SZA won Top R&B Female Artist at the Billboard Music Awards 2018.
The ceremony took place on May 20, 2018, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. SZA competed against major R&B stars Beyoncé and Rihanna, making the win a notable early-career achievement.
The award category was introduced in 2018 when the Billboard Music Awards added gender-specific artist categories. SZA’s nomination reflected the strong commercial and cultural impact of her debut studio album, Ctrl, released in 2017. The album included songs such as “Love Galore,” “The Weekend,” and “Supermodel,” and helped establish her as one of contemporary R&B’s leading voices.
A common mix-up is confusing this award with Top R&B Artist, which was won by Bruno Mars in 2018, or Top R&B Album, which went to Bruno Mars for 24K Magic. SZA was also nominated for Top R&B Album for Ctrl, but her win in the female artist category was the specific honor asked about.