Aya Nakamura, a 31-year-old Franco-Malian singer and entrepreneur, was honored with a statuette at a ceremony in Paris organized by Billboard France. The event, held at the Cortot Hall, marked the first edition of the "Power Players" ceremony, which celebrates influential figures in the music industry. Nakamura took to the stage to share her thoughts, expressing that she hadn't expected her authentic approach to music to have such an impact when she started her career. She was happy to inspire others to believe they too could achieve similar success. Nakamura recently made history as the second female Black artist, after Beyoncé, to perform three consecutive concerts at the Stade de France in May. Her latest single, "Sexy Nana," which she recorded with rapper La Rvfleuze, was a major summer hit and earned a diamond certification, which in France corresponds to about 50 million streams. Billboard France also highlighted Nakamura's recent independence, noting her self-produced fifth album, "Destinée," which was released at the end of 2025. Through her company, Nakamura Industrie, she has helped develop other artists, including RnBoi, a young rapper from the Île-de-France region. RnBoi's track "Mon bébé" has gained millions of streams, showcasing the success of Nakamura's efforts to support emerging talent. The ceremony, hosted by actress and producer Julie Gayet, also recognized other notable figures in the industry. Marie-Anne Robert, head of Sony Music France, was awarded the leader award, while Denis Ladegaillerie, CEO of Believe, received the executive award. Innovation in music technology was also celebrated, with Deezer receiving an award for its advancements in detecting music created by artificial intelligence. The ceremony underscored the dynamic and evolving nature of the music industry, recognizing both individual achievements and technological progress.