Jojo Siwa’s recent attempt to transform her image from a kid-friendly dance lover decked out in bows and slathered in vibrant colors, to an “adult” version oddly reminisce of Gene Simmons, is off to a rocky start. The former Dance Moms star has been promoting her new single, “Karma” for months on social media, and the song’s release can’t be what the 21-year-old was hoping for.
Siwa has been very candid about her favorite singers and those who inspired her personal evolution, but recent rumors say she’s gone far beyond imitating. Her latest single, “Karma” definitely wasn’t written for Siwa exclusively, and there is potential evidence indicating that one of her biggest icons already passed on the subpar ditty.
Did Jojo Siwa steal a Miley Cyrus’s song?
Songwriting isn’t as simple as it might appear from the outside. Pop musicians rarely write all of their own songs, even if many have a hand in the process. Even singer/song writers like Olivia Rodrigo often have a cowriter or producer on the song. More produced pop songs like The Pussycat Dolls “When I Grow Up” can feature multiple writers/producers and often don’t involve the singers themselves.
“Karma” is the product of legendary (even if you’ve never heard his name) songwriter Desmond Child and the music production duo known as Rock Mafia. Rock Mafia was responsible for producing much of the music that Selena Gomes, Miley Cyrus, and Demi Lovato built their music careers on.
Back in 2010, Miley Cyrus was pushing the boundaries of her Disney image. The singer was breaking free of Hannah Montana, which was slated to end the next year, and trying to establish herself as a serious musician. Cannot Be Tamed, Cyrus’s 3rd studio album wasn’t a massive success and received healthy criticism for pushing a bad girl image on a Disney starlet. It makes sense that Cyrus would land as one of Jojo Siwa’s sources of inspiration for what a “grown-up” breakout looks like.
It’s the Rock Mafia connection that has people wondering if Siwa’s song was originally intended for Cyrus. TikTok user @Adamtheflop is pretty sure it was, and he has the receipts from a reputable Miley Cyrus fan page on Twitter, now X, to back up his theory.
Back in 2011, a “very reliable source” told the account that Cyrus had an upcoming single called, “Karma’s a B*tch.” Cyrus seemed to confirm this by Tweeting at Timbaland and Rock Mafia, “Don’t forget me b*tch.”
Rock Mafia responded, “Cant forget what’s unforgettable!!!!! ;)” The duo signed the tweet with the hashtag, “#karmasab*tch!!!!!!!”
Cyrus was still with her first label, Hollywood Records, when the album dropped. The label is a Disney exclusive and produced albums for The Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, Bridgit Mendler, and Selena Gomez. The song featured swear words and was likely scrapped over fears that it would clash with Cyrus’ PG image.
Siwa’s emergence as an edgy adult version has received heaps of criticism since she started teasing the song’s release on social media. While Cyrus has yet to comment on the drama, she’s more than familiar with how vicious the internet can be. As of now, there aren’t any Miley Cyrus versions of the song to listen to, but another singer (who is being doused in praise on YouTube) took a shot at the tune in 2012.