JoJo Siwa has responded following speculation from fans that her new single is a scrapped demo that originally belonged to Miley Cyrus.
The singer and former Dance Moms star dropped her first grown-up single ‘Karma’ last week (April 5) – showing a drastically changed image from her time as a child star. She announced the track by claiming that she was taking on a new genre that she calls “gay pop”
However, upon her sharing the single, many listeners began seeing the parallels between her and pop icon Miley Cyrus, who also took a sharp turn away from her time as a child TV star when she stirred controversy with the hit single ‘Wrecking Ball’.
Now, it seems that the connection to Cyrus may go even deeper, as fans began speculating that the song ‘Karma’ actually first existed as a scrapped demo from the Hannah Montana star back in 2011.
The rumours gained further momentum when eagle-eyed TikTok user Adam Barrera shared an update, in which he unearthed 2012 tweets from Rock Mafia and Timbaland hinting at them working on a song called “Karma” with Cyrus.
Barrera then went on to point out how Rock Mafia are listed as producers and writers of the Jojo Siwa song that arrived earlier this month, as well as with Antonia Armato – who penned hits for Disney stars.
@adamtheflop THIS MAKES SO MUCH SENSE. Need to hear Miley’s version #mileycyrus #jojosiwa #karma #cantbetamed #popmusic #adamtheflop
♬ Karma – JoJo Siwa
The user then speculates that Miley Cyrus didn’t release the song back in 2011 as the lyrics contain the word “bitch”, and wouldn’t want to use it as she was still under Disney at the time.
Now, in a new interview, Siwa has spoken out about the comparisons to Cyrus, and said that she is flattered that fans are seeing parallels between both of their work.
“When I was 8, Miley had her ‘Bangerz’ moment and I was like, ‘All I want is to have that one day.’ I want that,” she said on a new episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast. “Honestly since I was 15 my whole inner circle has been talking about it and getting excited for it.”
She then went on to say how “proud” she is to share ‘Karma’, and how the “ full 180 moment” is something that she has “always wanted”.
“The fact that people are comparing it to Miley’s Bangerz moment… goal achieved,” she added. “No child star has done this since [Miley]. They have had beautiful transitions. Olivia Rodrigo has had one of the most incredible success stories as a young musician, but there was no flip.”
“There was no child star flip like Miley had,” Siwa concluded. “I knew I wanted that. I knew I wanted to give the world art.”
As for Miley Cyrus, the singer recently joined forces with Beyoncé on the tender single ‘II MOST WANTED’ – taken from the latter’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ album.