Teyana Taylor stormed off stage due to a technical issue with the teleprompter at the 2026 Billboard Women in Music Awards.
The awkward moment ensued when the “One Battle After Another” actress got on stage at the Hollywood Palladium on Wednesday, ready to give her acceptance speech for the Visionary Award.
“Can I get the teleprompt?” Taylor, 35, asked as she awkwardly waited in silence.
An audience member tried to break the ice by shouting, “We love you Teyana,” as Taylor replied, “I love you too, girl!”
Someone else suggested Taylor “ad lib” her speech, which she immediately shut down.
“Ad lib? My speech is cute. They’re gonna pull up this goddamn speech. Where’s my speech?” she said.
The Oscar nominee continued, “Y’all know I be having good speeches this year. I wanna read my little speech. I’m not ad libbing.”
Taylor also claimed that the show “already messed up” her microphone during her performance earlier in the night.
The teleprompter then finally displayed a message for Taylor.
“Oh, it says Teyana Taylor we have no script for you. Everyone exit stage right,” she told the crowd, as she walked off the stage.
Host Keke Palmer walked out and joked about the mishap, noting that they “messed up my girl Teyana’s prompter.”
Later in the show, Taylor came back out with Dionne Warwick, who was presenting the award, and got a second chance at giving her speech.
“Thank you to the legendary Miss Dionne Warwick for being a part of this moment,” Taylor — who had changed into a gray sweatsuit — said while wearing a more casual outfit than before.
“Thank you to Billboard for this incredible honor,” she added, as she jokingly smacked her lips and laughed.
The Golden Globe winner thanked God and explained that “there were so many moments I didn’t really understand, even like the one now,” as the actress and the crowd laughed again.
Later in her speech, Taylor again referenced the teleprompter incident when she teared up, thanking her mom, Nikki Taylor, joking that “it was so dope watching you curse them out there.”
Taylor continued, “But I will say, I want to thank Billboard for the accountability. I want to thank Billboard for being warm. I want to thank Billboard for coming into the room right away and acknowledging what was done.”
“So I appreciate you Billboard — thank you very much,” Taylor also said, noting that her mom “taught me how to give grace.”
Billboard released a statement about the technical mishap, calling it an “uncomfortable error.”
“We apologize to Teyana Taylor for the uncomfortable error and are grateful that she agreed to graciously return to the stage, delivering an incredible speech as this year’s Visionary Award recipient,” the statement read.
Taylor previously made headlines at the Oscars 2026 in March for fighting with a security guard.
The incident broke out when the security guard tried to stop Taylor and a Warner Bros. film boss from going back on the stage to take a group photo with the “One Battle After Another” cast and crew after they won Best Picture.
The security company apologized for the incident, while Taylor released a statement stating that she doesn’t “tolerate disrespect.”