On December 2nd, Variety hosted its seventh-annual Hitmakers celebration, looking back at the year in music and recognizing the writers, producers, publishers, managers, and executives who helped make—and break—the 25 most-consumed songs of the year, as measured by Luminate. The event in the heart of Hollywood, included honorees in attendance like Ashley Gorley (Songwriter of the Year), Billie Eilish, and FINNEAS (Film Song of the Year: “What Was I Made For”), boygenius (Group of the Year), Eslabon Armado (Collaboration of the Year: “Ella Baila Sola”), Maren Morris (Changemaker of the Year), Mark Ronson (Soundtrack of the Year), Metro Boomin (Producer of the Year), Michael Sticka (Music Education and Advocacy Leadership Award presented by City National Bank), Olivia Rodrigo (Storyteller of the Year), Sabrina Carpenter (Rising Star Award presented by H&M), SZA (Hitmaker of the Year), Terrence “Punch” Henderson (Executive of the Year), Victoria Monét (Triple Threat Award), with presenters Babyface, Denise Colletta, Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers, Ryan Gosling and St. Vincent.
It wouldn’t be a music-centered brunch without incredible and immersive experiences.
At the event, Sony celebrated the recent launch of “For the Music” by showcasing its 360 Reality Audio immersive music experience with an exclusive listening lounge. “For the Music” focuses on putting the creator’s vision over everything to benefit music fans and empower artists through its premier audio products and services. CNB and H&M were exclusive partners of the event. Distilled from hand-harvested 100% Blue Weber Agave in Los Altos, the Highlands region of Jalisco, Espolòn’s award-winning tequilas were an official partner of Variety Hitmakers. Meta, Nissan Ariya, UMG, and Sony Music Publishing were supporting partners.
The event was filled with Black music industry veteran musicians like Babyface and Flavor Flav and newcomers like SZA, Victoria Monet, and PinkPantheress. Additionally, there were noted Black women executives present, like Camille Yorrick, who is the EVP of creative content at RCA Records, and Lallie Jones, VP, of Marketing 300 Entertainment, who shared her sentiments about the event.
“Celebrating success amidst such excellence was invigorating. The event marked the year’s achievements and illuminated the years of dedication and artistic perseverance necessary to create this impact,” she said to ESSENCE.
300 Entertainment’s breakout artist, PinkPantheress, also enjoyed her time at the event and left feeling inspired, “I had a lot of fun watching fellow musicians receiving well-deserved awards today at the variety awards; I felt inspired seeing powerful women like me in such great positions. I felt honored to see Mark Ronson honor the Barbie soundtrack, which I was so lucky to be part of; truly inspiring experience all around,” she said.
However, the most impactful part of the afternoon was watching Victoria Monet and SZA accept their hitmaker awards, as both artists have had a breakout year professionally and personally. Victoria Monét’s “On My Mama” song skyrocketed, allowing her to nab seven Grammy nominations. The singer-songwriter was presented with Variety’s “Triple Threat Award.” When receiving the award, Monét reflected on how far she’s come on her music journey, noting just how much a “difference a year makes” as just last year she was on her “couch,” hoping for a moment like this one to arise.
“I just want to start by saying that I watched this event last year from my couch, so it’s very cool to be here. I want to acknowledge how much a year can make,” Monét began her speech.
Monét also encouraged all the multi-hyphenates like her not to let others or themselves be placed in a box. “They can try to pigeonhole you and shrink you to be one-dimensional, but you were always meant to be a prism. To all triple threats, quadruple threats, or any multifaceted creatives out there, the biggest threat is not exploring and engaging in your full spectrum of creativity. So, don’t threaten your happiness and authenticity and your story, no matter how hard people try to box you in, box them out.”
She also thanked her immediate family, mother, partner John, and baby girl Hazel for being her “safe space, anchor, and sanity.”
The afternoon event ended on a high with SZA accepting the “Hitmaker Of The Year” award. SZA was featured at this brunch with the top award and highlighted and profiled in Variety’s Hitmaker 2023 issue for her incredible work on the album “SOS.” According to Variety, released last year, the album shattered records from Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston, becoming the longest-running No. 1 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart.
Executive Music Editor Jem Asward introduced SZA to accept her award, which was fitting as he spent enough hours with the artist for the publication’s profile. “It’s very rare for an album to top the charts and hold a place in critics hearts, like SZA’s album “SOS” has done,” he stated.
SZA graced the stage with her bouncy copper-red curls to accept the award with her goddaughter in tow and immediately thanked her parents and God, only to be interrupted by Nova’s small toddler voice, who said, “And Nova.”
The artist quickly amended the first part of her speech to include her, “Thank you to Nova for bringing me joy and teaching me childlike wonder and reminding me what it’s like not to know what is going on and still be happy anyway.”
She went on to say the following. “I just think it’s really ironic that I’m considered a hitmaker because punching up for so long, the whole conversation was, ‘I don’t make radio music. I don’t have any radio hits. I don’t have a sound.’ I realized the biggest thank you is to those who saw me as a hitmaker before that,” said the singer. “To all my fans that listened to me before I ever went number one or anything like that.”
“I really feel like being a hitmaker is just having other people, the public, believe what God and your inner circle that you’ve been blessed to have around you already see in you. And I’m grateful to have an exceptional inner circle,” SZA continued as she highlighted those who were impactful on her journey, including her manager, Terrence Punch Henderson. “Thank you for taking the time to break it down for me and just giving me patience and encouraging me to believe that. It’s okay. There will be a time for you to do your thing, and they’ll play you one day. And that day did come. And I’m so grateful.”