The 2025 Kids’ Choice Awards brought some familiar faces to center stage, proving that kids’ musical tastes are not all that different from the mainstream. Sabrina Carpenter snagged the Favorite Album award for “Short n’ Sweet,” a feat she duplicated earlier in the year by clinching the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album. Joining her in the winner’s circle were superstars SZA and Bruno Mars, who scored the titles of Favorite Female and Male Artist, respectively. The breakout artist categories saw Carpenter and Benson Boone taking home the Favorite Female and Male Breakout Artist awards, showcasing their rising star power in the industry.
A standout musical collaboration that topped the charts was between Kendrick Lamar and SZA with their track “luther,” a song that dominated the Billboard Hot 100 for an impressive 13 weeks. This powerhouse duo is also poised to make waves at next year’s Grammy Awards, with strong potential for a Record of the Year win. Interestingly, the song’s namesake, Luther Vandross, left an indelible mark on music despite passing away long before the current Kids’ Choice Awards audience was even born.
The celebration extended beyond just music, with the blockbuster film “Wicked” breaking records as the highest-grossing movie adapted from a Broadway musical, taking home the Favorite Movie award. Ariana Grande shone bright as Favorite Movie Actress for her portrayal of Glinda in the film, while also nabbing Favorite Song from a Movie as a featured artist on Cynthia Erivo’s “Defying Gravity.”
The breadth of musical talent showcased at the awards was diverse and inclusive, with acts like Stray Kids winning Favorite Music Group, Tyla claiming the Favorite Global Music Star title, and Selena Gomez and benny blanco snagging the Favorite Viral Song award for “Bluest Flame.”
While slime may steal the spotlight at the Kids’ Choice Awards, several winners used their acceptance speeches to share inspiring and important messages with their young audience. These moments provided a refreshing depth and insight amidst the playful chaos of the event.
Here are five standout moments from the 2025 Kids’ Choice Awards that captured the essence of talent, heart, and fun that this annual event brings to young music fans.
