Billboard Women in Music 2023: Kim Petras accepts Chartbreaker Award and talks love for new friend Madonna

It was another watershed moment for German pop artists Kim Petras at the Billboard Women in Music 2023 ceremony overnight. The ceremony, solely focused on the achievements of women and those who identify as women, took place at the YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles, and was hosted by award-winning writer-actress Quinta Brunson.

While the likes of SZA and Lana Del Ray picked up awards for their contributions to music either in the last 12 months or, in Del Ray’s case, throughout their career in the industry, a large portion of the conversation this morning has focused on Kim Petras picking up the Chartbreaker Award - and the empowering speech she gave after accepting the award.

In an acceptance speech that leaned in on body positivity and acceptance, the musician said “growing up I would question what rooms I would be put into and what boxes I would be put into — and I’m grateful it’s this one,” she said.

The singer-songwriter also took a moment to make a sadly relevant statement: “People should be able to decide what to do with their bodies to reach true equality.”

The win makes Petras the first transgender woman to pick up the Billboard Women in Music Award, following her making history at the 2023 Grammy Awardsby becoming the first transgender woman to win a Grammy for Best Pop/Group performance. This was followed up with a much talked about performance alongside British non-gender binary artist Sam Smith with their collaboration “Unholy.”

It’s been quite the rollercoaster start to 2023 for the confessed Kylie Minogue stan, who listed some of her inspirations in a recent interview with Billboard Magazine. “Cher. Nicki Minaj. Madonna. Lana Del Rey. Marina. Kylie [Minogue].

The list goes on. Women in pop music were my only friends in high school — they were everything I wanted to be and [gave me] the strength I [needed] to transition and live my life authentically. They gave me the strength to be myself.”

Petras has also discussed that she would love to do nothing more than to collaborate with the Queen of Pop, Madonna, in the not-too-distant future.

While adjourned in a design by the late Vivienne Westwood when she made her way on the arrivals carpet, Petras told Entertainment Tonight “I am such a huge fan of hers [...] everything I see her I just talk about her music and how much it means to me.”

“It’s one of the most incredible things for me, you know, to get respected by Madonna and for her to even know anything about me.”

When asked by the arrival carpet interviewer if Madonna and Kim Petras would start writing for each other now their acquaintances, Petras commented “I would like to, yeah. I’d die to have Madonna on anything or be on anything Madonna.”

Madonna introduced Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ live performance of ‘Unholy’ at the 2023 Grammy Awards - which social media users focused more on how Madonna looked rather than the stunning performance that took place shortly aftwards.

Knowing that Madonna has a habit of keeping up to speed with current music and pop culture trends (or being ahead of the curve at times), Peopleworld can easily see a Kim Petras and Madonna collaboration in the future. It’s a matter of when rather than if, as both musicians are set to tour throughout the world in the middle of 2023.