JoJo Siwa is navigating the highs and lows of fame.
“This definitely is different,” the Dance Moms alum exclusively Keltie Knight about her level of stardom these days on the July 15 episode of E! News. “It’s interesting—OK, I guess we’ll get really right into it: I got swatted two nights ago. I haven’t told anybody about this yet. But basically, I showed up to my house, there was four police cars outside.”
And after the incident, JoJo—who previously shared her home was swatted in 2021—is thinking more about her safety.
“The police asked me, he was like, ‘Why do you not have security with you in this moment?’” she continued. “And I was like, ‘Cause I haven’t needed it yet.’ But now, I do really need it every day with me. So, it definitely has changed in the last month, two months, three months, I guess, since ‘Karma’ came out. It’s been fun to say the least.”
“Karma,” which dropped in April, is one of the songs from JoJo's new EP Guilty Pleasure. The record also includes her recently released single by the same name. As for the singer’s inspiration behind the titular track?
“I think for a very long time, I’ve been in the industry since I was 9, I really have been a lot of people’s guilty pleasures for different reasons,” JoJo explained. “Especially now with ‘Karma,’—the dance, the makeup, everyone [saying], 'You’re a weirdo. You’re a freak.'"
But as the 21-year-old sees it, the fact that they’re commenting at all says something.
“It doesn’t matter what you’re commenting, you’re still commenting,” she added. “That’s what’s funny is people will essentially use their time—I’m not gonna say waste their time—but there's people that are using their time to comment, 'You're not my guilty pleasure.' Then why are you on my page, and why are you commenting? Click not interested and keep it pushing, kid.”
However, she’s too busy to stress over the internet’s opinions. In addition to debuting new music, the Nickelodeon star is working on a docuseries. And she hopes it helps fans get to know her better.
“I think right now there is this massive feeling from the world that we know exactly who JoJo Siwa is,” JoJo noted. “No, you don’t. You know exactly what I want to show you. You know my career, essentially. But you don’t know how I’m getting there. You don’t know what it’s taking for me to get there. You don’t see my makeup looks—me at 7 a.m. making them.”
“There’s so much that goes into this” she continued. “And I think a lot of people look at my career and look at my marketing strategies as if I’m psycho and have people controlling me as if I’m a puppet. But when you learn and find out that it’s actually me doing all of it, it flips and you’re like, ‘Wait what?’ So I think [it's] to give people that insight of you think you know me, but you don’t.”
To see how JoJo has evolved over the years, keep reading.
September 2013
JoJo Siwa made her reality TV debut at age 9 while competing on the second season of Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition, judged by Abby Lee Miller.
May 2015
JoJo celebrated the launch of Abby Lee Dance Company LA's VIP Grand Opening.
May 2015
She rocked a glam jumpsuit at the 3rd Annual Reality TV Awards.
March 2017
JoJo accepted the award for Favorite Viral Music Artist at Nickelodeon's 2017 Kids' Choice Awards.
March 2018
She proved the sun never sets on a badass with her shades at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
July 2018
Batter up: JoJo donned a classic baseball outfit at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Sports.
August 2018
She showed off her signature style at the 2018 Teen Choice Awards.
March 2019
Even Kim Kardashian and North West keep up with the teen idol.
April 2019
JoJo's star-studded Sweet 16 included a special visit from the Kardashian-Jenner family, with North and Penelope Disick fan-girling over the birthday girl.
September 2019
JoJo belted her heart out while on tour.
November 2019
JoJo spent her Thanksgiving giving back.
February 2020
The Dance Moms alum was all smiles at the Lakers game.
March 2020
It was a party in the U.S.A when JoJo and Miley Cyrus hung out.
March 2020
Who's under that T-Rex? JoJo showed off her singing chops on The Masked Singer.
January 2021
JoJo came out on Instagram in 2020, wearing a shirt reading, "Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever."
June 2021
Later that year, she and then-girlfriend Kylie Prew celebrated Pride together.
September 2021
JoJo performed onstage during a screening for her Paramount+ original movie The J Team.
October 2021
Making history as the first same-sex Dancing With the Stars pair, JoJo competed with partner Jenna Johnson on season 30 of the reality competition series.
April 2022
She said bye, bye, bye bye to her signature ponytail.
July 2023
JoJo got inked during an outing with outing with Raven-Symoné and wife Miranda Pearman-Maday. For her first tattoo, she got the number 1031 behind her right ear in reference to her 2019 to 2022 D.R.E.A.M. The Tour concert series.
March 2024
The singer teased her next project might not be suitable for all ages.
"The following content is not made for children," she shared in a series of cryptic Instagram posts, "and may be disturbing or offensive to some viewers."
April 2024
JoJo debuted her more mature look at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards, rocking dark makeup and an edgy costume from her "Karma" music video.