Resilient Strength, Sass and Sensational Sisterhood at 2025’s She Rocks Awards

Closing a sensitive and action-packed activity filled NAMM Show week, the 13th Annual She Rocks Awards gathered business and artistic powerhouses together to acknowledge this year’s selected eclectic group of women’s significant achievements. Each honoree could not be more different from each other in terms of their paths into music, but all shared a visible passion that they bring to their respective careers daily.

A week before the award ceremony, several of the recipients assembled at a pre-show press conference and I got the chance via WIMN founder Laura Whitmore to ask about defining, “pinch-me” WTF career moments of the group and Samantha Fish about her Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival experience. The hour-long chat flew by and got me hyped for the show to come. Fast forward to the last Saturday night in January and I had my own “pinch-me” moments standing on the show’s red carpet asking Jennifer Batten about touring with Michael Jackson and Jeff Beck, Paula Cole about being the first woman to be nominated in the Grammy Producer of the Year category, Aijia Grammer about what we’d be surprised to know (and she did not disappoint) and Gibson CMO Beth Heidt about what a typical day in the life is like (peep the convos below!).

Canadian born Nashville based Shantaia commenced the show on an outlaw country high note, setting the tone for a singer-songwriter, pop, metal (including Stitched Up Heart’s “Beast” performance) and blues rock filled excursion throughout the evening. Jennifer Batten and Lindsey Stirling, past show honorees, returned to co-host the event and moved the show along, injecting their signature senses of humor along the way. As each recipient gave their inspiring, heartfelt speeches, it remained obvious why each woman deserved their time in the spotlight. Ending the night, Samantha Fish performed an explosive cover of MC5’s “Kick Out the Jams” which made me rock out and dance from my vantage point. Leaving the show emboldened and galvanized, I look forward to what lies ahead for each leading lady and to 2026’s show next year.

Photo Credit: Scott Mitchell