Ariana Grande Named Billboard’s Woman of the Year for 2018

Billboard has named Ariana Grande as the recipient of the Woman of the Year award for 2018. The 25-year-old singer will be presented with the award on December 6th in New York at the annual Women in Music dinner and awards gala.

“Ariana Grande is a star on her own terms, never bending to any particular musical trend or path in the industry,” said Ross Scarano, Billboard’s VP of content. “Certain in her convictions, she consistently stands up for herself and her decisions in a world that often isn’t hospitable to that sort of strength in young women. She’s got guts, she’s making some of the best music of her career, and she’s absolutely deserving of Woman of the Year.”

Billboard’s Woman of the Year award was established in 2007, with country star and actress Reba McEntire being its first recipient. Other honorees include Madonna, Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, and Taylor Swift, who won the award in 2011 and 2014.

Back in August, Ariana Grande released her fourth studio album, Sweetener, which topped the US Billboard 200 charts and reached No.1 in 18 other countries. The release also received universal acclaim from the critics, who called it “a refreshing, cohesive package” and “a delightful collection.”

Grande is already preparing a follow up for Sweetener, and announced that her next album, title Thank U, Next, will be released in early 2019.