JoJo Siwa announces a new song and discusses the rebranding to queer pop during a lecture

On Monday, Brown Lecture Board welcomed JoJo Siwa for a lecture at Salomon DECI.

During the talk, she announced and performed part of her new song ‘Iced Coffee’, which will be released on November 22, with a sneak peak that will be released on TikTok from November 13.

For many members of Gen-Z, Siwa has become a pop culture household name and a global internet celebrity like no other. Siwa started her career as a contestant on the reality TV show ‘Dance Moms’ and rose to even greater fame with her release of kid-oriented songs, features on various TV shows and even her own line of hair ties. Earlier this year, Siwa initiated her professional transition from child to adult pop singer, marking a major transformation in her aesthetic and musical style.

Siwa, who identifies as a lesbian, reflected on how her sexuality has shaped her overall identity and creative artistry as a performer. She shared that coming out at age 17 permanently changed her career and was a “big deal and (a) game changer.”

“I was one of the first child stars to come out while I was still a child star, and that was very different,” Siwa said. “The world hadn’t seen that before and the world didn’t necessarily know how to respond.”

Despite the barrage of reactions her coming out initially received, Siwa expressed her gratitude for being able to share her identity publicly at a young age. “It’s guided my career in really cool ways. “I was able to shine a light on the fact that your sexuality is not something weird, but something to be proud of,” she said.

For Siwa, growth in her career has been synonymous with the growth of her own identity. After undergoing an unusually drastic rebranding, she recalled being faced with the dilemma of figuring out how to break out of her initial “kid-friendly” pop star persona.

“Honestly, I realized that if I had kept doing what I was already doing, I could have had a signed, sealed career where I was set for life. But I realized that that was no longer my passion. My passion was to enter this world of gay pop,” said Siwa.

JoJo Siwa sits with a moderator in front of a red Brown University logo.

With such an animated public persona, many questions have been raised about whether the version of herself that Siwa shows online is real. Having grown up on ‘Dance Moms’ and now consistently documenting her life on social media, the singer reflected on how her content online usually only gives her followers small glimpses into her day.

“That’s kind of how I plan my career. I keep it entertaining because that’s what I came to this earth for, and that’s what I want to do,” Siwa said. “It all comes from me though. There is definitely a more emotional side of me.”

“I live a great life and I like to share it. Yes, there is more, but what you see is what you get,” she added.

Siwa also took the time to connect with the students who attended the lecture. She shared her experiences dealing with online hate at a young age and provided insight into how she dealt with the negativity directed at her over the years.

“People have hated (me) since I was nine during my first show,” she said. “It never gets easier. It even gets harder because as I get older…I take things more seriously.”

Siwa said she kept reminding herself of those closest to her to ignore the hate she receives. “The advice that has helped me this year is that my bubble of people is so surreal. I really try to surround myself with them.”

Siwa, 21, realized she was the same age as many of the students present. Although she made the decision not to attend college to pursue her professional career, she acknowledged that as a young adult she felt connected to students around her age in the audience and expressed support for their efforts to pursue their education .

“It’s not easy being someone our age. You’re dealing with being a baby adult… There’s so much in your life that you’re figuring out right now,” she said. “Be proud of yourself for (something) as simple as waking up every day.”

JoJo Siwa performs onstage at Salomon DECI at Brown University wearing a white tank top and cargo jeans with a Brown University emblem in the background.

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“You are never alone,” Siwa added. “I can guarantee that you and I all have one problem that is somewhat in common.”

Siwa’s speech left Zoe Weissman ’28 “stunned.”

Seeing Siwa was “more than I could ever ask for,” she said. “She has no impulse control and we have learned so many new and special things, including her new single.”

“She was so real,” Pooja Yerneni ’26 said after the event. “I appreciated that she didn’t hold back with her answers.”

Others felt a more personal connection to seeing Siwa in person, having grown up watching her performances on Dance Moms and her rise to stardom.

Nayani Modugula ’26 grew up with Siwa on Dance Moms and was “really excited” to see her at the event, especially considering that “she’s all grown up now too.”

For attendees like Rhiannon Chaston ’28, Siwa’s speech was “so brown.”

Anel Zhussubali ’26 agreed, saying that Siwa “really fit the vibe of our campus, and I think everyone related a lot to her.”

Siwa herself acknowledged the various steps in her career that have brought her to the unique position she is in today and how she sees herself evolving in the future. “From now on, I am very grateful for my life and my youth. It was very different, but it shaped me into who I am. It got me here…I wouldn’t want anything else to be there.”


Isabel Hahn

Isabel Hahn is an arts and culture editor focusing on English and behavioral decision sciences. In her spare time she enjoys watching movies, reading and keeping diaries.


Tom Li

Tom Li is a Metro editor covering the topics of health and environment and development and infrastructure. He is from Pleasanton, California, and focuses on economics and international and public affairs. He is an avid RIPTA passenger and enjoys taking (and critiquing) personality tests in his spare time.