Variety is pleased to announce the three next honorees for its eighth annual Hitmakers celebration, this year presented by AFEELA. All three are being recognized for their efforts on behalf of others, as well as their musical achievements:
Quavo – Humanitarian of the Year Award, for his work in gun control;
Jelly Roll – Changemaker of the Year Award, for his work with the incarcerated and addiction recovery;
RAYE – Triple Threat Award, for her work as an artist and songwriter, and her outspoken efforts in support of the songwriting community.
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“Music can make the world a better place on its own, but with these honors, we want to recognize the efforts of three musicians who also have used their platforms to improve the lives of others,” said Variety’s executive music editor Jem Aswad.
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“Quavo lost his nephew and Migos bandmate Takeoff in a senseless shooting, and has created the Rocket Foundation to end gun violence – and has partnered with Vice President Kamala Harris and the first ever White House Office Of Gun Violence Prevention to advocate for criminal violence intervention.
“Jelly Roll speaks often of his own struggles as a young person, and has used those experiences to create and contribute to multiple efforts on behalf of incarcerated youth, addiction-recovery and more, even addressing Congress earlier this year.
“And RAYE is a forceful advocate for songwriters, who are inexplicably at the bottom of the music-streaming economy.”
The three artists will join previously announced Hitmaker of the Year Charli xcx at the Dec. 7 event and in the accompanying magazine and website, which will look back at the year in music and recognize the writers, producers, publishers, managers and executives who helped make — and break — the 25 most-consumed songs of the year, as measured by Billboard and Luminate Charts.
More honorees will be announced in the coming weeks.
Hitmakers culminates with an invitation-only brunch held on Saturday, December 7, in Los Angeles. Wells Fargo will be a premier partner of the event. Previous Variety Hitmakers of the Year include SZA, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Harry Styles, Jack Harlow, and Elton John and Dua Lipa.
This year’s event sponsors include Presenting Partner AFEELA, a mobility brand developed by Sony Honda Mobility Inc. They will showcase its prototype vehicle of their brand AFEELA and offer exclusive hands-on demos to attendees, providing a unique, up-close experience with the future of mobility.
“We are honored to be a presenting partner for this year’s Variety Hitmakers event, supporting the artists and trailblazers shaping the music industry. AFEELA is a mobility brand that aims to revolutionize how people move by redefining the relationship between people and mobility. Just as these artists push creative boundaries, AFEELA is committed to transform our customer’s mobility experience by merging mobility with entertainment through advanced technologies,” said Yasuhide Mizuno, Representative Director, Chairperson and CEO, Sony Honda Mobility Inc.
