JoJo Siwa Says She Had 'Shady Deals' As A Child Star: 'I Got Taken Advantage Of As A Kid'

Former child star JoJo Siwa recently revealed she felt exploited in her youth and is applauding others for sharing their stories of abuse.

Transitioning to a more mature image, Siwa released the song "Karma," embracing a rebellious persona and striking Kiss-inspired anesthetics for the music video.

During a conversation on Nova Smallzy's "Surgery," Siwa opened up about her experiences as a child star in Hollywood. She revealed that she felt "taken advantage of as a kid" and was involved in "shady deals."

"I got f--ked over as a kid and taken advantage of as a kid, but not in a sexual way; it was a business way," Siwa said. "I think that to hear children's dark stories... that child stars were groomed or child stars were in some of the worst cases molested. I mean, it's so sickening."

"But I do have to say that I really appreciate those child stars coming forward, being open about their stories, because that is stuff that I'm lucky that I didn't have to deal with. But it is still going on," she added, per DailyMail.

Speaking with People Magazine at the 2024 GLAAD Awards on March 14, Siwa shared that she is excited for her next chapter as an artist and her evolution into adulthood, hinting that fans can expect content they "have not seen from me before."

"I've seen people before me make this transition, I've seen how much I loved it, and I've seen also how much the world has criticized us, so I am ready for that. One thing that I think no one's done is given the heads-up," she stated, adding, "It was important to me to give that heads-up and be like, look, if you follow along, that's all you. If you want to go, now's your time. But in the best way possible, now's your time."

At the time, Siwa teased her now-controversial music video for the track "Karma" on social media. The 20-year-old offered a glimpse into her new aesthetic, featuring more daring and revealing outfits like a see-through crystal-studded catsuit.

In her song, Siwa didn't shy away from using expletives as she boldly sang, "Karma's a b--ch, I should've known better/If I had a wish I would've never effed around." She added, "Karma's a b--ch/ And she's with you right now."

Siwas described herself as a "bad girl" in the track's opening verse: "I was a bad girl, I did some bad things/ I swear I did it all for fun and it meant nothing."

As Siwa transitions from a child star to a more mature artist, many have drawn comparisons to Miley Cyrus, who famously shed her "good girl" image dramatically.

Fans took to social media to air their opinions with one writing: "She's basically letting y'all know she's no longer a child and she's not going to act like it anymore... so if you don't want your kids (who followed her because she was a kid) to see her doing adult things this is your warning to unfollow... it's not that hard to read and understand."

"Hate me all you want. To be honest I like the new Jojo," another fan applauded.

In a nod to Taylor Swift's iconic song "Look What You Made Me Do," another commenter quipped," 'Sorry the old Jojo can't come to the phone right now; why? Oh, [because] she's dead! So excited for this new era of Jojo!"

Another fan praised Siwa, writing: "I honestly am loving bad-ss Jojo. She's taken sh-t from people for so long and didn't step up bc she put her young fans first... and she still is, but she's also letting people know she's stepped into her power and isn't going to sit back anymore..get 'em girlie!!!"

Siwa said in a chat with E! News that she is indifferent to what people think about her new look and music, adding that she is just focused on bettering her craft.

"Creating art is such a special, special thing," the 20-year-old said. "And I'm very lucky that I get to be one of the people in the world that gets to create art."

"The way that I'm able to keep going and keep being like, 'Wait, actually what I'm doing is right,'" she explained, "is because some of the most respected people in the world have come up to me and been like, 'What you're doing right now is so right. It is what the world needs, and I'm learning from what you are doing right now.'"

Siwa added, "Support from people like that means the world to me."

Siwa first entered the spotlight as a contestant in Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition at the age of 9. She went on to star in "Dance Moms" for two seasons and skyrocketed to fame.

In 2015, she began carving out her own space on YouTube, where she amassed an impressive following of over 12 million subscribers.

She would later release her debut single, "Boomerang," in 2016, solidifying her status as a budding pop sensation. She also transformed her signature bows into a booming business, launching them at Claire's.

As the years went by, Siwa expanded her enterprise, diversifying her brand with merchandise and accessories.