Katy Sprinkel - JoJo Siwa: The Sweetest Dream

J o J o i s U n s t o p p a b l e !

If you havent heard of JoJo Siwa, then you must be living under a rock! The hugely talented fifteen-year-old burst onto the scene in 2013 as a star on the reality TV series Abbys Ultimate Dance Competition , and her bubbly personality and steely determination made her a fan favorite among Dance Moms viewers.

Known by many as JoJo with the Bow Bowa nod to the signature hair bow that shes been wearing since she was a preschoolershe has catapulted to mega-fame as an Internet celebrity, posting regularly to her legion of Siwanatorz (her fans chosen moniker). She has 15 million fans on Musical.ly, 8 million subscribers to her YouTube channel, 7.4 million Instagram followers, 522,000 Facebook followers, and 387,000 Twitter followersand climbing!

But shes more than just a social media star; shes an influencer in the best sense of the word. JoJo takes every opportunity to use her platform for positivity. Her JoJo Bows have become a powerful statement against bullying. Her music similarly tackles the haters, encouraging fans to be themselves, be kind, and stand up for whats right.

With a slew of dance awards, a platinum single in Boomerang, and a pair of Kids Choice Awards, shes already getting recognition across the industry. And having signed an overall talent deal with Nickelodeon, shes already a familiar face across the network. Add to that a merchandising empireeverything from dolls to makeup to bedding (and, yes, hair bows)and she may well be the hardest-working girl in Hollywood. One things for sure: the tireless JoJo shows no sign of stopping anytime soon.

1. Shes Just A Kid At Heart

At fifteen, shes already enjoyed a career longer than a lot of Hollywood stars. Fame can make a kid grow up fast, but JoJo pushes back against that pressure.

Watchers of JoJos Juice and followers on Musical.ly dont see a scripted, choreographed, highly produced commodity. Instead, they see their idol being, well, a normal teenagerclowning around with friends, playing pranks, dancing like crazy in her own living room. She understands that people want to see the real her, and her authenticity is one of the things that resonates so deeply with her fan base.

Reflecting to Kidscreen about her popularity, she mused, Why me? Why am I so big? Its so crazy. Maybe its that Im relatable, Im a kid. I think that has to be what it is.

2. Shes A Midwestern Girl In A Hollywood World

Born May 19, 2003, Joelle Joanie Siwa spent her formative years in Omaha. And though JoJo has been in the biz since she was a little girl, the strong, midwestern values with which she was raised are still deeply rooted in her. My parents were all about family values and making sure [my brother and I] stay[ed] grounded, she writes in JoJos Guide to the Sweet Life . Its what makes her the wholesome role model that her fans know and love.

No matter how far her career has come, she still remembers where she came from. Accepting her first big award at Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards, a stunned JoJo said, Im from Nebraska and Im out here and I just won a Kids Choice Award.

3. She Loves The 80S!

All it takes is one look at JoJos oversized hair bows and side ponytailthis girl loves the 1980s! JoJo seems to take all her fashion cues from the decades fun shapes and neon brightseverything from rainbows to unicorns to sequins, sequins, sequins! My theory is that I was actually born in the eighties and the government transplanted me to the present day. Just check the way I dress if you need proof, she quips in her autobiography, JoJos Guide to the Sweet Life .

But its not just her clothes. The singer, who threw a huge 80s-themed bash for her thirteenth birthday, puts that 80s stamp on her music too. That same playfulness is evident in her songs, which echo the upbeat mood and playful rhythms of the best 80s ladies, from Cyndi Girls Just Want to Have Fun Lauper to Madonna, whose iconic 80s-fabulous look was not complete without a giant hair bow.

4. Shes Got Bling For Her Boomerang

JoJos single Boomerang is more than just a catchy dance tune. Its an anthem for Siwanatorz, a call to arms to people everywhere to stand up to bullyingand withstand it. As of this writing, the music video, which features JoJos real-life besties from Nebraska to L.A. and beyond, boasts more than 600 million views.

But its far from just a viral hit. In August 2018 the single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), eclipsing the 1 million mark in sales. Not bad for a kid who grew up wanting to be a real-life Hannah Montana.

5. Shes Always Been BFF s With Her Mom

A lot of people assume that since Jessalynn owned a dance studio and is a former dancer herself, she thrust JoJo into the spotlight. Quite the contrary, says JoJo, who writes in her autobiography, I was never forced to dance, or to do anything Ive done over the yearsbut if I wanted it, my mom was right there encouraging and investing her time and energy into it. Anyone can see it, looking at them on-screen: theres a lot of love there.

And theyve been in lockstep throughout JoJos rise to fame. Her mom has been her choreographer, her teacher, her comanager, and her all-time wingwoman. Its led to a relationship far beyond mother-daughter, including being best friends. (They even have code names for each other: the respective names of their BFFs back home in Omaha: Halle and Kim.)

6. She Was A Baby Diva

JoJos love of dancing started practically at birth. She can recall being a kid, hanging out at her moms dance studio and watching the older girls as they practiced their routines. It was an early education for a dancer, and she made the most of it.

Her first competitive dance solo came at the age of two at the Kids Artistic Revue. Still in diapers, she performed her Baby Diva dance routine to the song Mama, Im a Big Girl Now from the musical Hairspray . Luckily, the Siwas were taping the performance. If JoJo felt nervous, it doesnt show. She has all the confidence and poise and sparkly rhinestone bow-ness that she possesses today. Check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrjHrbV8u3k to see the cuteness for yourself!

7. She Embraces Her Inner Nerd

Learning is the bedrock of JoJos work ethic. In order to be really good at anything, you have to be willing to work hard and be a little different and embrace your inner nerd, she writes in her autobiography. And for a self-starter such as JoJo, homeschooling has always been the perfect fit. From an early age, its allowed her to be more flexible with her schedule, first accommodating the demands of competitive dance and now her current and unpredictable Hollywood life.