Last year, Billboard Women in Music came to Canada with an important mission: to recognize the artists and industry leaders shaping Canadian music and paving the way for the next generation. The response was overwhelming — a reminder of just how many trailblazing women and gender-diverse people are pushing the industry forward.

Now in its second year, Billboard Canada Women in Music is back with new inspiring honourees and even more stories to tell. The Canadian music industry gets so much of its power from women — both onstage and off.

For the first time, the Women of the Year award goes not to an individual, but to a whole band: The Beaches. Charlotte Cardin, who won the award last year, made the announcement in a surprise video call in partnership with iHeartRadio Canada. Like so many others in the industry, it was clear she was rooting for them. They’re a homegrown success story, not just for Canadian music but for Canadian women in music. As they describe in their Billboard Canada cover story, the Toronto band’s success is not just their own. It's shared with the whole team of women they surround themselves with behind the scenes, from their management to their creative team, songwriters to stylists.

This year, Billboard Canada is honouring nine very deserving award winners pushing music forward, including multiple artists who’ve become industry leaders, role models and veterans at a young age. We’re also putting an Industry Spotlight on the talented women in all sectors of music, from publishing to songwriting to licensing and sync. They speak for themselves powerfully in these pages, sharing their proudest achievements and sharing life lessons with the next generation. The Artist Spotlight, meanwhile, shines a light on 15 talented musicians at every stage in their career.

It’s a celebration – of the executives, managers, promoters, innovators, singers and songwriters working to change the industry for the better.

Words by Heather Taylor-Singh, Yasmine Seck, Peony Hirwani and Richard Trapunski.

The Billboard Canada Women in Music celebration takes place October 1, 2025, at Rebel in Toronto. A limited number of tickets are available here.