Photo by Alex Stern
(Updated)
Editor's Note: This story appears in its original format in the Winter 2014 issue of Variance.
Australian singer-songwriter Jessica Newham, known on stage as Betty Who, is the promising fresh face of pop music this year after her popularity boomed in 2013. The 23-year-old talent released her debut EP and signed to RCA Records over the course of a year, while picking up steam with her first single “Somebody Loves You.”
The track was first unveiled in 2012 but was given new life after Spencer Stout, a fan of Newham’s, coupled the song with his flash-mob dance proposal to his boyfriend Dustin. Once the video was uploaded, the Internet did what it does best and exposed Betty Who to a new--much wider--fan base.
“The whole process of having people listening to the song because of that video--it doesn’t matter what shape or form it comes in--it’s just about being with somebody you love and having that be the answer to it all,” she expresses. “It’s so great, and I feel so lucky and blessed to have this platform for my music.”
The single itself carries a blissful aura, but for Newham, the song encompassed the emotions and reality of a relationship running its course.
“‘Somebody Loves You’ was a breakup song for me,” she explains. “When I wrote it, it was about me breaking up with this man and being like, ‘You don’t understand that I love you, and I’m literally standing in front of you yelling at you, telling you that I love you, and you’re not listening. So I’m walking away.’”
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Her music is decidedly honest and accessible for listeners at any period of life. Some may use it as a way to deal with heartbreak while others apply it to celebrate the love of their life. Newham says her fans’ ability to connect with the music is what it’s all about, pointing out that it’s important even for herself as she’s taking the stage.
“The song changes for me,” she admits. “I’ll sing a song at a show, and six months later I’ll sing the same song and it means something totally different.”
Being able to spark an emotion in another human being through music is everything an artist like Newham desires. And while the natural inclination to make an impact with her voice is valid, it’s not the driving force behind her passion.
When she was only four years old, Newham began training as a classical cellist. Then she taught herself to play piano and guitar before writing her first song as a teenager. Musical performance is as central to her identity as her baby blues are to her appearance. And she’s remained faithful to that drive without the guarantee of major success.
“It wouldn’t really matter if nobody was listening to my music; I would still be making it, but I’d just be working a crappy waitress job,” she says. “Because it’s who I am. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do, and this is what brings me joy.”
Having blossomed into the young woman fans now know as Betty Who, she’s been compared to the likes of Katy Perry and Robyn. Whereas many up-and-coming artists might despise being compared to those preceding them, claiming to be something completely new, Betty is more than flattered by the comparisons and looks to both Perry and Robyn as inspiration.
“I’m obsessed with both of them,” Newham confesses without hesitation. “So I’m really, really happy about it, and also it’s just such an honor ... it doesn’t even feel real, because to me, Katy Perry and Robyn make pop that’s generational. They’re making the pop music of our generation that’s going to stick around. People are going to look back and be like, ‘Oh my God, it’s Robyn’s Body Talk album. That’s one of the best pop albums of the last 10 years.’”
Another addition to her celebrity “crush list” is Miley Cyrus, whose name has been synonymous with controversy for the past year. But Newham takes her side in admiration, praising the young songstress for her bravery.
“I think if I could be as fearless as her, I’d be fine,” she states. “I think that Miley—she’s going to say what she wants. She doesn’t really care what people say about her.”
A courageous attitude is exactly what a budding artist like Betty Who needs as she dives into her much-anticipated debut album. With a larger platform and more eyes peeled, she hopes to reintroduce herself to both existing and potential fans. A brand new single, “Heartbreak Dream,” is also planned to be heir to Betty Who’s “Somebody Loves You” throne.
“It’s like I get to do my first impression all over again. This whole new group of people that maybe didn’t hear ‘Somebody Loves You,’ maybe they’ll hear ‘Heartbreak Dream,’” she says. “That feels so right to me, to be the next progression of where I am in my music and what it sounds like and what it feels like.”
Her hopes and plans for the year are clearly in place, but she admits that some things are unforeseeable. Fingers are crossed as fans, media and peers wait to see what her next move will be. And as her star continues to rise, Newham is learning to embrace this latest chapter, with all its fluctuations and surprises.
“I could tell you what my schedule is for tomorrow, and then I’d check back with you tomorrow night and it’d be nothing like I thought it was going to be. That’s kind of how my whole life is running right now, but it’s very exciting. It’s also totally unsettling and terrifying.”
Betty Who is expected to release a second EP this spring, followed by a full-length later this year. For the latest, follow her on Twitter: @bettywhomusic.
Update: Betty Who has revealed new tour dates, seen below. For tickets, click here.
March 22, 2014 - Underground Arts - Philadelphia, PA
March 23, 2014 - Rock & Roll Hotel - Washington, DC
March 24, 2014 - The High Watt - Nashville, TN
March 26, 2014 - Masquerade (Purgatory Stage) - Atlanta, GA
March 27, 2014 - Hi-Ho Lounge - New Orleans, LA
March 28, 2014 - Fitzgerald's - Houston, TX
March 29, 2014 - Three Links - Dallas, TX
April 1, 2014 - Troubadour - Los Angeles, CA
April 2, 2014 - Slims - San Francisco, CA
April 4, 2014 - Bunk Bar - Portland, OR
April 5, 2014 - Barboza - Seattle, WA
April 6, 2014 - The Media Club - Vancouver, BC, Canada
April 8, 2014 - Bar Deluxe - Salt Lake City, UT
April 9, 2014 - Larimer Lounge - Denver, CO
April 10, 2014 - Waiting Room - Omaha, NE
April 11, 2014 - Whole Music Club at University of Minnesota - Minneapolis, MN
April 12, 2014 - Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL
April 14, 2014 - Magic Stick - Detroit, MI
April 15, 2014 - The Garrison - Toronto, ON, Canada
April 16, 2014 - Il Motore - Montreal, QC, Canada
April 17, 2014 - Brighton Music Hall - Boston, MA
April 18, 2014 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY