Why JoJo Siwa's photoshoot with Ladygunn Magazine is causing strong reactions

JoJo Siwa knows how to get people talking, and her latest photoshoot is generating plenty of comments.

The 21-year-old dancer and singer posed for the cover of Ladygunn Magazine in a variety of looks, one in particular making headlines. In one photo, Siwa wears a rhinestone-encrusted breastplate with abs and all, as well as a matching rhinestone-encrusted bump.

“I learned at a very young age that in public, any attention is attention… whether it's good attention or just attention,” Siwa says in an interview and talks about her career and her work.

And the former “Dance Moms” star is definitely attracting attention: some are shocked, others are impressed.

“OMG JOJO SIWA????” tweeted @mazzypopstar alongside the photos.

“The internet is not at the level of a bad bitch to know that this is a bad bitch and I will stand by my word that I am a fan of Jojo Siwa for the rest of my life,” another person wrote on X.

@StOnge_Kim, on the other hand, was not as impressed, saying that “kids love Siwa,” but “that is NOT the person the kids are supposed to look up to.”

Under the magazine's Instagram post, comments varied from “I actually don't like this at all” to “If this was crazy, you'd all eat it.”

Knowing people would share their thoughts, one person wrote, “Who else responded to the comments? I almost tripped over trying to read them.”

“Oh my god this is soooo campy I love it,” added another, while someone commented: “I don't know who manages her but they are ruining her career.”

Coincidentally, Siwa also talked about her management in the accompanying interview.

“I just signed with new management and they're amazing, amazing people. They were like, 'Okay, we need to make sure people rally around you and start really liking you.' And I was like, 'Oh no, that's not what it's about,'” she tells the magazine.

In recent years, Siwa has moved away from her former cheerful Nickelodeon self and undergone an edgy rebranding. You could say her major makeover began with the release of her song and music video for “Karma” in April, in which she trades in her signature rainbow-colored look for rocking Kiss-inspired eye makeup and outfit.

Of her new music and look, she told Billboard: “I wanted it to be as bold and brave as possible. There's nothing bolder than this song.”

“The genre is – I said it back when I first signed with Columbia. I said, 'I want to start a new genre of music.' And they said, 'What do you mean?' And I said, 'It's called gay pop,'” added Siwa, who came out in 2021. The comment sparked controversy as many thought Siwa was ignoring the influence of other gay pop artists.

Since the release of “Karma,” Siwa has continued to make bold statements that get people talking—and that’s exactly what she wants.

“My favorite thing on earth is to entertain and make people smile and laugh, whether they're laughing with me or at me,” Siwa tells LadyGunn. “Of course, nobody likes to be hated, but I like to entertain, and that's how people are entertained.”