Jojo Siwa is a name that’s been circling the internet for nearly ten years. Starting her career on the popular show Dance Moms, Siwa quickly became a child star at just eleven years old. After two years of facing alleged mistreatment and grueling work hours in the studio, Siwa and her mom, Jessalynn Siwa, left the show after filming two seasons. 

Since those days, Siwa has made a mark for herself. Using her newfound fame as a launching pad, she signed with Nickelodeon, appearing in multiple notable shows, including “School of Rock” and “The Thundermans” but her time on Nickelodeon was most valuable in launching her music career. Siwa became sensational among young girls. Hits like “Boomerang” and “Candy Shop” became a staple for girls under ten. 

Siwa adopted a very notable, vibrant persona as a children’s music performer and was characterized by her big bows, tight side ponytail, and loud, brightly colored, glittery clothes. Her look was so notable that she started her own clothing and accessory lines. There was a time when one couldn’t enter an elementary school and not see a Siwa Bow: she was everywhere. Though some found her annoying or immature for her age, there was no doubt that she was a good role model for young girls. She made safe-for-kids content on YouTube, made teeny-bopper songs for little girls, and dressed in bright clothes that inspired her fans to be just like her. For many girls, Siwa was the blueprint. But one day, that all changed.

Siwa came out. Suddenly, Siwa wasn’t viewed as a kid-friendly, reliable public figure. Homophobic parents now saw Siwa as a bad influence. She was ‘corrupting kids’ minds’ and ‘losing sight of her true self.’ Every bigoted thing that could be said to her, was. Parents were throwing away their kids’ Siwa merch, not letting them watch her on YouTube, and urging Target to drop her brand. 

However, amidst all of this chaos and horrible homophobia she was facing from the parents of her audience, Siwa found the unexpected support of Gen Z. She was praised for her bravery in coming out while in such a complicated position. She was now viewed as an icon. As Siwa went through her coming out journey, she had her first physical transformation. Siwa ditched her high pony for a pixie cut, retired her glittery get-ups in favor of calmer, more neutral clothes, and gave herself an all-around more natural, grown-up look. Together, with her newly found queerness and trendier fits, Siwa stole the heart of the internet. But this wouldn’t last long.

Siwa made a crucial mistake that turned the internet against her. She exposed her love life to the internet. A dramatic breakup paired with a video of Siwa complaining about being used for ‘fame’ and ‘clout’ led to many people criticizing Siwa and her love life. Allegations of cheating and dishonesty in the relationship rocked the public perception of both Siwa and her significant other. This marked the beginning of Siwa’s downfall.

With this controversy, Siwa lost not only the support of kids and their parents but also the mass internet. Who was Siwa for now? Who was her audience? Parents hated her, her content was becoming less and less kid-friendly, she was no longer accepted in the gay community, and the rest of the internet went back to their original opinion of Siwa, they didn’t like her.

For many people, Siwa fell to the back of their minds, no longer relevant to the public. But years later, out of the shadows, she emerged, with a shocking new look. With a face covered in black paint, an outfit fit for a WWE match, and some interesting new dance moves, Siwa made waves on the internet. She was promoting “Karma,” a new song about the real Siwa. She was a bad girl, she did some bad things, and she was no longer afraid to hide it. Siwa was once again at the forefront of everyone’s brains and social media feeds. 

A big factor in the Siwa hysteria was the sheer dramatics of her transition. She went from an average teenager to the fifth member of KISS overnight. There is a lot of debate over whether this was a calculated move by Siwa to drum up publicity or if she was genuine. Either way, it worked, as you can’t open the internet without coming across a picture of her painted face or a video of her violently dancing. 

There’s a saying that “negative attention is still attention” and it seems that this is Siwa’s mindset in the face of all the backlash. A huge factor in the adverse reaction she’s receiving is due to her claim that she invented ‘gay pop,’ a complete disrespect to the icons that came before her: David Bowie, Elton John, Judy Garland, Madonna, etc., and this is especially disrespectful considering she didn’t even write the song she’s been promoting. 

In the end, even if you disagree with Siwa’s claims and aren’t a fan of her transition, you have to admit that it has done wonders in bringing her back to the public perception.

Keeley Bell, Staff Writer

Junior Keeley Bell is a staff writer for the 2023-2024 Colonel Newsmagazine. She enjoys hiking, camping, listening to music, gardening, and immersing herself in nature.