Last night (Oct. 17), Halle Bailey was honored with the 2023 Gen-Z Game-Changer Award at the Glamour Women of the Year ceremony. The event, which took place at London’s famous One Marylebone, saluted this year’s top “feminist heroes and game-changers in their respective fields.”

The Grammy-nominated singer accepted her award with a touching speech. “I guess the best way to describe how I’m feeling is to simply say I am humbled to be here,” she told the star-studded audience. “I know that my personal journey, although filled with my own struggles, and challenges, and wins, and losses, pale in comparison to many more deserving women out there. But I also know that with the spotlight comes a responsibility to speak about my experience in hopes that it can provide some guidance and inspiration to those girls and women who look to me standing under that spotlight.”

Halle continued, “It’s been an adjustment to live my life under the scrutiny of that spotlight. But, in the age of social media, in some way, we all live under that same scrutiny. From what we wear to who we love to the things we care about – it’s all open to scrutiny. So, here’s my honest advice. Turn it off when you need to find inner peace. But also, live your life for you. Don’t waste time living it for social media. Everyone has an opinion, but the only opinion that matters is your own – you already know deep down what’s right for you. For me, it works because I keep it simple. I put God first and then I try to make decisions that are best for me in that moment.”

The Little Mermaid star added, “Another thing I am super grateful for and that has helped me tremendously is to find a good life mentor – one that will inspire you and motivate you. For me, I’ve always had my sister and, looking backward and connecting the important tentpole moments that shaped me, my older sister [Chlöe Bailey] was always there at those times.” After the event, she took to her Instagram page to express her gratitude. Check out the post below.