Billboard Women in Music 2026 took over the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles on Wednesday night (April 29) to honor the music industry’s most accomplished and influential women — and everyone came dressed to the nines for their backstage portraits!
Keke Palmer served as the night’s host and master of ceremonies, effortlessly leading the star-studded night while rocking a red pixie cut and a bejeweled off-the-shoulder minidress. Palmer, who released her Just Keke visual album last summer, also mounted the night’s first performance with “Text Message Unsent,” a song from her upcoming, Boots Riley-directed film I Love Boosters.
EJAE, AUDREY NUNA and REI AMI — the singing voices of HUNTR/X from Kpop Demon Hunters — capped off an iconic awards season run with this year’s Women of the Year honor. Donning matching jet-black fits, the trio wasn’t the only group to coordinate clothes. BINI, an eight-piece Filipino girl group, accepted the Global Force Award in complementary earth tones and midriff-baring pieces. This year’s other Global Force honoree, Canadian rock outfit The Beaches, also graced the backstage portrait studio.
The R&B girls kept things ethereal with Rising Star honoree Mariah The Scientist flaunting her bangs, while Kehlani — who dropped her self-titled fifth studio album on April 24 — opted for a fit loosely inspired by menswear. On the other hand, most of the pop girlies, including Hitmaker honoree Tate McRae and Innovator honoree Laufey, opted for white, lace-accented gowns for their backstage portraits. Zara Larsson posed in her “Midnight Sun” stage costume.
Finally, country queen and Powerhouse honoree Ella Langley rocked a gold-accented floor-length gown, while Icon Award recipient Thalía was a vision in red.
Check out all of the Billboard Women in Music 2026 backstage portraits in the gallery below.
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Zara Larsson
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Zara Larsson photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Keke Palmer
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Keke Palmer photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Mariah The Scientist
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Mariah The Scientist photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Rei Ami, EJAE & Audrey-Nuna
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Rei Ami, EJAE, and Audrey-Nuna photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Kehlani
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Kehlani photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Laufey
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Laufey photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Tyla
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Tyla photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Brandi Carlile
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Brandi Carlile photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Thalia
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Thalia photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Lainey Wilson
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Lainey Wilson photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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BINI
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn BINI photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Ciara
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Ciara photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Victoria Justice
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Victoria Justice photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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The Beaches
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn The Beaches photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Ciara & Kehlani
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Ciara and Kehlani photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Ella Langley
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Ella Langley photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Tate McRae
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Tate McRae photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Slayyyter
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Slayyyter photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Kali Uchis
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Kali Uchis photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Ella Mai
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Ella Mai photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Melanie Martinez photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Eva Longoria
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Eva Longoria photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Coco Jones
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Coco Jones photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Lainey Wilson & Ella Langley
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Mariah The Scientist
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Mariah The Scientist photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Zara Larsson
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Zara Larsson photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Keke Palmer
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Keke Palmer photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Victoria Monet
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Victoria Monet photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Tate McRae
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Tate McRae photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Cara Delevingne
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Cara Delevingne photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Prelude
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Prelude photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Laufey
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Laufey photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Ava Max
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Ava Max photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Heidi Montag
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Heidi Montag photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Bella Porch
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Bella Porch photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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BINI & Thalia
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn BINI and Thalia photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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Cara Delavigne & BINI
Image Credit: Ashley Osborn Cara Delavigne and BINI photographed on April 29, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
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