, venturing into new genres and meshing them together uniquely, she is actively turning heads among some of the biggest names in Canadian music.

advertisement

Along with The Beaches (Billboard Canada Women of the Year) and Lights (Visionary Award), Wolf is one of many trailblazing women who will be honoured at Billboard Canada Women in Music. The full ceremony, which will be hosted by Keisha Chanté, will take place at Rebel in Toronto on Oct. 1. A limited number of tickets are available to the public here.

Julia Wolf will also play the inaugural Toronto edition of All Things Go Festival at Budweiser Stage on October 4.

advertisement
Ludacris performs onstage at Shaq’s Fun House held at Mardi Gras World on February 7, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Christopher Polk/Variety

Ludacris performs onstage at Shaq’s Fun House held at Mardi Gras World on February 7, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Country

Ludacris Exits Rock the Country Lineup Following Fan Backlash

The rapper was originally announced as part of the lineup earlier this month.

Ludacris has spent years “Pimpin’ All Over The World,” but he won’t be doing so on the Rock the Country tour this summer.

On Friday (Jan. 16), Rolling Stone reported that the Grammy-winning rapper’s name had been removed from the lineup announcement poster. According to the magazine, the “My Chick Bad” MC “wasn’t supposed to be on” the lineup in the first place. Representatives for the traveling festival confirmed the news, directing Billboard to Ludacris’ team “for any additional comments.”

keep readingShow less
advertisement