Aya Nakamura was honored at the first edition of Billboard France‘s Power Players, held on Sept. 15 at Salle Cortot in Paris. The singer received the Artist-Entrepreneur of the Year award, a distinction that recognizes both her artistic career and the growth of her work as a business owner. The trophy was presented to her by RnBoi, the first artist signed to her company, Nakamura Industrie.
This award comes during a period of transition for the 31-year-old artist. Self-produced since 2025 through Nakamura Industrie, while distributed by Warner Music France, she released Destinée last November, her fifth studio album and the first to come out under her own company. The record is certified platinum in France by the SNEP. Its reissue, Destinée Supremacy, extended the cycle into 2026 with the single “Sexy Nana,” a collaboration with La Rvfleuze, certified diamond in France.
The year 2026 was also marked by three consecutive concerts at the Stade de France on May 29, 30, and 31, drawing more than 200,000 spectators.
Through Nakamura Industrie, the singer is also developing a division dedicated to nurturing new talent. RnBoi, who presented her with the award on stage, is the first artist signed to it. The singer had a remarkable year himself in 2026: His first project, My Eyes Only — Flashback, is certified platinum in France and features three diamond-certified singles, “Avec Moi” (featuring Nono La Grinta), “Elle Voulait” and “Mon Bébé.”
On the stage of Salle Cortot, Nakamura reflected on how far she has come: “When I started in music, I had no idea of the influence of my authenticity. Today, here I am, happy to bring so much hope to certain people who watch us and tell themselves, ‘I can make it too.’”
The Power Players are the French adaptation of a format launched by Billboard, now rolled out across several markets around the world. The ceremony aims to spotlight the most influential figures in France’s music industry. Hosted by Julie Gayet and organized in partnership with AEG Presents France, Amazon Music, AXS, Bpifrance, Bolero and Sacem, this first edition brought together 400 industry professionals and was followed by a cocktail presented by AXS and Moët-Hennessy.
This story written by Adèle Chantrel was originally published by Billboard France.
