At the 2025 Billboard Women in Music ceremony, aespa took home the award for ‘Group of the Year’, while Jennie from BLACKPINK received the ‘Global Force Award’. The event was held on March 29 (local time) at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles.
aespa’s was recognized for their groundbreaking achievements in music. Last year, they caused a major stir with their back-to-back hits “Supernova,” “Armageddon,” and “Whiplash”. They won multiple Daesangs (grand prizes) at year-end award ceremonies. Now, being recognized by Billboard adds to the list of achievements.
Ahead of their performance at BB Women in Music 2025, aespa dropped the English version of “Whiplash” on March 27. The song was remixed by Steve Aoki and performed at the award ceremony.
During their acceptance speech, Giselle began by saying, “Wow, what an incredible honor, we are so grateful to be in this room, full of such amazing artists that really do inspire us. Also, thank you Billboard for naming us Group of the Year. We want to cheer on all women who are chasing their dreams, and we hope everyone gets a chance to reach their full potential.”
She added, “Music really does connect all of us, and we are so grateful to be a part of this journey and, you know, we can’t forget our MYs, thank you guys so so much. I hope you guys know that the award is yours and your love and support really do push us to dream bigger. We will continue to work hard to be artists who can inspire and uplift you, and thank you Billboard Women in Music, and thank you MYs, ‘cause this is just the beginning.”
The aespa leader Karina also gave a heartfelt acceptance speech, saying, “As female artists in music, taking on new challenges is something we are truly proud of. Every performance, every song reflects our passion, and we believe that we are standing here today because so many of you have connected with our work. We can’t wait for the journey ahead of us together with you. Thank you for this incredible honor. Thank you!”
Winter also thanked fans, “We share so many unforgettable moments together, but this is just the beginning. We’re just getting warmed up, and I promise we’ll be back with even more stages, more powerful performances, and music.”
Lastly, aespa’s youngest member Ningning expressed, “We are so happy to be here with such amazing artists. I’d like to thank everyone who has supported us as well as our fans. Thank you, Billboard for this honor, and we will continue to create even better music and get back all of your love and support.”
Other notable attendees and honorees included Tyla, Erykah Badu, GloRilla, Ángela Aguilar, Doechii, Gracie Abrams, Meghan Trainor, and Muni Long.