At Variety's annual Hitmakers brunch in Hollywood, a diverse group of musical artists gathered to celebrate their craft, sharing heartfelt thank-yous and reflections on how songwriting sparked early in life. Sabrina Carpenter, this year's Hitmaker of the Year, reminisced about writing her first song at 10 years old. Tyler, the Creator credited his childhood imagination as the source of his creativity. Tate McRae began writing songs in her bedroom at 13. EJAE, a member of Huntr/x, wrote her first song at 10, while blues legend Buddy Guy recalled growing up without steady access to clean water and filtered rainwater that fueled his family's system.
Other notable recipients of recognition included Alex Warren as Hitmakers Breakthrough of the Year artist for his emotional journey through childhood struggles. BigXthaPlug was honored as Hip-Hop Disruptor of the Year, championing artists' independence from major music labels. Benny Blanco presented The Marías with the Anti-Hit Hitmakers award for standing firm against efforts to commercialize their sound.
The event featured a mix of established and emerging talent, including singer Addison Rae who received the Future Is Female award alongside her collaborators Luka Kloser and Elvira Anderfjard. Fuerza Regida, a Mexican-American band, was recognized as Humanitarians of the Year for their charity work supporting families in need.
Executive of the Year Elliot Grainge credited Atlantic Records' commitment to artists, saying labels play an essential role in pushing talent "to heights we all wish we could go to ourselves." Rosé, a rising star who collaborated with Bruno Mars on hit single "Apt.," reflected on how quickly success can strike and expressed gratitude for the recognition. Republic Records took home the Label of the Year award, praised for its diverse roster of artists and imprints responsible for many of this year's top 25 songs.
The ninth annual Hitmakers gathering highlighted the power of music to bring people together and celebrate creativity, with a marathon brunch featuring industry insiders, collaborators, and musical legends.
Other notable recipients of recognition included Alex Warren as Hitmakers Breakthrough of the Year artist for his emotional journey through childhood struggles. BigXthaPlug was honored as Hip-Hop Disruptor of the Year, championing artists' independence from major music labels. Benny Blanco presented The Marías with the Anti-Hit Hitmakers award for standing firm against efforts to commercialize their sound.
The event featured a mix of established and emerging talent, including singer Addison Rae who received the Future Is Female award alongside her collaborators Luka Kloser and Elvira Anderfjard. Fuerza Regida, a Mexican-American band, was recognized as Humanitarians of the Year for their charity work supporting families in need.
Executive of the Year Elliot Grainge credited Atlantic Records' commitment to artists, saying labels play an essential role in pushing talent "to heights we all wish we could go to ourselves." Rosé, a rising star who collaborated with Bruno Mars on hit single "Apt.," reflected on how quickly success can strike and expressed gratitude for the recognition. Republic Records took home the Label of the Year award, praised for its diverse roster of artists and imprints responsible for many of this year's top 25 songs.
The ninth annual Hitmakers gathering highlighted the power of music to bring people together and celebrate creativity, with a marathon brunch featuring industry insiders, collaborators, and musical legends.
Just thinking about all these talented artists sharing their stories is so inspiring 
. It's awesome that they're using their platforms to highlight issues like access to clean water & mental health struggles 
. I love how the event celebrated the diversity of music genres too 
- from blues to hip-hop, pop, and more! It's moments like these that remind us of the impact we can have when we come together for a common cause 
. And kudos to labels like Atlantic Records & Republic Records for prioritizing artist development & pushing boundaries 
. Can't wait to see what the future holds for these amazing creatives 
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The thing is, music just brings so much joy and stuff 
. But at the same time, it's also kinda wild to think about how far they've come - like Sabrina Carpenter was writing songs at 10 years old, and now she's up there being celebrated as Hitmaker of the Year 
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. It's like, a big ol' music family coming together to celebrate creativity and making a difference 
And then to see him be honored for his charity work...it just shows us all the power of music to make a difference 
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. On the other hand, I think it's amazing that Tyler, the Creator credited his childhood imagination as the source of his creativity - that's some deep stuff right there 
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, you know? I was at my grandkids' school talent show the other day and it hit me... all these young talented kids performing on stage, some of them writing their own songs for the first time. It's like they're tapping into something real special. Sabrina Carpenter said she wrote her first song at 10, can you imagine? 
it's so inspiring to see artists and labels working together to support talent. Fuerza Regida being recognized as Humanitarians of the Year is amazing too 
. It's clear that the industry is shifting towards supporting and empowering creators, which is so important in this ever-changing music landscape 
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. Fuerza Regida as Humanitarians of the Year is also super cool, showing that music can be used for good 
I'm also feeling Benny Blanco and The Marías for standing up to commercialization and staying true to their art. It's all about the music, you know?
. It's clear that everyone involved in this industry has a lot of respect for each other, even when it comes to competition - I mean, Republic Records taking home Label of the Year is still a huge accomplishment