copy / paste selection of photo not working anymore

Hello all! 

I used to be able to use the quick selection tool to select a part of a photo, and then press command + C and then press command + V and voila, a new layer would appear  - that new layer would have in it the portion of the photo that I had selected,  and nothing else.  YAY! 

NOW, when I do this SAME maneuver, a new layer appears, but it is EMPTY. Invisible. Nothing there. Opacity is at 100%. 

Can anyone help me fix this simple gesture that I used to use all the time?  Mac OS Big Sur 11.2.2  

Photoshop 21.1.3

Thank you!