JoJo Siwa.JoJo Siwa (OG)
JoJo Siwa, born Joelle Joanie Siwa on May 19, 2003, in Omaha, Nebraska, is an American singer, dancer, and media personality renowned for her vibrant personality and signature oversized hair bows. Rising to fame through reality television, she first appeared on "Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition" in 2013 and later joined the cast of "Dance Moms" in 2015, where she showcased her talent and tenacity. Siwa leveraged her popularity by launching a successful line of hair bows and fashion accessories, leading to the expansion of her brand into various global markets.
In addition to her entrepreneurial ventures, Siwa is a prolific content creator with a significant following on social media, where she promotes themes of self-empowerment and acceptance. She gained further prominence as a pop artist with the release of her single "Boomerang," which addresses cyberbullying, and her concert tours, which have included sold-out performances in major venues. Siwa publicly came out as part of the LGBTQ community in early 2021, becoming a role model for many young people. Her advocacy includes founding the JoJo Siwa Childhood Cancer Foundation to support childhood cancer research and financial assistance. With multiple EPs and a strong social media presence, JoJo Siwa continues to influence and inspire a diverse audience, emphasizing positivity and inclusivity.
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JoJo Siwa
- Born: May 19, 2003
- Place of Birth: Omaha, Nebraska
Background
American singer, dancer, and media personality Joelle Joanie “JoJo” Siwa was born on May 19, 2003, in Omaha, Nebraska, to Jessalynn and Tom Siwa. Her mother was a professional dance teacher, and her father was a chiropractor. She also has an older brother named Jayden. Siwa began her television career as a contestant/cast member in 2013 on the second season of Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition, a reality television series produced by Abby Lee Miller. Miller, a dance instructor and studio owner from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is known for her aggressive and competitive personality. Miller and the Abby Lee Dance Company were part of the original Dance Moms series on Lifetime Television.
Siwa ultimately was selected for the Abby Lee Dance Company competition team and began appearing on the Dance Moms series in 2015. Siwa became known for her persistence, outgoing personality, and the oversized bright bows that she wore in her hair in virtually every episode. Like other dancers who appeared on Dance Moms, Siwa experienced fame and other performance opportunities, including launching a career as a pop artist.
Life’s Work
In 2016, Siwa began to diversify her interests and career. The colorful bows she wore on the Dance Moms series had become her hallmark and a fashion trend among young children and tweens. Siwa capitalized on their popularity and released her own line of hair bows. The bows led to the development of other fashion accessories. Soon, the Siwa empire became an international operation, with more than 250 global licenses and products available in the United States as well as Australia, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Her brand was further established through her popular YouTube channel, started in 2015, which she used to record vlogs of her life, entertaining challenges, and interviews.
Siwa also branched out into singing in 2016. She released the pop single “Boomerang,” in which she addressed the issue of cyberbullying. After releasing her 2018 EP D.R.E.A.M The Music, she launched “DREAM The Tour,” which sold out more than one hundred arenas, including the O2 Arena in London. The concert tour earned her roughly $27 million. She recorded and released two more EPs in 2019 and 2020, including a Christmas recording. All three of her EPs landed on the Top 25 Billboard Kid Albums chart.
In early 2021, Siwa came out to her social media followers. Almost instantly, she became a role model for young people in the LGBTQ community. In 2022, she was given the title Next Gen Pride Icon by the city of West Hollywood and rode in the West Hollywood Gay Pride Parade.
Siwa also continued her television career during this period, appearing on a variety of television programs and reality shows in the 2020s, including The Masked Singer (2020) and Dancing with the Stars (DWTS, 2021). Siwa was the first DWTS contestant to be part of a same-sex dance partnership. She and her dance partner, Jenna Johnson, placed second in the competition. She also appeared in the Nickelodeon film Blurt! (2018) and took part in voiceover roles for the film The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019).
Siwa’s impressive fan base also led her to become a social media influencer, with more than 66 million followers on social media in the early 2020s. Although her YouTube channel initially brought her fame, she expanded her public social media to include other platforms, including TikTok and Snapchat. Though primarily for entertainment purposes, Siwa’s social media accounts also provided an additional avenue for her advocacy work. Siwa actively encourages self-empowerment, individuality, and acceptance of everyone.
In 2024, Siwa released her fourth EP, Guilty Pleasure. Its first single, "Karma," reached number five on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. The video for the track became a viral sensation on social media, bringing attention to Siwa's somewhat alarming change in appearance to what she termed her "bad girl" era—a huge departure from the bow-topped, bubbly personality of her youth.
Impact
Siwa has more than 66 million followers on social media. In 2020, she was named one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People.” Her single, “Boomerang,” was certified multiplatinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Siwa used her worldwide fame to promote her beliefs of “positivity, self love, inclusivity and acceptance.” In 2021, Siwa launched the JoJo Siwa Childhood Cancer Foundation, which funds research and provides financial support for individuals dealing with childhood cancer.
Fans and supporters have praised her vocal support of the LGBTQ community as helping to fill a gap in children’s media, where queer representation is less often mentioned. Because of Siwa’s popularity and wide fan base, her queer identity has a broader reach and potential to impact more young people.
Principal Works
D.R.E.A.M. The Music, 2018
Celebrate, 2019
Jojo's Rockin' Christmas, 2020
Guilty Pleasure, 2024
Bibliography
“About JoJo Siwa,” JoJo Siwa, 2023, itsjojosiwa.com/jojo-siwa-musician/. Accessed 29 Aug. 2024.
Bonner, Mehera. “Suddenly Want to Know Every Single Fact About Jojo Siwa? Same, Let’s Go,” Cosmopolitan, 9 Feb. 2021, www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a35397537/jojo-siwa-facts/. Accessed 8 May 2023.
Campano, Leah. “JoJo Siwa Inspires Young People as an LGBTQ+ Role Model and Advocate for Childhood Cancer Research,” Seventeen, 14 Dec. 2022, www.seventeen.com/life/a42025868/jojo-siwa-voices-of-the-year-2022/. Accessed 8 May 2023.
Gomez, Jasmine. “JoJo Siwa’s Net Worth Might Make Your Head Spin,” Seventeen, 28 Feb. 2023, www.seventeen.com/celebrity/music/a27889796/jojo-siwas-net-worth/. Accessed 8 May 2023.
Kaplan, Ilana. "JoJo Siwa's 'Guilty Pleasure' EP Isn't a Rebrand—It's an Identity Crisis." Review of Guilty Pleasure, by JoJo Siwa. Rolling Stone, 15 July 2024, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/jojo-siwa-guilty-pleasure-ep-review-1235060473/. Accessed 29 Aug. 2024.
Siwak, Miranda. “JoJo Siwa Through the Years: From ‘Dance Moms’ to Nickelodeon and Beyond,” US Weekly, 14 Sept. 2022, www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/pictures/jojo-siwa-through-the-years-from-dance-moms-to-nickelodeon/. Accessed 8 May 2023.