‘Ima Winner Baby’ by Jessica Betts & Niecy Nash-Betts

Star-studded power-couple Jessica Betts and Niecy Nash-Betts have been working in entertainment for a long time. Jessica’s cool Rock-Soul sound has been on film scores since the turn of the century, and Niecy’s acting career started in the 90s and has led her to a recent Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series. Along the way, they found one another, and the strength of their marriage has been the subject of media stories and reporting. The pair were the first same-sex partners featured on the cover of Essence magazine.

The pair enjoys collaborating, and this has produced a new musical single, ‘Ima Winner Baby’, with a heavy beat and uplifting message about celebrating wins in life and work.

A Hollywood Love Story

Niecy and Jessica met as friends back in 2015, a pair of creatives who love to support and create with one another. Niecy, who had only been in romantic relationships with men up to that point, split with her then-husband in 2019. It didn’t take long for Niecy and Jessica’s friendship to turn romantic, and the energy between them has always been powerful. In an interview with PEOPLE, Niecy said the change felt natural, saying she just gave herself permission to “feel what you feel and love who you love” and to “do it out loud”

Niecy also gave thanks to her “Better half” in her acceptance speech for her recent Emmy, lines from which make up much of the power of the single, ‘Ima Winner Baby’. Early that night, the pair had spoken on the red carpet about the power of their marriage, and Jessica said that Niecy was “one of the greatest gifts I could have ever gotten.”

Music of Triumph and Passion

‘Ima Winner Baby’ uses lines taken straight from Niecy’s Emmy speech. The single captures the power of the moment when Niecy, in tears and full of gratitude and confidence, celebrated her win and spoke in gratitude to herself. She accepted her award “On behalf” of unheard women like Sandra Bland and Breonna Taylor.

The pair bring all their talent to extend the power of that moment. Jessica, a BET Music Matters inductee and GLAAD Media Award Nominee who has scored music in hit movies and shows, uses her musical skills to uplift the voice and triumph of her wife’s second Emmy win. Niecy told the press that she hoped the speech could be an invitation for people to “believe in yourself and congratulate yourself.”

Celebrate Your Everyday Wins

The heavy beats of ‘Ima Winner Baby’ give strength to sampled lines from Niecy’s speech, which accompany sung lyrics about thanking oneself for their triumphs and wins. “I want to thank me,” the single says, “Cause it’s my turn now,” and “I won, it’s for us, it’s for us.” The song is a bold celebration of one’s self and one’s triumph in a world and an industry that so often ignores the success of those whose ways of life fall even slightly outside the mainstream. ‘Ima Winner Baby’ refuses to be ignored, encouraging listeners to sing about their own success with overwhelming energy.