Betty Who

Betty Who infuses pop sounds stretching back to the eighties with her own exuberant energy, crafting heartfelt tracks that echo the styles of Whitney Houston, Robyn, and Katy Perry. The Australian singer/songwriter first gained widespread attention through the 2012 viral single "Somebody Loves You" and EPs such as 2013's The Movement, which paved the way for major-label projects like 2017's The Valley. By the arrival of 2019's Betty, she had returned to independent status, showcasing a broad array of talents. She expanded her reach further in the 2020s by hosting the dating series The One That Got Away and issuing albums like 2022's Big!, which reinforced the upbeat outlook and inclusive spirit that established her as an LGBTQ+ icon.

Born Jessica Anne Newham in Sydney, she took up the cello at age four before adding piano and guitar to her skills. As a teenager she relocated to the United States with her family to enroll at the Interlochen Center for the Arts performing arts school, where she started composing and singing her own material. She later attended the Berklee College of Music to advance her cello studies, yet her true focus shifted toward work as a singer/songwriter. At Berklee she connected with producer Peter Thomas, and the two began creating and tracking songs together. Drawing from the compositional craft of Joni Mitchell and Carole King alongside the sweeping synth-pop of M83 and MGMT, they shaped a sound that balanced nostalgic and modern elements on tracks like "Somebody Loves You," which Who penned shortly after Houston's passing. Released as a free download late in 2012, the single attracted online praise and received a remix by FM Attack. Her self-released debut EP, The Movement, appeared in April 2013 and climbed to number 22 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart; it featured "Somebody Loves You," which hit the top of Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart the next March.

The EP's breakthrough secured a contract with RCA Records, and Who launched her label debut via the Slow Dancing EP in April 2014. This more refined release broadened her bold approach with R&B-tinged production and deeper lyricism, landing at number 57 on Billboard's Hot 100 Albums chart. That October she issued her first full-length album, Take Me When You Go, which included contributions from Thomas along with Starsmith, Claude Kelly, and Martin Johnson and reached number 68 on the Hot 100. In February 2015, "All of You" became her second single to top Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart. After extensive touring through much of 2015 and a guest spot on Troye Sivan's album Blue Neighbourhood, she returned in June 2016 with a soulful rendition of Donna Lewis' 1996 hit "I Love You Always Forever," marking her third number-one entry on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and peaking at number six on Australia's ARIA Singles Chart. She followed that November with the tropical-flavored "Human Touch." Reuniting with Thomas and collaborating with additional producers such as Pop & Oak, Mstr Rogers, and Robopop, she delivered her second album, 2017's The Valley, which captured her relocation to L.A. through its stylistic range and charted at number 58 in Australia and number 105 in the U.S.

Later that year Who regained her independent footing after parting ways with RCA Records. The following January she released the single "Ignore Me" and issued covers of Kylie Minogue's "Come into My World" and Widelife's "All Things (Just Keep Getting Better)," with the latter serving as the theme for the second season of Netflix's Queer Eye reboot. After the Lemaitre collaboration "Rocket Girl" and a feature on Don Diablo's Future, the June Betty, Pt. 1 EP previewed her next project. Arriving in February 2019, the straightforwardly titled Betty showcased some of her most diverse work yet. Crafted with Thomas and Pretty Sister, the album reached number 24 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart. That same year she teamed with Fly By Midnight for the single "Lovely" and contributed vocals to Matt Simons' album After the Landslide.

Beyond the 2020 holiday single "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays," Betty Who devoted much of the COVID-19 pandemic period to songwriting and studio sessions with Johnson, her Take Me When You Go collaborator. In mid-2022 she made her reality television debut hosting Amazon Studios' dating program The One That Got Away and guest-starred on an episode of Kesha's supernatural series Conjuring Kesha. That October brought her fourth album, Big!, a more intimate collection that delved into themes of body image, self-worth, and aging.