In the beginning of March, JoJo Siwa posted a warning on her TikTok account informing parents that her content would no longer be safe for children. The following weeks have consisted of a controversial rebrand from the artist.
Joelle Joanie “JoJo” Siwa, born on May 19, 2003, in Omaha, Nebraska, is a multi-talented entertainer known for her vibrant style and signature hairbows. JoJo first gained widespread recognition as a contestant on the reality TV show “Dance Moms,” where her infectious energy made her stand out. Siwa’s mother saw her potential and used the TV show as a starting point to launch a successful career as a singer, dancer, actress, and social media influencer. Over the years, Siwa has amassed a massive fanbase, mostly consisting of young audiences. She has released numerous songs and music videos, embarked on concert tours, and even starred in her own Nickelodeon show, “JoJo Siwa: My World.” Throughout all these ventures, her almost overwhelmingly bubbly personality has stayed consistent. Until recently, when she made her switch.
“I never saw it coming,” junior Anshi Karkhanis said when asked about her thoughts on Siwa’s new look. “It caught me so off guard because there was no build up or anything.”
“Karma”, Siwa’s newest single, was released on April 5th and marked her transition from children’s entertainment to entertainment for a more mature audience. Previously, Siwa was famous for her bubbly, colorful, childlike aesthetic. More recently, however, she has been seen in dark, masculine clothes, inkbox tattoos, and occasionally, heavy black makeup reminiscent of the American rock band Kiss. The makeup, and its matching costume, the music video of “Karma”. The song itself is catchy (though most people might describe it as an earworm), contains an upbeat tempo with plenty of synth, and it’s also accompanied with intense dancing and hypersexual displays. Overall, the song has inspired a lot of talk on the internet, the general consensus being that the song is unoriginal and something that could be made by Kidz Bop. The Harvard Crimson described it as “uninspired” and “artificial sounding.” Siwa, however, has been seemingly unaffected by the backlash and has confidently continued to promote her music.
“Over the last few weeks, the internet has definitely made me feel like a …psychopath,” Siwa said during the release party. “And I’ve realized that I am a …psychopath, and this is some [stuff] that only I can do.”
Siwa, when asked about the inspiration behind her new aesthetic, often mentions the names of previous stars such as Lady Gaga, Elvis Presley, and David Bowie. No one, however, has been mentioned as much as Miley Cyrus. Miley Cyrus, similarly to Siwa, was a child star known for her role in the Disney Channel show Hannah Montana. She continued releasing music as an adult, but her fourth album, Bangerz, was different from the rest. It marked her transition into making more mature music with songs ranging from hauntingly emotional to daringly provocative. Many other artists like Dove Cameron, Ariana Grande, and Selena Gomez have made similar switches both before and after her. JoJo attempted to make a similar rebrand.
“Since I was eight, which is when Miley had her Bangerz moment, all I’ve wanted was to have that moment,” Siwa said in an episode of Call Her Daddy. “And honestly, since I was 15, my whole inner circle has been talking about it and getting ready for it.”
The difference between those artists and Siwa, however, lies in her rebrand’s inauthenticity, according to a New York Post article. Siwa is known for her high ponytails, glitzy outfits, and signature bows. This new aesthetic and Siwa’s new music is meant to allow her to be mature and express herself in a new way. However, listeners have the opinion that her new music is still childish and doesn’t truly feel adult. It still has her signature blingy costumes, a poppy beat, and superficial lyrics. That, in addition to the whiplash induced by the suddenness of the transition, makes it difficult for people to take her seriously.
“The shift is so sudden, so manufactured, and what’s more, it’s a double-edged sword for Siwa, who built her brand on sharing every single part of herself on social media,” New York Post said in an article called JoJo Siwa’s bad girl rebrand is total cringe: opinion. “As a result, it’s become far harder to have us fooled.”
Ultimately, whether fans love or criticize “Karma” and Siwa’s new look, it serves as a reminder of the ongoing evolution of JoJo Siwa’s career and the diverse range of opinions within her fanbase. As she continues to grow up and navigate the world of music and entertainment, it’s clear that Siwa will continue to try to diversify her audience and explore new genres of art.
“I’ve grown up for eleven years now in front of the world and I have always been about making art, ” said Siwa in a Tiktok. “As I got older I really wanted to create stuff that was gonna make the world say, ‘What the…?’ And the fun thing is with “Karma”, I wanted this first breakout adult moment to do that.”
