Jon Stojan
Image credits: Niecy Nash-Betts and Jessica Betts by Saint and Citizen
Pride season is a beautiful time of year that sees so many LGBTQIA2S+ artists stepping forward to share their best and most impactful work, whether that be art, music, film, or everything in between. It’s a time of year in which the world’s eyes are opened especially wide toward the impact of these artists, and it acts as a celebration of the ways in which they actively enrich the culture around them. Two such artists, Niecy Nash-Betts and Jessica Betts, who each have a long history of simultaneously entertaining and enlightening audiences across several artistic mediums, have just released a collaborative new music single, “Ima Winner Baby.”
Niecy and Jessica are the first queer couple in fifty-two years to be featured on the cover of Essence Magazine. As they say, “The story we have to tell would be to love out loud and wake up every day and choose yourself no matter what. We are also the first black queer couple whose art intersects with love and creativity.”
Image credits: Niecy Nash-Betts and Jessica Betts by Saint and Citizen
Both Niecy and Jessica are highly successful artists in their own right. Niecy Nash-Betts is an Emmy-Award-winning actress who also holds the titles of Critic’s Choice Award winner and NAACP Award winner thanks to her indelible performances in the likes of Reno 911!: Miami, When They See Us, and Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
Jessica Betts is an Award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and producer, as well as a GLAAD Media Award Nominee, the winner of Missy Elliot’s Road to Stardom reality show, a BET Music Matter Inductee, and an honored WeHo Trailblazer Icon. Her hit single, “Catch Me,” has since made its way to premiering on Good Morning America, “Claws” on TNT, and the hit show Queen Sugar.
Image credits: Niecy Nash-Betts and Jessica Betts by Saint and Citizen
Married since 2020, this powerhouse couple is now releasing a brand new single in the form of “Ima Winner Baby.” Combining the best elements of each of their repertoires and distilling it all into a few minutes of hard-earned, celebratory musical bliss, “Ima Winner Baby” is a phenomenal release. Serving as an innovative new step in both their interpersonal and creative relationships, “Ima Winner Baby” is an innovative step forward that also serves as a victory lap of sorts for this dynamic duo and the community they so proudly represent. The song represents highlights and focuses on everyday people celebrating their wins in life and their careers.
Niecy Nash-Betts and Jessica Betts have each spent years serving as public figures representing the LGBTQIA2S+ community and have been instrumental and innovative within it. Their new joint single, “Ima Winner Baby,” is incredibly aptly named: from their marriage to their careers, things have never been better for Niecy Nash-Betts and Jessica Betts. And with this new single, they’re not only sharing that sense of love and triumph with the rest of the world but also inviting others to join in and celebrate triumphs of their own, every shape and size.