World Pride 2025
Betty Who talks Broadway, Pride, and reclaiming her sound
With a new single and WorldPride performance on the horizon, the queer pop singer opens up about transformation, community, and the music that moves her.
There are few performers who have maintained as consistent and authentic a relationship with Washington—and its LGBTQ community—as Betty Who.
Betty Who, the Australian-American pop singer originally from Sydney, has spent the last 15 years taking her breathy, synth-driven sound from hole-in-the-wall venues to some of the most iconic stages in the world. She’s been around —and she’s not going anywhere.
The Blade recently sat down with the beloved pop princess to talk about her recent Broadway run in Hadestown, her evolving sound, and why performing at Pride events in the nation’s capital holds such a special place in her heart.
Born Jessica Anne Newham in 1991, Who moved to the U.S. in her teens to pursue a promising music career. A multi-instrumentalist since childhood—she plays the cello, piano, and guitar—she’s collected devoted fans, especially LGBTQ ones, along the way.
“It feels pretty crazy,” Who said, reflecting on her unique connection with D.C. “D.C. is one of those cities that I never really expected to have the relationship with that I have at this stage. I started coming to D.C. in the first year of my career—I was playing a couple East Coast cities because I was based in Boston for school, and then I moved to New York.”
In 2014, Who was one of the headlining performers at Capital Pride and has kept that relationship close ever since.
“I would pack up the rental car with my friends from Berklee and go play these shows. And D.C.— what I remember is playing at the Rock & Roll Hotel. I have a long history of playing shows in D.C., and there are few cities that have shown up for me in the way that D.C. does whenever we come around. It’s always one of the biggest shows of the tour. And there’s something about the energy there that is just undeniable for me.”
That energy, she said, continues to fuel her artistic evolution. Her 2022 album “BIG!” marked a shift for her development.
“’BIG!’ was such a huge turning point for me,” Who said. “I think because I was trying to reinvent, but I think I was stuck in a lot of the same patterns that I had been stuck in for a long time. And through making ‘BIG!,’ I thought that I was breaking a lot of those patterns. And on looking back, I realized that I still had so much work to do, and maybe that’s just being an adult. Being in your life, you think you’ve got it all figured out, and then five years later, you look back and you’re like, ‘You silly little girl!’”
One major change has been her approach to releasing music.
“The interesting thing about this era and phase of music is that I do feel like the urgency has been turned up a lot for me,” she explained. “When I came into the business, the model was like: make a song, submit it to your label, and maybe two and a half years later somebody hears it. And now, I finished ‘Run!’ eight weeks before everybody heard it. That direct-to-consumer pipeline that I’m now exploring feels really exciting. That urgency feels more real and tingly for me. I think I used to lose steam sitting on music for so long. Now, it’s like—I haven’t decided that I love these songs, I just like them enough to put them out. It takes me a long time to decide how I feel about music, and I’m excited about this new era.”
That new era is also one of self-discovery—both musically and personally. Her recent Broadway debut as Persephone in the Tony Award-winning “Hadestown,” a retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, was transformative.
“I think having an experience that’s really outside your wheelhouse, that makes you uncomfortable, that’s fresh and new—it’s that beginner’s mindset,” she said. “I’ve put in my 10,000 hours in music and songwriting. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. I feel quite grown now. So to step away from everything I know and feel comfortable in—and throw myself into both of those experiences—helped me so much. It taught me a lot about leadership and about being part of a grander purpose. Because sometimes with Betty Who music, I’m like, ‘Who’s this for? What do I care about?’”
She continued: “I was like, ‘Wow, all these incredibly talented people have been working their whole lives to be on Broadway, and I got this chance to step into that world without the 5 a.m. auditions at Ripley-Grier.’ I felt very grateful. My imposter syndrome was definitely alive and well, but I tried to tamp it down because I wanted to be present and really experience it. Walking away from that and returning to music, I thought, ‘What if I could give that same energy to my own project? What if I could show up for this with that same beginner’s mindset?’ I learned so much.”
That renewed mindset has carried over into every aspect of her work.
“It feels a little bit more reckless—but in a good way, in a healthy way,” she said. “Where it’s like, great, I like it, put it out. That’s given me a little more freedom and more opportunity to experiment with sound and genre. I’m coming back to music with a lot more purpose and vision.”
That includes dance.
“We’ve been working really hard in the dance studio,” Who said. “Me and my boys—these two dancers I’m bringing on tour—we’ve really worked our asses off on this show. We’re creating shape and feeling and storytelling. It’s big theater ‘Hadestown’ energy. I’m asking, ‘How does this choreography serve the story of these songs?’ So I think if you’re coming to the show for the first or 15th time, you’ll see familiar moments, but also be transported somewhere new. There’s a new layer we’re adding, and I can’t believe it’s happening this weekend.”
She’s also drawing inspiration from artists who challenge traditional boundaries, including Beyoncé.
“I’m really inspired by so many artists right now—particularly my queen, my number one, Beyoncé—who said gender is made up,” Who laughed. “I was saying genre, but now gender and genre are both in my head—Freudian slip! Genre is made up. Her winning Country Album of the Year just showed me how silly it is to think I have to ‘be something.’ I should just make stuff I’m proud of. And that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Her current listening rotation reflects that mindset.
“I’m a huge Kenny Loggins fan—big Ken-ergy in this one,” she said. “His Vox Humana record has this song ‘No Lookin’ Back,’ and that album has been really inspirational to me sonically.”
She paused and pulled up her Spotify library. “I’m going to open my Spotify… Jennie’s record from Blackpink—because I’m a Blink, I’m a Blackpink stan. I love K-pop. Between the girls’ solo records and also XG—that’s a new discovery of mine. I guess I’ve been living under a rock,” she said with a laugh. “Six months ago, I was like, ‘Who’s XG?’ Their music is so good. XG is up there for me right now.”
It’s clear this new chapter for Who is rooted in empowerment, freedom, and connection.
“I think it sounds obvious to say, ‘Who you are is beautiful,’” she said. “But what I’m trying to embody right now is: you can be whoever you want to be, regardless of how other people see you. It’s about your agency, your choice, your ability to show up for yourself—and about creating the life and world you want to live in, in the body you want to be in.”
As she prepares to return to multiple stages during WorldPride, she couldn’t help but reflect on the significance.
“I feel so grateful and excited to be a part of this huge event. Especially now. The fact that WorldPride is happening in D.C.—the irony of it all, a little bit—feels like it’s time for us to show up and show out even bigger and better than we ever have. To be ourselves and celebrate that, especially when so many people don’t want to celebrate us.”
And just in time for Pride season, she has a brand-new single to dance to.
“My new song, ‘Sweat,’ comes out tonight—so it’ll be out by the time this is published. It’s a song I’m really excited about. It makes me want to dance and celebrate. I wrote it about a night I went out with all of my gay friends to a club in New York City and had a little too much fun. I was like, ‘Wow, this is… a lot.’ It’s very applicable for Pride. I’m really proud of it. It feels like a new sound, a big swing—even if other people listen and think, ‘Yep, that sounds like a Betty Who song.’ As an independent artist, I appreciate every single person who streams it. It means something. I look at artists with 100 million streams overnight and I’m like, that’s nice for them. But my world has more DIY, scrappy energy. We’re doing it together.”
Opinions
Making sense of a dark Pride season
Trump’s attacks have deterred WorldPride visitors but we won’t be erased
WorldPride was supposed to attract up to three million visitors to the Nation’s Capital for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration that would boost all of the region’s queer-owned businesses and shine a bright light on the progressive, pro-LGBTQ city that is Washington.
Then came the 2024 election.
In an instant, the mood shifted. Then the anti-trans attacks came — eliminating “X” gender markers on passports, a trans military ban, efforts to criminalize affirming healthcare. The list goes on. Many trans people fear for their safety and those with the means are fleeing the country, as the Blade has reported.
As WorldPride drew closer, there were travel warnings from here and abroad for trans tourists and boycott calls from allied countries.
As we commemorate the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride in D.C., it’s important to remember why we come together each June. We celebrated Pride before corporate sponsors embraced us and we will continue to celebrate and protest as our fair-weathered “allies” drop like flies amid Trump’s petty threats. We don’t need rainbow-colored Doritos and Oreos. We need safe and affirming spaces for our own to gather, celebrate, grieve, and protest the many injustices perpetrated by Trump and his toadies in Congress.
The first D.C. Pride, held on Sunday, June 22, 1975 and organized by local legend Deacon Maccubbin and the staff of Lambda Rising, sought to draw attention to New York’s Liberation Day March held that June 29 that drew thousands commemorating the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion. The D.C. City Council proclaimed June 22 as Gay Pride Day. The Blade published a crowd estimate of 2,500 for that first celebration and noted that many attendees were busy dodging NBC and Channel 7 news cameras out of fear of being outed.
Fast-forward 50 years and the city’s Pride events draw hundreds of thousands as the city embraces LGBTQ visibility and equality each June.
After so many years of progress, 2025 feels dark, as our trans community is attacked, our friends in the federal workforce face harassment and termination, immigrant communities are hunted, HIV funding is gutted, and journalists, musicians, actors, and artists are deemed enemies of the state. It’s inconceivable to many of us that Trump could defeat Kamala Harris and take our country backwards so fast, crippling an economy that was booming under Joe Biden.
In the face of all this darkness, it’s important that we show up for WorldPride. Many LGBTQ people no longer feel safe or comfortable living authentically and openly. So those of us who are more privileged have to show up and be seen and heard. The WorldPride boycott calls are disappointing and misguided. No one ever said a social justice movement would be an endless party. This is hard work filled with setbacks and heartbreaks. Many of us won’t live to see a day in this country when the work is finished but that’s the point — we show up to make things easier on the next generation. Rather than stay home, all of us, along with our straight allies, should attend the marches and parades (and fireworks displays!) and send a clear message to Trump that we will not be erased. He and his cronies have deleted scores of pages from government websites from the SBA to the Interior Department, scrubbing any mention of LGBTQ history, as if we never existed. The Blade’s 56-year archive tells another story.
It’s the story of a loving community fighting to overcome police brutality, AIDS indifference, hate crimes, legalized discrimination, racism, hate, and bigotry to forge happy and productive lives under the American promise of equality. We’re not there yet but WorldPride offers an opportunity to stand up and be seen and counted.
So I hope everyone reading this will join us at the many events scheduled to celebrate Pride. It may seem like a small thing but there is power in numbers. Help us show the world that Donald Trump has not extinguished or exhausted us. He has reinvigorated us and inspired a renewed sense of purpose and dedication to justice. See you at WorldPride.
Kevin Naff is editor of the Washington Blade. Reach him at [email protected].
District of Columbia
In town for WorldPride? Take a D.C. LGBTQ walking tour
Scenes of protest, celebration, and mourning
As Washington welcomes the world for WorldPride, it’s essential to honor the city’s deep-rooted LGBTQ history—an integral part of the broader story of the nation’s capital. The following locations have served as cornerstones of queer life and activism in D.C., shaping both local and national movements for LGBTQ rights. So take a walk around “the gayest city in America” and check out these sites.
DUPONT CIRCLE AREA
Dupont Circle
Central hub of LGBTQ life since the early 20th century, hosting Pride parades, Dyke Marches, and cruising culture. A long-standing site of protests and celebrations.
Washington Hilton – 1919 Connecticut Ave NW
Hosted D.C.’s first major hotel drag event in 1968 and the iconic Miss Adams Morgan Pageant. Protested in 1978 during Anita Bryant’s appearance.
Lesbian Avengers – 1426 21st St NW
Formed in 1992, the group empowered lesbians through bold direct actions. They met in Dupont Circle and launched the city’s first Dyke March.
Lambda Rising Bookstore (former) – 1724 20th Street NW
D.C.’s first LGBTQ bookstore and the birthplace of the city’s inaugural Pride celebration in 1975.
Women In The Life (former office) – 1623 Connecticut Ave NW
Founded in 1993 by Sheila Alexander-Reid as a safe space and support network for lesbians of color.
17th Street NW Corridor – Between P & R Streets NW
Core of the LGBTQ business district, home to the annual High Heel Race in October and the June Block Party celebrating the origins of D.C. Pride.
CAPITOL HILL / SOUTHEAST
Tracks (former) – 80 M St SE
Once D.C.’s largest gay club, famous for inclusive parties, RuPaul shows, and foam nights from 1984 to 2000.
Ziegfeld’s / The Other Side – 1345 Half Street SE
Legendary drag venue since 1978, hosting famed performers like Ella Fitzgerald.
Club 55 / Waaay Off Broadway – 55 K Street SE
Converted theater central to D.C.’s early drag and Academy pageant scenes.
Congressional Cemetery – 1801 E Street SE
Resting place of LGBTQ figures like Sgt. Leonard Matlovich and Peter Doyle. Offers queer history tours.
Mr. Henry’s – 601 Pennsylvania Ave SE
LGBTQ-friendly bar since 1966 and the launching stage for Roberta Flack’s career.
The Furies Collective House – 219 11th Street SE
Home to a 1970s lesbian feminist collective that published “The Furies.” Members included Rita Mae Brown.
ARCHIVES / PENN QUARTER
Archives Metro & Center Market Site – 7th St & Pennsylvania Ave NW
Where Walt Whitman met Peter Doyle in 1865, commemorated by a sculpture linking Whitman and poet Fernando Pessoa.
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS / PETWORTH
Palm Ballroom (former) – 4211 9th Street NW
Mid-20th century venue for Black drag balls and LGBTQ events during segregation.
NATIONAL MALL AREA
National Mall / Washington Monument Grounds
Historic site of LGBTQ activism and remembrance, including the 1987 display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt and a mass same-sex wedding. Hosted major civil rights marches in 1979, 1987, and 1993.
NORTHWEST DC
Dr. Franklin E. Kameny House – 5020 Cathedral Ave NW
Home of gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny and the Mattachine Society of Washington; now a national landmark.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE / WHITE HOUSE
Lafayette Park – Pennsylvania Ave & 16th St NW
Historic gay cruising area and epicenter of government surveillance during the Lavender Scare.
Data from: SSecret City by James Kirchick, The Deviant’s War by Frank Kameny, Brett Beemyn, The Rainbow History Project, NPS Archives, Washington Blade Archives.
District of Columbia
Hotel Monaco launches Pride-themed suite ahead of WorldPride
Historic hotel unveils campy and artist Pride themed suite
Washington boasts many historic landmarks. From well-known spaces that have been around for at least a century — like the White House and Capitol — to lesser-known locations of historic significance, such as Frank Kameny’s house in Northwest that became the headquarters of the first gay civil rights organizing group in the U.S., it’s clear that history is not in short supply in Washington.
One space in the city with a historic past and grand — some may even say flamboyant — features is now attempting to make the most of history in the making, as Washington prepares to host its first-ever WorldPride celebration this June.
The General Post Office in Penn Quarter, built in 1866 to house the U.S. Post Office Department and U.S. Patent Office, is now home to the boutique Kimpton Hotel Monaco (700 F St., N.W.) Its Italian Renaissance-inspired architecture — complete with a marble façade, lion statues, and red carpet entrance — exudes luxury and opulence.
As WorldPride inches closer, with an estimated 2 million visitors expected during the two-week-long celebration, the Kimpton Hotel Monaco is unveiling a unique suite designed to reflect “the fun, eclectic, and vibrant nature of the LGBTQ community,” Michelle Ison, the Washington-based designer, founder of Picnic and Peonies, and creative mind behind the “Free to Fly” suite, told the Washington Blade during a special preview of the room.
The Pride Suite at Hotel Monaco bursts with color in every corner, each detail carefully curated to spark joy-or at the very least, inspire a vibrant Instagram story. Bright, Warhol-esque portraits of Dorothy and Sophia Petrillo frame the television, painted by local LGBTQ artist Wayne Hollowell, who-fun fact-also works in the hotel’s accounting department. Across the room, a classical Greek statue head is playfully adorned with David Bowie’s iconic Ziggy Stardust lightning bolt and crowned with green carnations, a clear nod to queer legend Oscar Wilde. Even the bed’s tray table serves as a tribute to LGBTQ culture, featuring a vintage copy of “The Wizard of Oz.” From camp icons to literary references, the suite is a love letter to queer popular culture, designed to be both comforting and celebratory.
The artistic centerpiece of the room is the 300 handmade butterflies that appear to flutter across the space, a “fun, labor of love” that truly makes this room stand out.
“The Free to Fly Suite was designed to celebrate love, freedom, and acceptance. At the heart of the room is a gradient butterfly mural, symbolizing transformation, movement, and the beauty of becoming your authentic self,” said Ison. “Alongside the mural, we incorporated a playful mix of colors and patterns that reflect the vibrant spirit of the LGBTQ+ community. These design choices aren’t just aesthetic-they evoke energy, joy, and the dynamic individuality that the space is meant to honor.”
The room, which can only be booked through the Kimpton Monaco’s website, is available as a standalone stay with rates starting at $289 per night, or as part of the “Rainbow Recharge” package. The package includes a $100 credit for breakfast (or brunch) in bed from the hotel’s on-site restaurant, Dirty Habit; colorful Daise bath amenities; and a $10 donation to the national nonprofit the Trevor Project.
Regardless of whether guests book the room alone or as part of the package, they will receive two SuperGay Spirits canned cocktails, sweets from local LGBTQ-owned shop the Capital Candy Jar, and a daily complimentary single-ride promo code for Bird and Spin scooters and bikes-along with a curated map of historic Pride sites across Washington.
By collaborating with local LGBTQ businesses, Hotel Monaco DC is making it clear that supporting the LGBTQ community takes more than just putting up Pride flags in June.
“Through the creation of the Free to Fly Suite and partnership with brands supporting Pride, we hope to create an immersive guest journey that celebrates our core values and further supports and inspires our neighborhood’s contributions to the LGBTQ+ community,” said Kelsey Jones, director of sales and marketing for Hotel Monaco DC and Kimpton George.
To make WorldPride weekend even more special, guests staying over on Saturday, June 7, can get a complimentary “tiny tattoo” by a professional artist from NYC tattoo shop Tiny Zaps in the lobby’s Library from 1–7 p.m., a souvenir you can’t accidentally leave behind.
Additionally, the hotel lobby features a Pride photo op adorned with rainbow butterflies, also handmade by Ison.
Dirty Habit, the hotel’s swanky restaurant, will be decked out in its rainbow best-including more artwork from the accountant/artist Wayne Hollowell, with portraits of Liza Minnelli, Alyssa Edwards, RuPaul, and Judy Garland available for purchase. The restaurant will feature a special Pride cocktail menu and will host a WorldPride Drag Brunch with RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All-Stars winner Alyssa Edwards on Sunday, June 8, 2025, at 11 a.m. After June, Hollowell’s artwork will be showcased at Provincetown’s Post Office Café and Cabaret.
The “Free to Fly” suite and the additional “Rainbow Recharge” package are available through October 11, which coincides with National Coming Out Day. To book the room, visit monaco-dc.com.
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Hotel Monaco launches Pride-themed suite ahead of WorldPride
White House has ‘no plans’ to recognize Pride month
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