JoJo Siwa is back in the spotlight, a decade after finding international fame as the little girl with the big bow from Dance Moms.
Fresh out of the Celebrity Big Brother UK house after coming third on the 24th season of the reality show, the 21-year-old is “flabbergasted” by the debates she inadvertently ignited during her time holed up in England. She’s got the whole world talking about her fluid sexuality and the cute, cozy friendship that blossomed with British TV personality Chris Hughes after he stood up for her following a homophobic slur from housemate Mickey Rourke.
Siwa sat down for an exclusive Us Weekly digital cover story, and the young woman we met is mature, reflective and tons of fun — as well as in possession of some of the most enviably clear skin we’ve seen in years, despite the fact that she’s been shut in a TV studio for the past few weeks. “I don’t eat sugar!” she reveals to Us. “And I have lots of water and only use baby wash and baby lotion — but I also decided to cut all the stress out of my life, and that helps.”
A recent source of stress for Siwa was her relationship with Kath Ebbs, which broke down after Ebbs — who the singer and reality star had been dating for a few months — was angry about what they deemed Siwa’s “emotional cheating” on Big Brother. The couple split at the wrap party on April 25, and it’s clear there are still unresolved issues between them, as Siwa detailed to Us.
But who has time for relationships when there’s a music career to relaunch? Siwa’s latest song, “Bulletproof,” is a fierce response to the criticism she’s received over her precocious decade in showbiz. The song drops on May 16 and, naturally, as a multi-hyphenate talent, she has directed and choreographed the video, too. (She’s also heading out on a 22-date U.S tour from July this year.)
Siwa knows better than anyone how crazy it is that the little girl from Dance Moms is still hanging in there, making hits, provoking online debates and giving TV shows some of their highest ratings in years. She also knows that a lot of her ongoing success is down to the confidence and unerring support she gets from her mom Jessalynn … Here’s everything Siwa had to say to Us.
JoJo Siwa Us Weekly
First, can you tell us about making “Bulletproof”? It seems to be a pretty vulnerable song.
When I heard the song for the first time, I was like, “whoa, this is exactly how I feel right now.” And I’ll be super honest, even more vulnerable than I’ve been recently. I actually showed up to the session in a U-Haul truck because I was literally in the middle of moving. I was so overwhelmed and just not in a good place. I wasn’t very happy. I had a breakdown and said, “I think I need to drive away. I feel like I’m gonna throw up. I don’t think I can go in right now. I can’t do this song. I don’t know what’s happening, but I need to leave.”
Then I took a second and thought: “this is what the song is about.” This song is about not being bulletproof, right? So I told myself, “You know what? We’re gonna do it. It’s two hours of your life. You can suck it up and go do it.”
I went into the session, and it was absolutely incredible. As I was singing the song, it just felt so right. It felt so fitting — on my voice, with my tone. And when I heard it back for the first time, I was like, “Are you sure? Are you sure that’s me?” It just sounded so… I’ve never heard a song sound more right.
How do you feel about criticism you’ve received over the years online?
Honestly, for me, the things that really get under my skin are the things that aren’t true, or the things that are out of my control. Those are the ones that hit the hardest.
I can’t control my height. [The star is 5’9″.] That was the biggest one for me as a kid — I was like, I can’t control how tall I am! I can’t control my hairline. I can control how I style my hair, but I can’t control my hairline. You know what I mean? So those were always tough.
JoJo Siwa has fun with fashion. The singer and dancer, who got her start on Dance Moms, is known for sporting bold colors, lively textures and over-the-top hair accessories. While she favored big bows and high ponytails during the early days of her career, she’s since expanded her wardrobe to include more grunge pieces. Take […]
When did it first start to bother you?
I got social media when I turned 13 and started running it myself instead of my mom. And I think you just become more aware. You start noticing what you look like, how you come across.
JoJo behind the scenes of her new music video shoot for ‘Bulletproof’ Courtesy of JoJo Siwa
My favorite quote is something like: as humans, we were never meant to see ourselves more than as a reflection in a river. That’s how we were made. And now we have mirrors and windows and phone screens and cameras, we’re seeing ourselves all the time. And that awareness? It’s a lot. Humans weren’t built for that. We don’t have the capacity for it. And it’s hard.
Have you ever wanted to leave the industry and just thought “I can’t do this”?
I don’t think there’s ever been a moment where I’m like, “I’m over it, I’m out.” I think there’s definitely been moments where I’m like, “oh, this break is nice.” You know what I mean? I do always say that when my right hand man passes away in this life [her mom], then I’m, I’m out of it.
You caused quite a stir with the wild video for “Karma” last year…
Yeah, definitely. I think Karma was fun, right? But at some point, I realized — oh, I’m faking all this. I see myself on stage with a bottle of Tito’s, and it’s water. I see myself with a Fireball, and it’s apple juice and Diet Coke. You know what I mean? It was never real.
Even the dancing — I like to dance fun and I like to dance up. I don’t think I’m hot and sexy, I don’t like to dance like I’m hot and sexy, because that’s not the vibe I give off. You know what I mean? I’m here to have a good time. Sure, it’s fun to be a little flirtatious when you’re dancing sometimes, but I’m like, “No. That’s not my lane.”
JoJo Siwa’s wardrobe is anything but ordinary. Siwa, 21, has had no shortage of colorful, edgy and, well, interesting outfits as part of her “dramatic” personal transformation in 2024. Shifting from high ponytails, bows and frilly skirts, Siwa has opted for punk-inspired eye makeup, sheer costumes and grunge getups this past year, often making her […]
Tell us about your time on Celebrity Big Brother UK. Did you feel trapped, both in the house and within your JoJo persona?
I don’t feel trapped at all. I think I’m used to it.I feel like I live 99% of my life how I want to and I’m so grateful for the experience. I’m like, “You’re good to be vulnerable, you’re good to be down, you’re good to be, you know, raw.” It’s always been real.
You kept asking Big Brother in the diary room if Katy Perry came back safely from space and didn’t get an answer until you came out. Would you ever go up to space?
Absolutely. But I will clarify, I would if that was my world. It’s like me saying I would do brain surgery. Yes, I would, but do not put a scalpel in my hand where I’m at in life right now. I would do it, but I would want to be a proper astronaut and have that be my real life aspiration, because I think that is so sickening that people do that, and would be so cool to do. But I wouldn’t just go up to come down. I would want to go up, work on the I.S.S., see Mars, really have the experience if we’re gonna do it.
Did you forget the cameras were watching?
You definitely never forgot they were there. You definitely see them. I mean, they’re on the walls, they’re moving around. Like, you would feel them, like all of a sudden if you were having a conversation, they would just zoom.
Have you picked up some British habits from your time in the house?
If you would’ve told me a month ago that I would want an English breakfast tea, I would’ve said you’re bananas! I’m a creature of habit, I have my coffee that I like. But now I’m back in America and I miss the UK stuff! I want Hula Hoops, where are all those snacks at? Where’s the Monster Munch?
How do you feel now about the drama that went down with Mickey Rourke and his homophobic comments?
I think I learned very, very quickly that Mickey is not a good man, right? But two truths can exist. I can say Mickey’s not a good man. And I can say I have sympathy for Mickey. And I think one thing that Mickey has not gotten in a very long time in his life is sympathy or a conversation about something rather than a celebrity story, a movie he was in.
How did you manage to stay so calm?
It was day two in the house —I think if we would’ve been deeper in, it would’ve been a different experience. But I also think I’ve just learned you’re gonna get nowhere by yelling at somebody.
Something else that I am very prominent on in my life is that if somebody thinks differently than you, whether that be on different social or political things in the world, would you get them a bandaid? And that’s how I decide if I can be good to somebody or not.
Mickey Rourke and I have different brains. We handle things differently. We’re different people. I would, no matter what, if he cut his finger, get him a bandaid. And I think Mickey would give me a bandaid. I don’t think he would know where they are, but the intention is there! And that’s a message that I really stand strongly behind, is if somebody has different views than you, that doesn’t mean you cannot coexist.
Had you ever experienced such flagrant homophobia in person before this incident?
Over the phone for sure, with the company I used to be with. Not in person like that. I think it just took me away because I was like, “this actually exists.” I realized it exists and I’m going to be an example of how to exist with it. And I didn’t care if I did things right and I didn’t care if I did things wrong because I knew either way, I was an example of how to push through it. And then people could either say, “oh, she pushed through it like this and that was bad. So if I’m faced with that, I’ll do this instead of that.” Or, “oh, she did this, it worked. I’m gonna take a note out of that book.”
There has been a lot of discussion about your sexuality and you describing yourself as queer on the show. How are you feeling about that now?
That was one of the conversations that I thought would never see the light of day! But I don’t mind that it did, because I actually think it starts a very beautiful conversation. I think queer joy is so special and so magical. One thing that’s so beautiful about the LGBTQIA community is it is so inclusive and it is so accepting, and it is also so fluid. Sexuality is a spectrum. People saying that my sexuality has been fake is actually crazy and a discredit to my life that I’ve had since I fell in love with my first girl.
I had a lot of conversations with Danny [Beard] and those conversations were about me feeling like I was put in a box and I don’t want to be in a box any more. That was initially talking about gender identity and it’s something I don’t have any initial thoughts beyond initial thoughts. I guess beyond curiosity, and hmm, where do I fit in? Queer is a beautiful umbrella term for the LGBTQIA community. I think that for me to be a woman and say I have a non-binary partner, but then also say I’m a lesbian is crazy. I just realized within myself that the way my eyes are to the world, I think I’m just queer. It has nothing to do with anything besides that. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. The world is going crazy with that one though. It flabbergasts me.
Correct us if you think we’re wrong, but some people thought you saying “I’m queer” could open up this attraction that you might have to Chris Hughes?
It’s so funny to me that the world ran with that, because I don’t want to say one thing and then change my mind one day and have the world do exactly what they’re doing now. I think that’s why I realized queer is such a beautiful term because it doesn’t say one thing. People scratch at the surface for absolutely anything they can and it’s not worth it for me to get upset over something like that. But it frustrates me, with people lying or looking for things. It’s the furthest thing. I see what people are reaching for but guys, come on your arms are not that long!
But you understand what people were thinking: “If she’s a lesbian, she’s attracted to other women — and then if she’s queer does that mean she could one day be attracted to a man?”
Welcome to being 21. Welcome to being queer. It had nothing to do with that. But I’ve changed a lot since I was 14 in the last seven years. I’m sure I’m going to change a lot until I’m 28. I have been in beautiful relationships with women, who I love and adore very much. I’ve been in a beautiful relationship with somebody who’s non-binary. I’ve been in a beautiful relationship with men, throw back to my original days. And it’s funny because there’s a side of the internet right now that is saying, “y’all are being too hard on JoJo, can it for a second.” And I’m not the type of person to give myself sympathy or care, but I see those people and I literally take a sigh of relief and I’m like, “thank you” [sighs]. Because I think that some people are looking a little too deep into things. It’s fine. They’re gonna do what they do. And so that’s kind of why I let them.
We think you see people out there who don’t understand pansexuality. They don’t understand bisexuality. They don’t understand queerness.
People also don’t understand that I have been pansexual. When I came out, I was like, “I’m not a lesbian, I’m pansexual.” And that lasted for a year. And then I was like, “I think I’m a lesbian.” And then I was like, “I think I’m gay.” And then I was like, “well, I think I’m a lesbian.” And then I’m like, “those are the same thing, babe.” And then I’m like, “I think I’m pansexual again.” “Oh, I think I’m a lesbian again.” “Oh, I think I’m queer.” Welcome, we are 21.
She’s figuring it out.
Slowly but surely.
Why do you think everyone was so obsessed with your relationship with Chris?
Now, being on the outside of the Big Brother house, I am the number one JoJo and Chris stan. Like, I see all the edits and I’m like, I wanna see more dancing, I wanna see more of what’s happening, I am the scroller on TikTok now. And so I understand why the people were enjoying it.
What’s so special about Chris and I is that our bond is so genuine that neither of us care what people make of it. Because we know our genuine friendship and we know our bond. It’s a great little special friendship that we have. And I literally send him videos of us dancing all the time.
You called him your friendship soulmate. Can you define that for us? And how is it different from a romantic soulmate?
Obviously he stood up for me in the beginning right away, which was beautiful. And then, he threw a ball of socks at me to catch it, and it knocked me straight in the face. And it was probably that day that I just felt, and he felt as well, that this person is meant to be in my life.
I’ve had it with a few other people in my life, friends who come into your life and the dynamic is so special.
When you came out of the house and saw people’s reaction to you two hanging out and their speculation about your relationship, did that disappoint you?
No, not at all. That’s just the world. People just run with whatever they want, with whatever they want to believe. Chris and I have a beautiful time together and it’s not changing. We are friends and we are going to continue to be in each other’s lives. The world having whatever say they have isnt’ going to make us never see each other. I think the world expected us to be like “ooh, rumors, we can never see each other.” Believe it or not, it’s not what we talk about.
What did you mean when you told Chris you felt “very confused” in that tearful moment prior to your exit?
I had been having so many thoughts since day three [in the house] about my life and people in my life. Those things got validated times 1000 once I got the letter [with the enclosed message from Kath] and those thoughts that I was having of the relationship I was in, and the dynamic between us got incredibly validated and I realized that. That’s why I said “I’m confused,” because I thought that letter was going to come and all those thoughts that I was having were going to be squashed. And it wasn’t. And it really confused me. I would tell Chris I need to talk or he’d [ask] “are you ok?” And [I’d say] “tell you later, I cannot speak in here about it.” It was hard to hold that in but I’m happy that I did because believe it or not, there was a lot of protection from my end to not let it go. If I had told those stories, it would have painted a very different picture and it’s not worth it to me to paint that picture and put that on somebody else. I would rather take the heat myself.
Your now-ex Kath Ebbs felt that you were emotionally cheating; what do you think of this? Was it a factor in your break-up?
I had a lot of talks with my ex about that and we cleared it up. They said that out of anger and frustration, but they also know that’s not true. I think that was very uncool of them and I was very honest with them about that. There’s a hundred reasons why my breakup happened and I’ve talked those through with my ex and I’ve talked those through with the people in my life. And so I can confidently say I love Christopher so very much but he had absolutely nothing to do with my breakup. There’s no muddy water there at all. Zero.
How do you feel about Kath’s accusation that you’re prone to “love-bombing”?
It’s a crazy concept for me because the same person that may have said that I love-bombed them also asked me to book them a business class flight home. So I don’t know if I am generous or if I love-bomb. I think it’s maybe a little bit of a mix of both? I think sometimes I look for a quick thing to make somebody very happy. Maybe I need to cool it on that, but I don’t think I love-bomb. I think I just love, and I love full-heartedly. I also think love-bombing is a very new term and saying it is so dramatic.
Since you’ve come out, we’ve seen you in five public relationships. You’ve admitted you jump quickly into relationships. Is that something you worry about or embrace?
I don’t really worry about much. Whatever phase I’m in right now, I want to stay in this phase for a while, because I really like where I’m at right now in life. My last year of dating I was crazy, but honestly, prior to that I had two relationships in a span of three years. I think the last year of my life was crazy, and so I think it’s hard to judge the last year of my life as my history.
Has what you look for in relationships changed since you first started exploring your sexuality?
Oh, man. Something that’s changed over the course of time is an easy answer — height! I originally was really stuck on dating somebody tall, taller than me, but now it doesn’t phase me.
Do you regret some of the revelations you’ve had in the last year about your future kids’ names or saying you found The One?
Yeah, I do. I think when I’m in something, I convince myself and everybody around me and I really just want it to be. But that’s actually something that I realized when I was alone for 20 days. I need to can it with that because I’m convincing myself of being happy when I’m really not. If we’re talking The One, you’re not going to know The One in a few months.
You’re being more honest and open than ever. Do you ever worry about being polarizing?
It’s weird because I think I’m in a position where the world can look at something that I do and get upset by it. And that’s a very unique position to be in, because a lot of people don’t have to worry about that. I think at the end of the day, I am no greater than any other human. I’m not special. I’m not this super high-up being, I’m a human. I’m a 21-year-old girl living life, filming music videos, going on tour and having fun. And I think sometimes people feel like I have to be perfect. At the end of the day I’m human and no matter what you say, you’re gonna make 50% of the people mad and 50% of the people are gonna understand you and where you’re coming from.
But no one’s ever walked in my shoes, no one knows the full story.
How has your relationship with your mom evolved since you first came into the spotlight?
My relationship with my mom’s incredible. She honestly hasn’t changed much since I’ve been a kid. She’s always been really tough on me, but in the best way possible. She is a gem. She’s genuinely a gem. I would do anything for her and she would do anything for me. She’s currently rhinestoning my costumes for me. She is as good as they come.
JoJo is giving Us an inside look at what it’s like to be on her Too Much to Say Tour. “My pre-show ritual starts in the morning actually, where it’s a coffee, then it’s probably a workout class,” the singer, 34, exclusively reveals in the latest issue of Us Weekly. “I want to sweat, I […]
Have you ever auditioned for acting roles that you’ve wanted but not gotten them?
No. Obviously I’ve auditioned for stuff and not gotten it but nothing that I’ve been crushed about.
So you were one of the few people who didn’t audition for Wicked?
I did not audition for Wicked, believe it or not. Acting for me is a side of my life, but it’s not a very prominent one. It’s more of a fun thing.
Have you felt welcomed, supported or mentored by other queer people in Hollywood? And if so, who are they?
Absolutely. Demi Lovato, 100%. Miley Cyrus, 100%. Elton John, 100%. So many people, so many beautiful people.
Before Mickey, the last Hollywood celebrity you were in a dispute with was Candace Cameron Bure. Do you think about that interaction as much as we do?
I live essentially across the street from the restaurant where it happened. So any time I see that restaurant, I’m like, that’s where it happened! I think about it occasionally when it comes up but she doesn’t take up space in my brain.
Which of your Dance Moms costars are you closes to these days?
For sure Kalani [Hilliker], the choreographer Gianna [Martello], and Abby [Lee Miller].
And finally, will we ever see a bow on your head again?
Of course. I love a bow!
