If you’ve spent any time on the internet lately, you’ve probably seen the comparisons. On one side, you have Miley Cyrus, the architect of the modern "child star to edgy adult" pipeline. On the other, JoJo Siwa, the girl who traded her signature neon bows for black crystals and "bad girl" energy.
People love a good narrative. They want a passing of the torch. Or, more often, they want a messy feud.
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But the reality of the JoJo Siwa Miley Cyrus connection isn’t just about who wore the leather vest better. It’s a story of idol worship, a decade-old song that almost didn't happen, and a very public "closet" joke that left things feeling a little weird for a minute in 2025.
Honestly, it’s a lot more complicated than a few TikTok edits make it look.
The Karma Connection: Did She Really "Steal" It?
Let’s talk about the song. "Karma." You know the one—the high-energy track that JoJo used to announce her "new era" to the world. When it first dropped, the internet went into a full-scale detective mode.
Rumors flew that JoJo had swiped the song from Miley. Then, a version by an artist named Brit Smith from 2012 surfaced, and things got even noisier.
Here is the actual truth: JoJo Siwa didn't steal "Karma."
The song was a project from Rock Mafia, the production team that basically built the sound of Hollywood Records in the early 2010s. They worked with Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, and—you guessed it—Miley Cyrus.
Miley actually demoed "Karma" back in 2011. She was right in the middle of her transition from Hannah Montana to the Can’t Be Tamed era. For whatever reason—whether it was Disney interference or just a change in creative direction—she never released it.
The song sat in a vault for over a decade. It went to Brit Smith, who filmed a whole music video for it that got shelved. Finally, it landed in JoJo’s lap.
JoJo has been very open about the fact that she didn't write it. She’s an entertainer. She was pitched a song that felt like the "Bangerz" moment she had been dreaming of since she was eight years old. For her, it wasn't about "stealing" a track; it was about finally getting to step into the shoes of her biggest hero.
That WorldPride 2025 Joke
Fast forward to last summer. This is where the JoJo Siwa Miley Cyrus relationship got a bit... prickly.
Miley was part of a video message for WorldPride 2025 in Washington D.C. In the clip, she was literally standing in a closet. She cracked a joke, saying she’d been out since 6th grade, but then added that she was going back in "to get more pretzels and find JoJo Siwa and bring her back out."
Now, Miley’s a jokester. She’s been an LGBTQ+ icon for years. But for JoJo, who had been through a public journey of identifying as a lesbian and then later identifying as queer while dating Celebrity Big Brother co-star Chris Hughes, the joke didn't land.
JoJo took to Instagram with a massive photo dump of her as a little kid decked out in Miley merch. She didn't hold back. She basically said that while she didn't think Miley meant to be mean, it wasn't a good joke.
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"Not what the world, or myself needs to hear any day of the week," JoJo wrote.
It was a rare moment where a fan-turned-peer stood up to their idol. It felt human. It felt like two people trying to navigate the messy intersection of public image and private identity.
The good news? They’re fine. JoJo messaged her, and Miley’s response was short and sweet: "All love. Always."
Why the Comparison Won’t Die
We keep talking about JoJo Siwa and Miley Cyrus because JoJo won't let us forget it. She has explicitly said she wants her career to follow the "Miley map."
She saw what Miley did in 2013—the foam finger, the haircut, the total destruction of the "Disney girl" image—and she used it as a blueprint. JoJo even uses Miley's longtime creative director, Richie Jackson.
But there’s a massive difference between the two transitions.
Miley’s shift felt like a rebellion. She was fighting to be seen as an adult because the industry was trying to keep her in a blonde wig. JoJo’s shift feels more like a strategic marketing move. She’s "giving the world art," as she puts it, even if the world is cringing a little bit.
JoJo isn't trying to be Miley; she’s trying to capture the impact Miley had. Whether she’s succeeded is up for debate, but she’s certainly kept us talking.
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What This Means for Pop Culture
The saga of these two stars tells us a lot about how we treat former child actors. We expect them to stay frozen in time, and when they don't, we get defensive.
Miley survived the "Wrecking Ball" era to become a Grammy-winning powerhouse with "Flowers." She proved there is life after the rebrand. JoJo is currently in the thick of it. She’s dealing with the "guilty pleasure" labels and the constant critiques of her vocal ability.
Lessons from the Siwa-Cyrus Dynamic
- Idols are people too: Even your lifelong hero can make a joke that hurts your feelings. Setting boundaries is part of growing up.
- The industry recycles everything: That "new" song you love might have been sitting in a drawer for 15 years.
- Authenticity is a moving target: You can be queer, date a man, and still be part of the community. JoJo’s "switching letters" moment on Big Brother proved that identity isn't a straight line.
If you’re watching this play out, don’t just look at the headlines. Look at the history. JoJo is a student of pop music, and Miley is her textbook. They might butt heads, and the music might be polarizing, but they both understand the most important rule of Hollywood: don't be boring.
Next time you hear "Karma" on the radio, remember it's not just a JoJo song. It's a relic of the 2011 Miley era that finally found its way home.
Actionable Insight: If you're interested in how these pop transitions work, go back and listen to Miley's Can’t Be Tamed album alongside JoJo's newer tracks. You'll hear the same Rock Mafia production DNA that tried to bridge the gap between "teen star" and "adult artist" over a decade apart.