Laced with electric beats and 90s dance moves, Betty Who’s set shook The Better Sorts Social Club to its core.
If you’re a millennial that’s aching for the jams of your childhood, look no further than the electric Betty Who. Her infectious, upbeat tracks make you feel like dancing around your bedroom to songs about your crush blasting out of your boombox. Featuring smooth, free-form choreography, lovesick lyrics and energetic hooks, the show conjured nostalgia for the glory days of pop.
Clad in a bright pink Under Armor crop top, leather pants and white crystal kicks, the singer stormed the stage and grinned at her adoring crowd. She ran a swift hand through her shockingly blonde undercut, and wasted no time getting the blood pumping as she launched into “Mama Say.” The Australian singer—also known offstage as Jessica Anne Newham—brought back the moves of Oops…I Did It Again-era Britney Spears as she danced her heart out to an eager crowd that sang her lyrics back to her. Her moves carried all the way through the sixty minute set of pure pop glory, with unpredictable structure and lyrics that were nothing short of thrilling.
The intimate, dimly-lit venue throbbed with excitement. Performing at the Better Sorts Social Club at the Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel, Betty Who’s setlist was laced with lyrics of romance and self-celebration. The concert was part of Kimpton’s larger, national music series unveiled this spring, Off the Record. The series benefits The Trevor Project, an American non-profit organization focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Fittingly, Betty Who—a known ally and part of the LGBTQ community—warmly embraced her fans and created a welcoming atmosphere for everyone.
Betty Who dove into tracks like “Between You and Me,” and “Just Thought You Should Know,” having a blast as she danced and joked around with her back-up dancers and the crowd. Her positivity radiated as she bounced around the stage and her set list, which consisted of an eclectic collection of tracks from her first three albums. She amped up the attitude for “Language,” a catchy, synth-pop track off of her 2019 LP, Betty. She has spunk, and it enthralls and entices the crowd like no other. It was refreshing to see a rising pop singer be casual, kind, and engaging with her followers. She’s faithful to them, and they’re faithful to her.
As she took a breather and a quick swig of water, she revealed to the audience, “This is only the second time playing this live. Let’s see how it goes.” With an exchange of smiles with her dancers, she began “The One,” off of Betty. The track is infused with the catchy hooks and harmonies reminiscent of *NSYNC’s “Pop,” and the flirty, nostalgic lyrical structure of “Bye Bye Bye.” Betty Who shook the club to its core as the crowd bobbed their heads and danced like it was 1999. She closed out the night with “Ignore Me,” and her cover of Donna Lewis’ “I Love You Always Forever.”
By the end of the show, Betty Who was dancing with the crowd. The vibe at this gig was overwhelmingly positive, something that Betty Who seems to carry with her in personality, her lyricism and her fan base. There’s no frills with her: she’s genuine and happy to be partying with her fans.
