Teyana Taylor is adding another honor to her growing list of accolades. The Golden Globe-winning actress and music star will be honored with the Icon of the Year Award at the 2026 BET Awards.
The Icon Award recognizes an artist who made a defining mark in entertainment, with past honorees including Mariah Carey, Jamie Foxx and Usher.
“Teyana Taylor is the embodiment of what it means to be an icon in this moment,” BET executive vp, specials, music programming and strategy Connie Orlando said in a release. “She doesn’t ask for a seat at the table; she builds the table, designs the rooms and sets the tone for everyone who walks in.”
Taylor’s career has evolved across music, film, television, directing and fashion. Just this past year, the Harlem-born artist won a Golden Globe for best supporting actress in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, received an Oscar nomination for the same role and also earned a best R&B album Grammy nomination for her project Escape Room. Taylor also joined Ryan Murphy’s All’s Fair and starred beside Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in the film The Rip.
The singer first introduced herself to the music industry in 2014 with her album VII, followed by the release of her album K.T.S.E with certified gold hit single “A Rose In Harlem.” Her catalog of hit singles expanded with the double-platinum “Gonna Love Me” and platinum “Issues/Hold On.” She has collaborated with music moguls including Lauryn Hill, Beyoncé, Missy Elliot and Erykah Badu. In fact, just last week, BET revealed that Hill would also be honored at the BET Awards, receiving the Living Legend Award, honoring pioneers who mastered their craft but remained to the culture.
