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JoJo Siwa says she's an artist not a singer following backlash to Olivia Rodrigo cover

11 April 2024, 17:12

JoJo Siwa covers Olivia Rodrigo's Traitor

By Sam Prance

"I know my vocal abilities and I also know my vocal abilities, what they are not."

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JoJo Siwa has opened up about the response to her cover of Olivia Rodrigo's 'Traitor' and whether she thinks she's a singer.

Ever since JoJo Siwa first started releasing music as a child star, fans have debated whether or not she can sing. Last week (Apr 5), JoJo dropped her first adult single 'Karma' and it immediately divided the internet. Some fans praised the song for its catchy hooks and high-budget video. Others criticised the song and accused JoJo of not being able to sing.

Last year, JoJo faced intense criticism after posting a video of her singing Olivia Rodrigo's 'Traitor' on Snapchat. Now, JoJo has revealed how she felt about the backlash to her cover and 'Karma'. She also said that she's an artist not a singer.

JoJo Siwa says she's an artist not a singer following Karma backlash. Picture: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for iHeartRadio, @jojosiwa via Snapchat

Speaking about the Olivia Rodrigo cover on Call Her Daddy, JoJo said: "I will rarely, pretty much never, claim to be a singer. I will claim to be an artist or a performer but I know my vocal abilities and I also know my vocal abilities - what they are not. I'm very comfortable when it's my own stuff but other people's music, I don't do well singing."

Discussing cover songs further, JoJo said: "Karaoke, I won't do it unless it's [Eminem's 'The Real] Slim Shady'. Aside from that, I won't touch other people's music. I'm scared of it. It always comes to bite me in the ass. I love performing. It's very contradicting because it's my favourite thing to do but the thing I'm most scared of."

She continued: "I was singing 'Traitor' by Olivia Rodrigo and she has a really high note in there. I was so far from hitting it. Not even close. People took just that clip of me singing it and not doing it and my face turning bright red because I'm screaming trying to hit it and then they ran with just that."

Explaining how she felt about the negative response, JoJo said: "Again, I would hate it too. I do. I think it's hysterical. Anytime new hate rolls around, I'm like 'ow' but then a day goes by people get over it."

JoJo Siwa says she’s not a singer in Call Her Daddy trailer

As for the negative response to 'Karma', JoJo said: "I am giving the world art, and they might not like it, they might hate it, but they’re enjoying it and it’s become a bit of a guilty pleasure for everyone. It is doing exactly what I wanted it to do. I wanted people’s heads to turn, I wanted people to go ‘What?' I wanted people to go, ‘What is she saying?'"

It looks like JoJo is having the last laugh after all!