American rock band Paramore’s last couple of years have been quite remarkable. They released their self-titled last year, the album did very well in the charts, their singles were being played constantly on the radio, and they went on a big tour with Fall Out Boy this past Summer. Now things are getting even better for Paramore’s lead vocalist, Hayley Williams, as she is set to receive the first-ever ‘Trailblazer Award’ at this year’s ninth annual Billboard Women in Music Awards. The event will take place in New York City, on December 12, Hollywood Reporter notes.
The Trailblazer Award honors “a standout female artist who breaks from convention to make a unique mark in music and pave the way for other talent”. “Trailblazers like Hayley Williams are exciting to follow because they are risk takers, and we are pleased to honor her creativity and success this year,” said Janice Min, co-president and chief creative officer of Guggenheim Media’s Entertainment Group, which consists of Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter. “We’ve watched her progress and climb the charts as a soloist and lead singer for several years, and we look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.”
As expected, Hayley Williams is excited and grateful for the honor. She said: “I can remember a time when I would’ve been made fun of for doing things differently. Now I’m getting an award for it? This is too much. I’m so excited!”. “There are women in this industry who totally bulldozed walls down for the likes of me to come along and do what I believe in. I want to be that for even one girl in the future. I can’t wait for the event next month and to high-five some of my sisters in music”, Paramore singer added.
Alongside Paramore’s Hayley Williams, other recipients announced for this event include Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Idina Menzel. Taylor Swift will be honored with the Woman of the Year award, Ariana Grande will receive the Rising Star award and and Idina Menzel is the award’s first-ever Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Recipients of the Billboard Icon Award and Country Artist of the Year will be announced in coming weeks, according to Billboard.