It’s a bright morning in London, and JoJo Siwa is sitting in a makeup chair, smiling as a stylist brushes on some mascara and foundation.
Just a few feet away, her publicist and I are chatting on a nearby sofa.
I casually compliment JoJo’s skin. “She’s only 22,” her publicist responds, with a knowing shrug.
And it hits me — JoJo may be young, but she’s lived a life that most people twice her age wouldn’t even begin to relate to.
A Superstar from the Start
Born Joelle Joanie Siwa in Omaha, Nebraska, JoJo’s childhood was anything but ordinary.
At just nine, she stepped onto the reality TV stage in Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition and soon became a standout on Dance Moms, where she quickly made waves with her resilience and charisma.
By the age of 13, she had record deals, acting gigs, and a booming merchandise empire.
At 15, she was already leading a billion-dollar brand.
JoJo’s life sped up fast. By 16, she’d sold out London’s O2 Arena.
She had a line of glittery bows so popular they were banned in some UK schools.
And now, at 22, she’s still finding her way in an industry that’s always evolving.
The Reality of Child Stardom
Despite the shiny exterior, JoJo’s journey has been anything but simple.
Her family made significant sacrifices for her career.
When she and her mother moved to California for Dance Moms, her dad and brother stayed behind.
Eventually, they reunited — but not without hard choices.
JoJo was aware of the weight her career placed on her family.
Through it all, her attitude has remained remarkably upbeat.
She says her parents’ support kept her grounded, and she’s still extremely close to them.
Her mom is her manager, costume designer, and number one fan.
JoJo says that if her mother passed away, she might walk away from the spotlight entirely.
Breaking Out, Growing Up
JoJo has evolved a lot since her early Nickelodeon days.
In 2021, she came out as pansexual — later identifying more broadly as queer — and did so in a way that was honest and unfiltered, simply by posting a T-shirt photo online.
It rattled some people in the entertainment world, but JoJo doesn’t regret a thing.
She explains that the backlash didn’t come from within herself, but from companies unsure how to react. Still, she handled it with maturity beyond her years.
She wasn’t invited to the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards that year — a glaring absence — but she brushes it off.
Experimenting with Image
In recent years, JoJo shed her child-star image with a bold rebrand.
Gone were the bows and rainbows, replaced by leather and edgier music.
Her single Karma hinted at a wilder persona — but she now admits that phase wasn’t really her.
“I faked being naughty for a year,” she laughs, reflecting on the pressure to reinvent herself.
The commercial results weren’t as huge as her earlier days, but JoJo isn’t bitter.
Her recent shows in London were in a 300-person venue — a far cry from the O2 — but she’s at peace with it. “You age, and you change,” she says.
“I couldn’t sell out an arena now, but I’m proud of who I was then.”
Life, Love, and Big Brother
JoJo’s appearance on Celebrity Big Brother in the UK earlier this year brought her back into the limelight — and introduced her to Chris Hughes, former Love Island contestant.
Their budding romance stirred plenty of buzz, especially after JoJo had previously dated non-binary actor Kath Ebbs.
JoJo now defines herself as queer and speaks openly about how fluid sexuality can be.
She credits her ex for being supportive and shrugs off the drama with Ebbs, who posted cryptic TikToks after their breakup.
“Sometimes people just want to have a nibble,” she says with a grin.
As for Hughes? He’s now the “favourite part” of her life.
She recently met his family — and his horse — in the Cotswolds and lights up when talking about wanting kids someday.
Still Dreaming
Despite the fame, fortune, and years in the spotlight, JoJo insists she’s still figuring things out.
She lives alone in a rented apartment in Encino, keeps her finances in check, and has learned that success doesn’t have to mean stadiums.
She doesn’t hold grudges — not against Nickelodeon, exes, or even Mickey Rourke, who made offensive comments during Big Brother. She’s moved on.
And that’s JoJo in a nutshell: bright, grounded, funny, and still full of dreams.
“If I could go back in time,” she says, “I wouldn’t change a thing. Really. Zero. I would change nothing.”
JoJo by the Numbers
- 1.02 billion: Views of her hit music video Boomerang
- 1 million: Pairs of JoJo Siwa shoes ordered in one month by Walmart
- $27 million: Earnings from her 2019 North American tour
- 13 hours: Rehearsal days before her 2024 Karma tour
- 9: Her age when she entered the reality TV spotlight
She’s lived a life of sparkle, strength, and self-discovery — and she’s still only 22.