Jennifer Lopez Makes History as First Ever Female Billboard Icon Award Winner

Jennifer Lopez must be smiling from ear to ear after becoming the first ever female recipient of a Billboard Icon Award.

The 44-year-old singer, actress and American Icon judge is set to receive the prestigious accolade at a ceremony in Las Vegas later this month. Previous recipients of the award which honours achievement in the music industry include Neil Diamond, Stevie Wonder and Prince.

Lopez is also scheduled to perform two songs at the event which will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Fans will be able to watch her belt out her new single First Love and Pitbull will also join her on stage for the first live performance of their FIFA World Cup anthem We Are One (Ole Ola).

Larry Klein, producer of the Billboard Music Awards described the mother-of-two as 'one of the most iconic performers of her generation'.

"We are thrilled to honour her historic career with the 2014 Icon Award and will be on the edge of our seats like everyone else when she takes the stage," he said.

The news comes as the On The Floor hitmaker prepares to release her eighth studio album, A.K.A., later this summer. The coverart for her new project shows Lopez in a revealing belted top which shows off plenty of cleavage and a red pencil skirt.

The highly anticipated album is the follow-up to her 2011 record Love? which spawned hits including I'm Into You featuring Lil Wayne and Run the World.