On Tuesday (Nov. 10), Milan once again hosted the Italian edition of Billboard Women in Music. Against the elegant backdrop of Vesta Fiori Chiari, Billboard Italia honored the women who have shone in the music scene over the past year and beyond. “With The Voices Edition, we want to celebrate women who found the courage to make their voices heard when it wasn’t easy.
Some have been doing so for decades; some have only just begun. But there is one quality we recognized in every woman taking this stage: the determination to express herself and leave a mark,” said co-editor-in-chief Silvia Danielli. “We hope their stories will inspire younger girls to follow the same path.”
Stand-up comedian Giorgia Fumo hosted the evening. Madame was honored as Woman of the Year in recognition of how her artistic freedom, courage and ability to tell her story without filters have changed and influenced Italian music since her remarkably young debut in 2016. The artist accepted the award after performing an acoustic piano rendition of “Sciccherie.” “I thank Billboard Italia for this special recognition.
I wanted to celebrate with the very first song I wrote, precisely to mark these few — yet, to me, incredibly significant — years of my career,” she said onstage.
Madame’s was not the only performance at Billboard Italia Women in Music 2026. The evening opened with Angelica Bove, Rising Star, who performed two songs in a special set for Spotify Italy, including “Mattone,” with which she competed in the latest edition of Sanremo Giovani.
Spotify also honored the collective Canta Fino a Dieci as part of its global EQUAL initiative, which promotes gender equality in the music industry. Chiara Nicoletti, Spotify’s head of artist & label partnerships for Southern Europe, presented the Spotify EQUAL Award to Francamente, Anna Castiglia, Cheriach Re, Irene Buselli and Rossana De Pace.
Ditonellapiaga, who received the Powerhouse award, performed midway through the evening. Her set included her hit “Che fastidio!,” which earned her third place at the latest Sanremo Festival. Shortly before, Francesca Michielin had received the Songwriter of the Year award, particularly for her latest album, Magia Bianca, Magia Nera.
“I’m emotional about receiving this recognition for the wildest album I’ve ever made. Just know you’ve created a monster, because I’ll keep being crazy if these are the results,” the singer-songwriter said onstage. Elisa received the Impact award for her renewed commitment to environmental sustainability and broader issues within music through the Lotus Foundation.
Bambole di Pezza received the Group of the Year award powered by Morellato. Eleonora Rubini was named Executive of the Year, while the DJ of the Year honor went to Adiel, who kept the celebration going late into the night with an exclusive set. One of the evening’s most iconic moments — and that word is no coincidence — was dedicated to Loredana Bertè.
The artist took the stage to accept the prestigious Icon award, dedicating it to all women who want to follow in her footsteps. She ended her speech in her own unmistakable style, with an energetic, heartfelt declaration: “We are all icons.”
With songwriting that is as raw as it is sophisticated, Madame astonished audiences from the moment she debuted in 2018 at just 16 years old. But that was only the beginning: two appearances at the Sanremo Festival, becoming the youngest artist in history to win two Targhe Tenco awards, and collaborations with some of Italy’s biggest rappers.
This year she returned with an album in which she explored disillusionment (Disincanto) without shortcuts or clichés. She did so without fear of questioning herself or confronting pain head-on. For her artistic freedom, courage and ability to tell her story without filters, Madame is Billboard Italia Women in Music 2026’s Woman of the Year.
From her debut in 1974 and the success of songs such as “Sei Bellissima,” “Dedicato” and “Non Sono una Signora” to her first Sanremo Festival appearance in 1986 with “Re” — when she took the stage wearing a leather miniskirt, studded shoulder pads and a fake baby bump to challenge prejudices surrounding pregnancy — and her return to the Ariston in 2024 with the manifesto-like “Pazza,” Loredana Bertè has always been a
living example of nonconformity, emancipation and freedom unmatched in Italian music.
She could only be the most rock ’n’ roll Icon in the history of Billboard Italia Women in Music.
Since the
