JoJo Siwa has recently addressed the ongoing controversy about her new track 'Karma' - and let's just say, things are really heating up right now.
The 20-year-old is well and truly entering a new (and slightly forced) era, taking inspiration from the likes of other stars who underwent a similar transformation like Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga and Demi Lovato.
Speaking of her new song, 'Karma', she told Billboard that she was heavily influenced by other stars.
"It’s no secret that my transition is heavily inspired by Miley Cyrus, of course," she said.
Siwa referenced Cyrus's divisive 'Bangerz' era when she made headlines for chopping off her hair, going bleach blonde, and her risqué 2013 Video Music Awards performance with Robin Thicke.
"Like it or not, everyone knows that moment and I think that that made such an impact," Siwa continued. "I think every child star has made their impact in some which way becoming an adult star. But Miley’s flip, Miley’s switch, Miley’s turn was the greatest thing I’ve witnessed with my own two eyes."
I mean, it's all well and good leaving behind your squeaky, good-girl image for something a little edgier, but Siwa's switch has left the internet contemplating whether this will be "career suicide."
"I wonder if #JoJoSiwa realizes that this new image is career suicide or if she believes this is actually a smart thing to do? She doesn't seem the type to take criticism well," wrote this user.
This user is most likely referring to the drama surrounding her new tune, 'Karma', which has seen the star slate the original singer of the track, Brit Smith.
Smith released her own version of the song back in 2012, though it did not garner much attention at the time.
The now 38-year-old addressed the rumors in an interview with Page Six on April 12, confirming that she initially recorded the song over a decade ago.
"It's a shock to me that it’s got a new life, which is amazing," she said. "But yeah, with Rock Mafia back in the day it was supposed to be my first single, and sort of things changed and I went with 'Provocative' instead and shouldn’t have done that really. We should’ve gone with 'Karma.' That was my first choice but label things got in the way and I kind of was led in that direction and we went with 'Provocative.'
"And then I left the industry after that. And so it hasn’t seen the light of day until now," she added.
Of course, social media erupted upon hearing the news and weirdly enough, Smith even capitalized on all the chaos, releasing an updated version of the song which has already surpassed Siwa's version in the charts... Yeah, yikes.
Addressing the controversy herself, Siwa said: "What happens is, people write songs and then they just don’t do anything with them. And then, a few years later, it makes more sense for another artist.
"I didn’t steal anything. There's no such thing as stealing," she continued, before taking a little low blow: "I also don't know who Brit Smith is."
"Brit smith releasing her version of karma after tik tok and the internet found out that jojo siwa didn't make the song IS SO ICONIC," wrote one user on X, and others seemingly agreed as another added: "JOJO SIWA! YOU WILL NEVER BE BRIT SMITH!‼️‼️‼️"
I guess one woman's loss is truly another woman's gain.
.png_EQqK4P?tr=h-40&config=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)
.png_EQqK4P?tr=h-184&config=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)
