JoJo Siwa has clapped back at critics over her shock image overhaul, claiming she isn’t fazed, having been subjected to ‘s**t’ her entire career.
The pop sensation, 21, has proved divisive in recent months after she debuted a wild new look and posed for a racy magazine shoot in a sparkly codpiece after shaking off her former child star image.
Now, in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, the Dance Moms alum has opened up about the mixed reactions and her unwavering commitment to being her true self.
‘It’s funny, because people don’t realize that this has been my life forever,’ she revealed at the 10th Annual Gala of The Stars awards. ‘People have always given me s**t and supported it. That’s not a new thing for me.
‘I think the scale has just slowly gotten bigger, you know what I mean? And people have given me more sh*t or less sh*t. But no, it doesn’t really faze me.’
JoJo Siwa has clapped back at critics over her shock image overhaul, claiming she isn’t fazed having been subjected to ‘s**t’ her entire career
The pop sensation, 21, has proved divisive in recent months after she debuted a wild new look and posed for a racy magazine shoot after shaking off her former child star image
JoJo made headlines as she flexed her muscles in a rhinestone-studded chest plate shaped like a toned male torso on the cover of LadyGunn magazine last month.
Pushing boundaries further, a second shot showed her wearing a matching rhinestone-studded codpiece.
The images sparked a wild reaction online, with fans divided over the provocative shoot.
One Reddit user wrote: ‘She would have so much potential if she would just chill the f**k out.’
Another said: ‘The photos with the bejeweled male torso and the codpiece are making me really uncomfortable.’
A third added: ‘Everything she wears in this era of hers seems to wear her. I can only imagine how much better she’ll feel when she finds herself instead of whatever this over compensation is.’
Others were on the fence, with one person commenting: ‘Some of these photos aren’t my cup of tea, but some of these are pretty cute.’
Some leapt to her defense, with one user declaring: ‘Damn she out served a lot of popular models today.’
Now, in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, the Dance Moms alum has opened up about the mixed reactions and her unwavering commitment to being her true self (pictured in 2015)
‘It’s funny, because people don’t realize that this has been my life forever,’ she told DailyMail.com. ‘People have always given me s**t and supported it. It doesn’t really phase me’
But thanks to her unapologetic attitude, JoJo has taken the scrutiny in her stride.
‘The photos were sick,’ she said. ‘They were awesome.’
JoJo found fame on Dance Moms under the tutelage of instructor Abby Lee Miller, before transitioning into a cutesy singer with a penchant for upbeat pop tunes.
She embraced a bold new look earlier this year when she put on a daring display in a sheer black body suit.
She was also pictured swigging from a bottle of vodka wearing silver hot pants on stage at Los Angeles Gay Pride.
This fearless reinvention has solidified JoJo’s status as more than just a child star, but a powerful voice for self-acceptance and authenticity.
Abby Lee defended her against critics, telling DailyMail.com: ‘JoJo’s laughing all the way to the bank.
‘She’s a good person who is always giving back. She’s worked with a hundred and some more kids on choreography at her own studio, all for nothing, all to benefit dancers against cancer. So, she’s doing a lot.’
Maksim Chmerkovskiy, her fellow judge on So You Think You Can Dance, admitted that she is ‘controversial’ but described her transformation as ‘positive.’
‘She’s transformed herself into something in a very positive way,’ he said. ‘Look, she’s very controversial. She’s said some stuff and she’s grown up in front of our eyes, but she’s doing it her own way.
‘Life is great for her and I’m a big supporter.’
Abby Lee defended her against critics, telling DailyMail.com: ‘JoJo’s laughing all the way to the bank’ (pictured together in 2022)
Maksim Chmerkovskiy admitted that she is ‘controversial’ but defended her against critics (pictured together at the 10th Annual Gala of The Stars awards)
JoJo said she feels like her true self and denied any accusations she is ‘faking’ it.
‘I think no one really knows what’s coming next in their lives,’ she said. ‘And I think sometimes people fake it like they do. I just don’t fake it.
‘And the same way that the world’s like, “Oh, what’s she going to do next?” I’m thinking the same thing.’
Despite an illustrious career, at 21, JoJo is ‘just getting started,’ but is also keen to start a family.
‘I want to have kids so badly,’ she said. ‘I would love to have little peanuts so soon.’
When asked what’s holding her back, she laughed: ‘Logistics. Logistics. But not by much…’
The singer, who came out as queer in January 2021, is currently dating Dakayla Wilson, with the pair openly celebrating their love with some public displays of affection last month.
