NEW YORK–Music artist Kesha will receive Billboard’s 2016 Women in Music “Trailblazer” award, which celebrates an artist whose vanguard approach to craft, song and style has had a pioneering influence on music today.
Kesha will receive the Trailblazer award at Billboard’s star-studded Women in Music gala, which takes place December 9 in New York City and airs December 12 on “Lifetime.”
“Combined with her personal struggles and battles, she is a force for social change and on stage, an inspiration and a true Trailblazer for millions of music fans around the world,” said Janice Min, co-president and chief creative officer of The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group.
Billboard previously announced that Madonna also will be awarded the 2016 “Woman of the Year” award at the Women in Music event. Country music superstar Shania Twain will receive the 2016 Women in Music “Icon” award.
Billboard also revealed in recent weeks that singer-songwriter Halsey will receive the “Rising Star” award; retro-soul singer Andra Day will receive the “Powerhouse” award; Grammy-winning artist Meghan Trainor will receive the “Chart Topper” award; and country star Maren Morris will receive the “Breakthrough Artist” award, among other to-be-announced awards honoring women in the music industry.
Kesha skyrocketed to fame with her debut single “Tik Tok,” which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for nine weeks in 2010. Kesha’s first album, Animal, hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2010 and her follow-up album Warrior hit No. 6 in 2012.
Kesha has had nine top-10s on the Billboard Pop Songs chart, which includes four No. 1s — “Tik Tok,” “Your Love Is My Drug,” “Die Young” and “Timber” (Pitbull feat. Kesha). Her work has garnered 885.7 million on-demand U.S. streams (audio & video) to date and her songs have sold 32.1 million digital downloads in the U.S. to date, according to Nielsen Music.
