A staple experiment of any self-respecting celebrity’s career is a failed go-around in the music industry’s carousel. Even Kim Kardashian, an icon of eclectic money-making pursuits, turned up short with her attempt at vocal fame after her 2011 single “Jam (Turn It Up)” missed the mark. A new challenger with experience in the music industry is hoping to join the sparse ranks of celebrity-turned-singer success stories.
Recently, everyone’s favorite “Dance Moms” star, bow-wearing and self-proclaimed inventor of “gay pop,” Jojo Siwa, has embarked on the world’s most forced and least requested rebrand. Siwa’s single “Karma” released on April 5, 2024, and opened the floodgates for internet feedback. The track, along with its music video, portrays Siwa in an edgy, rock-inspired outfit, a stark transition from her familiar children-focused branding. Everything from the track’s explicit language to the music video’s sexual content has captured the media’s attention.
Siwa spent the month prior to releasing “Karma” preparing audiences for her new image. “No one has made, in my generation, this extreme of a switch,” Siwa said in a widely circulated tiktok clip. Her new aesthetic focuses more on colorful language than a colorful wardrobe and feels like a well-funded dress-up scheme as opposed to an attempt to share a genuine version of herself.
A significant wave of backlash towards Siwa developed after clips of musician Brit Smith’s original recording of the track resurfaced. Smith’s demo, titled “Karma’s a Bitch,” was recorded in 2012 but never officially released. Many fans have openly expressed their preference for Smith’s version over Siwa’s, accrediting their favor to Smith’s superior vocal ability.
Perhaps Siwa’s most pot-stirring moment in this journey was her now infamous comment on an interview with Billboard News. Siwa recalls a conversation with her record label where she explained that “I wanna start a new genre of music, and they [the label] said ‘What do you mean?’ Well, it’s called gay pop.” Siwa immediately followed this proclamation by comparing “Karma” to other songs from Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus that she felt belonged in the same category.
The internet speedily ran to spread the word that Siwa was crediting herself with creating the “gay pop” genre. Social media users worldwide have joined forces in a rarely-seen communal effort to call attention to the many artists and songs who have defined this genre for decades. George Michael, Freddy Mercury, Elton John and, of course, David Bowie paved the way for artists like Siwa. The current music landscape is filled with artists who continue this legacy, Siwa is far from an orphan of her trailblazers.
In the wake of criticism, Siwa has clarified her statement, explaining that she acknowledges the artists already dominating the genre. She further details; “I think I just want to make it more clear that gay pop is a genre.” Despite these clarifications, the damage has been done. Siwa’s attempted rebrand has sparked endless conversations and feedback, both positive and negative. For better or for worse, audiences can expect that “Karma” is only the tip of Siwa’s upcoming musical iceberg.
