Billboard Canada has announced its second annual Women in Music celebration for 2025. This event recognizes women and gender-diverse individuals who are making significant contributions to the Canadian music industry. The celebration will highlight artists and leaders who are shaping the future of music.
The event aims to showcase the power and influence of women both on stage and behind the scenes. This year introduces new honorees and expanded categories, reflecting the diverse talent within the industry.
Key Takeaways
- Billboard Canada Women in Music returns for its second year on October 1, 2025.
- The Beaches receive the Women of the Year award, marking the first time a band wins this honor.
- Nine individuals and one group are being recognized across various award categories.
- New spotlight features will highlight women in music industry sectors and emerging artists.
- The event celebrates leaders, innovators, and role models in Canadian music.
The Beaches Named Women of the Year
The Toronto band The Beaches has been named Billboard Canada's Women of the Year for 2025. This marks a historic moment as it is the first time the prestigious award goes to an entire group instead of an individual artist. Charlotte Cardin, last year's recipient, announced the news in a surprise video call, showing strong support for the band.
The Beaches experienced a significant rise in popularity in 2023, and 2025 is proving to be even bigger. They performed for thousands of fans at major festivals such as Coachella, Osheaga, and Pukkelpop in Belgium. Their latest album, No Hard Feelings, debuted within the top 25 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart.
Quick Fact
The Beaches will perform their first-ever headlining show at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on November 6, 2025, a significant milestone in their career.
Kylie Miller, a member of The Beaches, expressed the band's gratitude.
"We’re so honoured to be celebrated alongside so many incredible women who have done so much for the music industry," she stated. Her sister, Jordan Miller, added, "Our team is built around women working together, so anytime we get to celebrate communities of women uplifting one another, it feels amazing."The band has worked in the music industry since they were young. They have consistently pushed their career forward. They have also connected with a growing fanbase that is young, diverse, and queer. This audience relates to their songs, which often focus on themes of heartbreak.
Leandra Earl noted the change in their audience.
"We’ve garnered a new fan base that represents who we are," she said. "We’re now seeing ourselves in the audience and they’re seeing themselves on stage."Recognizing Industry Visionaries and Trailblazers
This year's Billboard Canada Women in Music event will honor nine award winners. These individuals are pushing the music industry forward. They include artists who have become leaders and role models at a young age.
Lights: Visionary Award Recipient
Lights, whose birth name is Valerie Anne Poxleitner-Bokan, will receive the first-ever Billboard Canada Visionary Award. For nearly two decades, Lights has been a prominent figure in Canadian music. She has explored various genres, including alt-rock, pop, and EDM. She also writes and draws comics and has collaborated with major global artists.
Career Highlights
Lights has achieved significant chart success, with 10 songs on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 and eight charting albums on the Canadian Albums chart. Three of her albums—Siberia (2011), Little Machines (2014), and Skin & Earth (2017)—reached the top five.
Her latest release, A6, has been widely played on radio. The deluxe version, A6EXTENDED, is set for release in early 2026, followed by a North American tour. Beyond her music, Lights advocates for music education and mental health. She serves as an important voice for emerging artists.
She reflected on her career, stating,
"I’ve been professionally making music longer than I haven’t and making music in life for most of my life at this point. It’s just part of my being." She added, "I have the career of my dreams in that I want to squeeze every second of joy out of it."Coeur de pirate: Trailblazer Award
Quebec singer-songwriter Béatrice Martin, known as Coeur de pirate, will receive the Trailblazer Award. This award recognizes artists who act as pioneers, using their platform to highlight new voices and create opportunities for future generations. Coeur de pirate has a strong fanbase in both Canada and Europe.
Her eighth album, Cavale, was released recently after four years. It has already produced radio hits. The album showcases her emotional songwriting, with each piano note conveying deep, universal feelings. At under 40, Martin is a role model in the industry.
She serves as president and artistic director of Bravo Musique, an independent record label in Montreal. She acquired the label in 2021 after its previous head resigned amid accusations of a toxic work environment. Martin is committed to making Bravo Musique a positive and supportive home for artists, especially young women like Laraw, Naomi, and Lou-Adriane Cassidy.
Innovators and Producers Shaping the Future
The awards also spotlight individuals who are innovating in music production and sound engineering, fields where women are often underrepresented.
Charlotte Day Wilson: Innovator Award
Charlotte Day Wilson, a Toronto singer-songwriter, has been recognized with the Innovator Award. In 2025, Wilson gained global attention with her first Grammy nomination in the engineering category for her 2024 album Cyan Blue. She is a strong advocate for women in studio technical roles.
Earlier this year, Wilson performed a Red Bull Symphonic concert with a full orchestra at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall. She described it as
"a dream opportunity" in her hometown. Wilson also considers the future of her career, musing to Billboard Canada, "In an industry that is ruthlessly obsessed with youth, how do we graduate into a next chapter of life and still maintain our integrity and relevance? That's something I think about all the time, and it's something I want to approach really deliberately."For over ten years, Wilson's soulful voice and immersive sound have attracted collaborations with artists like Kaytranada, Daniel Caesar, Nelly Furtado, and BadBadNotGood. In August, she co-opened an Italian sandwich shop, Tutto Panino, with three friends, showcasing her diverse talents.
WondaGurl: Producer of the Year
Ebony Naomi Oshunrinde, known as WondaGurl, has been named Producer of the Year. The Brampton, Ontario native taught herself music software at age nine. She won Toronto’s Battle of the Beat Makers as a teenager, where she was mentored by Boi-1da. By 16, she produced for Jay-Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail, a sign of her future influence.
Over the last decade, WondaGurl has produced hits for Travis Scott, Rihanna, Drake, and Pop Smoke. Her company, Wonderchild Music, helps new artists through a publishing partnership with Cactus Jack and Sony Music Publishing. She has received multiple awards, demonstrating her success in a field traditionally dominated by men.
The past year marked a new phase in her career. The Recording Academy named her among "15 Female & Nonbinary Producers to Know." In 2025, WondaGurl released her debut album, Metal Tail, stepping into the spotlight as an artist herself. Her ability to be both an executive and a creative visionary makes her a key figure in music's future.
Rising Stars and Breakthrough Talents
The Billboard Canada Women in Music event also highlights emerging artists who are quickly gaining recognition.
Julia Wolf: Global Rising Star
Julia Wolf, a singer from Long Island now based in Los Angeles, is rapidly rising as a global star. Since 2019, Wolf has consistently released music. Her indie-pop project, Good Thing We Stayed (2023), brought her significant attention. She then shifted to a more emo-inspired sound on her 2025 album, Pressure.
Chart Success
Wolf's hit song "In My Room" from Pressure spent five weeks on the U.S. Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, peaking at No. 44. It also entered the U.S. Alternative Airplay chart at No. 40 in June.
Her unique blend of pop, punk, and hip-hop has attracted major fans. This month, Wolf collaborated with Drake and Los Angeles rapper Yeat on Drake's new single "Dog House." The track reached No. 39 on the Canadian Hot 100, marking Wolf's first entry on that chart.
Wolf shared her experience with Rolling Stone:
"I feel like when I put my last album out just a couple months ago, I couldn’t get anyone to notice it or any PR looks [...] to have the biggest artist reach out and want to work with me has just been insanely validating. He just really believes in the music, so it’s been insane." She credits patience for her success, telling Wonderland, "The years that I’ve been doing this has set me up and prepared me for this moment that’s happening right now." Wolf is set to open for MGK’s upcoming Lost Americana tour.Noeline Hofmann: Breakthrough Artist
Noeline Hofmann, a young artist from Bow Island, Alberta, is making a name for herself. Last year, her performance of "Purple Gas" caught the attention of country star Zach Bryan. He recorded a collaborative version with Hofmann and included it on his No. 1 album, The Great American Bar Scene. This collaboration gave Hofmann her first Billboard Hot 100 hit, and her debut Purple Gas EP has surpassed 100 million global streams.
Hofmann told Billboard Canada earlier this year,
"I've been almost waiting for the last year to happen all my life. It's what I've always been working towards and it kind of materialized right under my fingers, which was just really unbelievable."Her achievements continue. Both Apple Music and Spotify have named her an artist to watch. She recently won SiriusXM’s Top of the Country contest and performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Hofmann's music reflects her rural Alberta upbringing, sharing stories from her cowgirl perspective. She states,
"I'm so proud of where I'm from and proud to tell those stories."Leaders and Champions of the Industry
The event also honors women who lead and advocate for the music industry's growth and fairness.
Julie Adam: Executive of the Year
Julie Adam has been named Executive of the Year, marking a significant year for her. Adam was promoted to the top role at Universal Music Canada (UMC) earlier this year, making her the only woman leading a major record label in Canada. Her career spans decades of breaking barriers, starting in radio where she became Canada’s first female Vice President of radio programming. She spent over 20 years at Rogers Sports & Media before joining Universal in 2023 as EVP & GM.
UMC's Market Leadership
Universal Music Canada is the market share leader among labels in Canada. The label currently holds seven of the top 10 albums year-to-date. This includes domestic success for international artists and rising Canadian acts.
Under her leadership, UMC has seen chart breakthroughs for artists like Josh Ross, who was highly nominated at the Junos and CCMAs. Toronto pop artist Sofia Camara also hit the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 for the first time this week. Artists such as Mae Martin and Owen Riegling continue to make significant impacts.
Adam is known not only for her business acumen but also for her leadership style. Her book, Imperfectly Kind, reflects her philosophy that empathy and generosity contribute to success. Colleagues and artists praise her ability to create an environment where others can thrive, a rare quality in a competitive industry.
Meg Symsyk: Champion Award
Meg Symsyk will receive the first-ever Champion Award. As president and CEO of FACTOR (Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings), Symsyk is a crucial voice in Canadian music. She advocates for Canadian artists and content, both domestically and internationally. This role is especially important as Canada implements the Online Streaming Act, the first update to Canadian content regulations in a generation.
Symsyk ensures that Canadian artists and content receive support and promotion. The ongoing CRTC hearings and court cases will significantly impact how digital music streaming companies support Canadian content in the future. Symsyk works behind the scenes to ensure fair and equitable legislation that supports homegrown artists.
FACTOR's Role
FACTOR is one of the most important funders of Canadian music. Last year, the non-profit organization was targeted in an alleged $10 million cybertheft. Symsyk has led efforts to recover these funds and hold Scotiabank accountable. This case has broader implications for both the arts and the public, as fraud impacts more Canadians than ever.
The Billboard Canada Women in Music celebration takes place on October 1, 2025, at Rebel in Toronto. A limited number of tickets are available for purchase.
