JoJo Siwa has been slammed as “ignorant” for stating that she’s creating a “new genre of music.”
The 20-year-old has been shocking audiences as she tries her hand at an entirely new style and while most of it seems harmless – despite the casual use of profanities – a recent blunder has left her on the receiving end of fan backlash.
While speaking about her raunchy new music video for her hit ‘Karma’ with Billboard on Saturday, she emphasized that she wanted to “start a new genre of music.”
“When I first signed with Columbia, I said I wanted to start a new genre of music,” she told the outlet. “They said, ‘What do you mean?’, and I said: ‘It’s called gay pop. It’s like K-pop but it’s gay pop.'”
Have a look at the clip below:
The comment clearly did not sit well with fans, with many taking to social media to slam the entertainer as “ignorant” and “disrespectful.”
“Jojo Siwa saying she wants to create a new genre of music called ‘gay pop’ is the most ignorant thing on planet earth, like, genuinely so disrespectful and dismissive of every queer person in music who came before her,” wrote one user on X.
Another also listed a range of different artists who came before Siwa.
“Even Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen, was a gay icon until his death in 1991, Lady Gaga was a queer icon herself, she made Born This Way in 2011, George Michael was big in the 80s, Troye Sivan also made music and so is Reneé Rapp,” this user wrote before adding: “And other LGBTQ+ musicians including Hayley Kiyoko, Dove Cameron, Frank Ocean, RuPaul, Kali Uchis, Ayesha Erotica, Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day, David Bowie, Boy George, Tegan and Sara and girl in red.”
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JoJo Siwa’s latest tune ‘Karma’ has left fans shocked. Credit: Stefanie Keenan/Getty/GLAAD
Elsewhere during the Billboard interview, the former Dance Moms alum explained the concept in a bit more detail, stating: “There’s a style of dance called jazz funk. It’s jazz, it’s hip-hop, they have a baby, it’s called jazz funk. You can wear sneakers or you can wear jazz shoes. It’s kind of in between.
“I feel like that is this world of music,” she continued, before comparing ‘Karma’ to hits like Lady Gaga’s ‘Applause’ and Miley Cyrus’ ‘Can’t Be Tamed.’
“It’s that world of music where it’s not necessarily pop, it’s not giving you Katy Perry ‘California Gurls’, it’s giving you Lady Gaga ‘Judas’,” she added.
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JoJo Siwa has been criticized for saying she plans on inventing “gay pop”. Credit: Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage/Getty
And it’s not just her music that’s seen a dramatic shift.
The star has also undergone a massive transformation aesthetically, as she’s ditched the iconic side pony and glitter tutu for cut-out bodysuits and black face paint.
In a red carpet appearance at the iHeartRadio Music Awards last week, Siwa was seen wearing an all-black mesh ensemble, which consisted of a cut-out mesh one-piece that had metallic sleeves and bottoms. The look was paired with some chunky, open-front boots and an intense rock glam, with a funky updo.
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JoJo Siwa at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Credit: Gilbert Flores/Billboard/Getty
Fans, as well as other stars at the event, were left speechless as the star strutted her stuff, posing for pictures with her tongue out or pulling up some hand signs as the camera ate it all up.
What do you think of JoJo Siwa’s latest concept?