Billie Eilish admits it feels "really weird" to have been named Billboard’s Woman of the Year at the age of 17.
The ‘Bad Guy’ hitmaker received the accolade at the Billboard Women In Music Awards at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles on Thursday night (12.12.19), and thanked all the "women in the past" for making her life "a lot easier".
Speaking to the crowd, she said: "It’s really weird to be woman of the year at 17.
"Last year, Ariana Grande got the award that I’m getting right now a year ago, and she gave a speech that I thought was the most touching thing I’ve ever seen.
"Two weeks ago I realised that’s the award I’m getting – and that really freaked me out. And still is.
"I want to thank all the women in the past who have been the reason that I can be who I am and do what I want, and have paved the way for me and an entire generation of young women who … women who, in the past, have done what they weren’t supposed to do.
"It’s made my life a lot easier. So thank you to those women."
Before Billie’s speech, Cyndi Lauper had praised her as "magical" as she introduced the teen to the stage, saying: "When I first heard Billie sing, I kinda stopped breathing for a sec. It was so emotional and so deep – it stopped me.
"Even when you had that black s**t coming down your face, I was like, ‘Did she drink it and then it came out?’"
Billie also praised Taylor’s speech at the event, during which she called for an end to the "toxic male privilege" in the music industry as she accepted Billboard’s first-ever Woman of the Decade award.
Taylor took aim at Scooter Braun – who she has been embroiled in a feud with lately after he bought Big Machine and the master recordings to her first six albums – and his supporters.
She said: "Lately there’s been a new shift that has affected me personally, and as your resident loud person, I feel like I need to bring it up. And that’s the unregulated world of private equity coming in and buying up our music as if it’s real estate, or an app, or a shoe line.
"This happened to me without my approval, consultation or consent.
"Scooter [Braun] never contacted me or my team to discuss it prior to the sale."
Taylor also called out a number of Scooter’s supporters, saying it is "the definition of the toxic male privilege in our industry to say, ‘Well, he’s always been nice to me.’
"Of course he’s nice to you; if you’re in this room, you have something he needs."
Nicki Minaj scooped the Game-Changer Award at the ceremony, Alanis Morissette received the Icon Award, and Brandi Carlile accepted the Trailblazer Award.
In her acceptance speech, Alanis said: "I’m really happy that this is a time where young women performers can do all things without being shamed for who they are."
Other winners on the night included Alicia Keys, who won the American Express Impact Award for her work with She is the Music – an industry-wide movement to empower female creators – and Rosalia won the Rising Star Award for changing the pop landscape with her own interpretations of flamenco music.
And Megan Thee Stallion took home the Powerhouse Award thanks to a string of hits in the US and for starting the ‘Hot Girl Summer’ trend with her collaboration with Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign.
Billie Eilish feels ‘weird’ receiving Billboard Women of the Year Award
