Beyonce and Rihanna among first winners at NAACP Image awards
The pop titans were both recognised in non-televised categories on Monday, ahead of the main awards show on Saturday.
Beyonce and Rihanna were among the first winners to be announced at the 2023 NAACP Image awards.
The pop titans were both recognised in non-televised categories on Monday, ahead of the main awards show on Saturday.
It comes after milestone events for both artists earlier this month, with Beyonce making history at the 65th Grammy awards, and Rihanna headlining the Super Bowl halftime show.
On Monday Beyonce took home three NAACP accolades; outstanding female artist, outstanding album, and outstanding Soul/ R and B song, for her track Cuff It.
She recently became the most decorated Grammy-winner of all time, after taking home three trophies – bringing her total to 32.
The previous record of 31 was held by Hungarian-British composer Georg Solti, who died in 1997.
At the NAACP Image awards Rihanna’s song Lift Me Up – written for blockbuster sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – won outstanding music video/visual album.
The song has also earned her nods in all major awards shows this year, including at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, as well as a coveted best original song Oscar nomination.
Rihanna recently used her electrifying Super Bowl halftime show to reveal she is pregnant for the second time.
She told British Vogue that she and her partner ASAP Rocky are “best friends with a baby”, and the experience of becoming parents has brought the couple “closer”.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s soundtrack took home the NAACP Image award for outstanding soundtrack or compilation album, which was presented to the film’s director Ryan Coogler, composer Ludwig Goransson, and Archie Davis and Dave Jordan.
The film dominated the nominations for the NAACP Image awards when they were announced last month, picking up 12 total nods.
Other award winners on Monday included Nigerian singer Tems, who scooped outstanding international song for her track No Woman No Cry.
Migos rapper Quavo and his late cousin Takeoff were awarded with outstanding Hip-Hop/Rap Song for their track Hotel Lobby.
The 54th annual NAACP Image awards will take place on February 25 at 1am UK time.
The show will be in front of an audience for the first time in three years.
