Joelle Joanie Siwa, more famously known as Jojo Siwa, burst onto the entertainment scene with vibrant colors and dazzled accessories, quickly captivating audiences with her unique presence.
Introduced on the show “Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition,” in 2013, Siwa became season two’s youngest contestant at nine years old.
Her talent would be further explored on Lifetime’s “Dance Moms,” where both Siwa and her mother navigated the intense world of competitive dance on live television.
Young girls across the nation were captivated by Siwa’s vibrant outfits and excessive bow usage, propelling her into stardom at just 11.
After increasing interest, Siwa began her own YouTube channel, posting music, slime tutorials and vlogs—checking off every 2016 tween interest.
“When I was a little girl, I would blast ‘Boomerang’ in my living room at six a.mm while my parents slept,” Youtuber Stargachq said. “Jojo Siwa’s music made me so happy when I was little.”
For years Siwa maintained her eccentric personality and creative acts, with little controversy. However, by early 2024, her career trajectory shifted dramatically.
With the release of her single “Karma” in April 2024, Siwa faced significant online backlash.
With “Karma’s,” release, Siwa abandoned her kid-friendly lyrics for more mature, sexual themes, leaving her fans puzzled, provoking online criticism.
Despite years of spotlight and dance practice, her attempt to rebrand solely harmed her reputation as allegations of copying other artists surfaced.
Siwa faced allegations of plagarizing “Karma” from artists Miley Cyrus and Brit Smith.
Created in the past decade by both Cyrus and Smith, “Karma,” which was originally a demo, became unused. Obsessed with the track, Siwa took matters into her own hands by rerecording the demo and releasing it as her own.
Having been ten years since her debut, many of her old viewers, whether they be from “Dance Moms” or YouTube, have slowly swayed away from her content.
Although the hatred was contained, many criticized the young adult for maintaining her childish facade.
In January 2021, Siwa surprised fans by coming out as queer on Twitter, joining the LGBTQ+ community.
Around this time, fan Jack Remmington shared his support and admiration towards Siwa coming out on the platform X.
“JoJo Siwa coming out on her own terms so publicly and with such joy is so significant,” Remmington said. “She is an international sensation with young fans all over the world who will see themselves in her, many of whom will be queer.”
Siwa would go on to publicly display her affection for her then-girlfriend, Kylie Prew, and make history on the ABC show “Dancing with the Stars” by becoming the first female contestant with a female partner.
She received massive support from new and old fans, congratulating her for coming out and embracing her sexuality.
Throughout this three-year period, Siwa would be found as a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance” in 2022, seen with influencer Katie Mills in 2021 and dating influencer Avery Cyrus from Sept. 2022 to Dec. 2022.
In an attempt to shed her sweet girl image, Siwa has alienated many fans.
“I believe Jojo has the potential to make better music, but music has so many purposes and I feel like it shouldn’t constantly be based on the same thing,” Stargachq continued. “Personal experiences make great songs, so maybe what happened in her childhood affected her. I just wish she didn’t make her music so explicit, as kids who watched ‘Boomerang’ in the past can now see this.”
