We Are Moving the Needle To Honor Women Behind the Music at 2026 Resonator Awards
The highly anticipated 2026 Resonator Awards is set to take place during Grammy Week, celebrating impactful female music makers in a star-studded ceremony. The event, now in its second year, aims to strengthen the music industry by honoring remarkable artistry and promoting an inclusive environment for women creators.
The honorees include the legendary Queen of Funk Chaka Khan, rockers St. Vincent and Haim, rising star Chappell Roan, as well as influential engineers, producers, and songwriters like Gena Johnson, Bella Blasko, Jayda Love, and Roger Davies. These remarkable women will be recognized for their contributions to the music industry with various awards, including the Luminary Award, Golden Trifecta Award, Disruptors Award, Harmonizer Award, Powerhouse Award, Exceptional Ears Award, All-Star Award, In Stereo Award, Breakthrough Award, Equalizer Award, and Transformer Award.
The Resonator Awards will be held on January 27th at Los Angeles' Chaplin Studios, hosted by comedian and musician Fred Armisen. The event promises to be a memorable night with performances from talented artists such as FLO, Thundercat, Sia, Hayley Williams, Lalah Hathaway, Maggie Rogers, and more surprise guests. A tribute to Chaka Khan's greatest hits will also take place, featuring special guest appearances by Grace Bowers, Hayley Williams, Lalah Hathaway, Maggie Rogers, and others.
Founded by Grammy-winning engineer Emily Lazar in 2021, We Are Moving the Needle aims to address severe underrepresentation of women in creative fields related to music. According to the 2025 Annenberg Report, only 5.9 percent of producers on the year-end Billboard Hot 100 chart are female. The organization's mission is to strengthen the music industry so creators can thrive on their own terms.
"We Are Moving the Needle is about strengthening the music industry so creators can thrive on their own terms," said Lazar in announcing the lineup. "The Resonator Awards are a reflection of that mission — honoring not only remarkable artistry, but the shared commitment to building an industry that lives up to its values."
Added Chaka Khan: "Empowered women empower women. I am honored to be part of a movement that celebrates the creativity, resilience, and determination of women creators everywhere. We lift each other and shine. Together, we are moving the needle."
The highly anticipated 2026 Resonator Awards is set to take place during Grammy Week, celebrating impactful female music makers in a star-studded ceremony. The event, now in its second year, aims to strengthen the music industry by honoring remarkable artistry and promoting an inclusive environment for women creators.
The honorees include the legendary Queen of Funk Chaka Khan, rockers St. Vincent and Haim, rising star Chappell Roan, as well as influential engineers, producers, and songwriters like Gena Johnson, Bella Blasko, Jayda Love, and Roger Davies. These remarkable women will be recognized for their contributions to the music industry with various awards, including the Luminary Award, Golden Trifecta Award, Disruptors Award, Harmonizer Award, Powerhouse Award, Exceptional Ears Award, All-Star Award, In Stereo Award, Breakthrough Award, Equalizer Award, and Transformer Award.
The Resonator Awards will be held on January 27th at Los Angeles' Chaplin Studios, hosted by comedian and musician Fred Armisen. The event promises to be a memorable night with performances from talented artists such as FLO, Thundercat, Sia, Hayley Williams, Lalah Hathaway, Maggie Rogers, and more surprise guests. A tribute to Chaka Khan's greatest hits will also take place, featuring special guest appearances by Grace Bowers, Hayley Williams, Lalah Hathaway, Maggie Rogers, and others.
Founded by Grammy-winning engineer Emily Lazar in 2021, We Are Moving the Needle aims to address severe underrepresentation of women in creative fields related to music. According to the 2025 Annenberg Report, only 5.9 percent of producers on the year-end Billboard Hot 100 chart are female. The organization's mission is to strengthen the music industry so creators can thrive on their own terms.
"We Are Moving the Needle is about strengthening the music industry so creators can thrive on their own terms," said Lazar in announcing the lineup. "The Resonator Awards are a reflection of that mission — honoring not only remarkable artistry, but the shared commitment to building an industry that lives up to its values."
Added Chaka Khan: "Empowered women empower women. I am honored to be part of a movement that celebrates the creativity, resilience, and determination of women creators everywhere. We lift each other and shine. Together, we are moving the needle."
. I love how they're trying to change the game by honoring these incredible women in music 
. Chaka Khan is literally a legend 
and it's so cool that they're including her on the list. I also really want to see Sia perform, she's always been so talented 
. But what made me think of this is... have you guys ever noticed how hard it is for women in music to get recognized? Like, only 5.9% of producers on Billboard Hot 100 chart are female? That's crazy! 
So yeah, I'm totally down for an event that promotes and celebrates these talented women 
. Can't wait to see the performances and the tribute to Chaka Khan 
this is so cool! i mean think about it... there's still work to be done in the music industry 
, especially when it comes to empowering women creators 
. but when people like chaka khan come out and say "empowered women empower women" 
, it shows that we're making progress, even if its just a tiny step forward 
. its all about lifting each other up and creating an inclusive environment 
, where everyone can thrive on their own terms 
. so here's to the resonator awards and the amazing women who are part of this movement 
the good thing about this is that they're actually doing something about the lack of representation in the music industry - 5.9% is a pretty small number, so it's cool to see them giving some attention to women behind the scenes. i'm also happy to see chaka khan being honored, she's an icon! 
but at the same time, i'm not sure if this is enough to really make a difference... like, are they just talking about representation or actually making changes? and what about other genres of music - are these awards only for women in specific types of music? 
shouldn't we be tackling those problems instead of just giving out awards? 
. It feels like we're moving towards some progress, but at the same time, 5.9% of producers on Billboard Hot 100 is still pretty low 
. Still, it's all about celebrating women in music, so I'm here for that 
i'm so down for this tribute to her greatest hits too 
. It's heartening to see organizations like We Are Moving the Needle taking steps towards creating an inclusive environment for women creators 
. The inclusion of various awards categories, such as the Luminary Award and Transformer Award, suggests a nuanced approach to recognizing women's contributions in multiple areas of the industry 
. I'm optimistic that We Are Moving the Needle is moving the needle in the right direction 
.
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it's dope to see the music industry taking steps to uplift women who are making waves behind the scenes. these women r doing the real work, creating the beats & sounds that inspire us