JoJo Siwa, the former child star known for her Dance Moms fame and signature bows, has been evolving her career and public image amid buzz and some backlash.

Recent Name Change

She updated her TikTok name to "Joelle Siwa" on New Year's Eve 2025, her real first name, sparking fan speculation about 2026 plans like new music, tours, or personal milestones. Her boyfriend, Chris Hughes from Love Island, has called her Joelle in posts, fueling engagement rumors after she wore a wedding dress photo ahead of a "proposal deadline."

Business Moves

In early 2026, Siwa partnered with Royal Caribbean for a fan cruise adventure on Utopia of the Seas and launched two new bow collections, reclaiming control over her brand after Nickelodeon contracts. She aims to "cry less" this year after past challenges, estimating just three tears so far while building a multimillion-dollar empire from tours ($26.9M in first year) and merch.

Past Controversies

Her 2024 "gay pop" rebrand drew hate for outfits some called too explicit, alongside XOMG! Pop allegations of grueling schedules and mistreatment. She canceled a 2025 Chicago Pride show over scheduling tied to her romance, and older rumors like death hoaxes were debunked.

Fan and Forum Chatter

Reddit threads from 2024-2025 question her social media dominance and rebrand hate, with some praising her growth and others critiquing the shift from kid- friendly to adult pop. Longtime fans note Joelle was always her real name, dismissing newbie confusion.

Aspect| Then (Pre-2024)| Now (2026)
---|---|---
Image| Bows, kid pop star 59| Edgy rebrand, Joelle era 310
Projects| Nickelodeon, tours 5| Cruises, bows, possible engagement 57
Backlash| Minimal 9| Rebrand, work allegations 49

TL;DR: No major crisis—JoJo (now Joelle) Siwa is thriving with 2026 launches, romance hype, and brand control, despite lingering rebrand drama.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.