When JoJo Siwa announced her latest single, she accompanied it with a warning: “The following content is not intended for children and may be disturbing or offensive to some viewers. It may contain sexual themes, violence, strong language, traumatic scenarios, and flashing lights. Viewer discretion is advised.” After almost a month’s anticipation, her song “Karma” has finally been released.
In the lyrics, Siwa reflects, “This lonely room feels so empty, just me and my regrets/And cold blue eyes look back at me, the mirror has no sympathy/My guilt becomes a symphony that won’t let me forget, oh.” She continues, “Karma’s a b****, I should’ve known better/If I had a wish, I would’ve never messed around/When I saw the pics of you and her, I felt the knife twist/Karma’s a b**** (Karma), and she’s with you right now.”
Accompanying the single is a music video for ‘Karma,’ which was co-directed by Siwa and Marc Klasfeld, an American music video director also known for producing Katy Perry’s “Last Friday Night” music video.
The music video itself is…shocking. The lyrics do not match the video at all. Why are they on a boat? Why is Jojo Siwa crawling out of the ocean like Moto Moto in Madagascar? Why is she dance-battling on top of someone? The video shocked fans and curious social media goers without a doubt. Some even say they were disturbed. Abby Lee Miller, Siwa’s former dance instructor and Dance Moms’ star, even made a reaction video where she is left with her jaw on the floor. While Siwa’s rebrand is drastic, it is not gaining attention in the way she was hoping for.
Aware of potential backlash from her fans regarding her rebranding, Jojo openly acknowledged to E! News on the red carpet, “People fear what they don’t understand. [New] things can be daunting.” Additionally, she expressed her aspiration for a Miley Cyrus Bangerz moment during an interview with Access Hollywood on the same red carpet, citing Miley’s 2013 album release where she underwent a dramatic transformation in both image and sound, departing from her Hannah Montana Disney Channel persona in favor of a more bold and adventurous identity.
Many people have speculated that Siwa’s supposed “rebrand” is simply just taking her old style and making it black versus the typical rainbows. Despite her claim that “No one in [her] generation has made this drastic of a change,” she remains seen wearing rhinestones, high ponytails, and busy, extravagant clothing.
As the world is looking to Siwa for her to say it’s all a joke, she remains adamant on her newfound music career being equal to that of Britney Spears. More music is expected to come from Siwa, and people from all over the globe will be waiting to see her next steps.
