JoJo Siwa did not invent gay pop (2024)

Story by Taylor Boggess, Copy Editor • April 28, 2024

On April 5, internet personality JoJo Siwa released the song “Karma,” which was a cultural reset, just not in the way she had hoped.

Some TikTok users did not have faith in the song from the teasers Siwa was promoting with her questionable dancing (despite being on multiple seasons of “Dance Moms”). In a way, it did get everyone online talking about her “new song,” though it was about how bad it was.

Alongside the worry about the song’s release, there were also concerns about the music video Siwa released on April 5. In short, the music video was amusing to watch, though at times I did want to cover my eyes from second-hand embarrassment.

Some listeners were confused as to how Siwa was able to hit some of the high notes in the new song, considering how she was unable to hit them when performing Olivia Rodrigo’s “traitor.” Sure she could have improved since that video, but I don’t think that much.

Her cover of Miley Cyrus’s “Flowers” had similar reactions.

When promoting the song, Siwa said she was scared to release it, as she was nervous about admitting that she was a “bad girl” when writing it.

Siwa also said she was excited to create a new genre of music, gay pop, and that she was one of the first music artists to make such a “dramatic shift.”

Many were quick to point out that Siwa did not invent gay pop, and most would not consider Siwa’s song to be gay pop. Viewers were angry at Siwa for forgetting those who had actually paved the way for gay pop, such as Freddie Mercury or Elton John.

I was also surprised that Siwa claims no one has ever made such a drastic change, clearly, she is forgetting events like Taylor Swift’s change to her “reputation” era. Siwa had made a video in an attempt to show off her “new tattoos,” but many were quick to realize they were all fake.

Upon the release of the song, it was quickly discovered that the song was not written by Siwa as she had claimed.

The song was originally written by Brit Smith back in 2012. Siwa was quick to defend herself and admitted she did not write the song, but she did change some of the melodies, including the cadence of the bridge. However, if you ask me, they sound almost the same.

In my opinion, Smith’s version is better. In her version she sings the lyric, “I would have never messed around,” in comparison to Siwa’s, “I would have never effed around,” which doesn’t hit the ear the same.

One thing that also crossed my mind, as well as others, was that it had sounded heavily autotuned. Siwa has what sounds like a slight speech impediment, which you can hear in her song, “Boomerang,” but it seems to have disappeared in this new song.

One could guess that she has simply grown out of it, but when she posts a video of her singing along to a song in her car, you can hear it.

Just makes me wonder why they made it sound like it was drastically autotuned. It just doesn’t sound like her at all. It’s giving when British people sing with an American accent.

It is easy to claim that if it were anyone else in this situation, people would not blink an eye, but due to the way Siwa has been promoting the song has left some wanting to sit and watch it all unravel, some even calling it a psychotic break, or as I like to think, satire at an attempt to get attention.

I think if Siwa did not promote the song the way she did and made the claims she did, she would not be getting the level of hate she has been receiving. Though it would have not gotten as much attention as it has.

I would like to think that Siwa would learn from this experience, but I do not think she will, I believe that she would just see this as an effective marketing strategy. I will not keep my hopes too high, I remember when she was clickbaiting people into thinking she was having children.

I will forever keep quoting “dream guest on my podcast” until way after it is relevant, it was too funny of an interview to forget.

Boggess can be reached at [emailprotected].