JoJo! On Power Ponytails And Perma-positivity

JoJo Siwa’s sleek platinum hairstyle is one of the most iconic ponys in pop culture. But while everyone’s busy debating the merits of her major mane, JoJo’s running her empire— and setting off on a sparkling spring headlining tour.

- Sydney Adamson

JoJo Siwa’s dog is not happy with her. BowBow, a Teacup Yorkie, has been barking at JoJo (short for Joelle Joanie) for a solid two minutes in an attempt to get her attention—so the singer-dancer-actress pauses to swiftly scoop up the tiny yapper and plop her onto her lap.

“I am so sorry,” she says, then pitches her voice up an octave, mostly addressing her furry friend. “I think she’s just jealous she’s not the one being interviewed.”

While BowBow might have a whopping 1.1 million followers on her own Instagram (check out @itsbowbowsiwa), JoJo and her platinum pony are what everyone’s really talking about. Her go-to sleek, sideswept, bow-embellished style soon became her very own signature.

“Who would have thought that a ponytail would be such a big part of my life?” the 15-year-old muses about her much-discussed ’do.

STARTING EARLY

There’s no telling if JoJo’s mom had any indication of the power of a simple pony when she started styling 2-year-old JoJo’s hair with a bevy of bows. But without her trademark tresses, it’s probably safe to say JoJo wouldn’t be living the life she dreamed of as a kid back home in Omaha, watching Miley Stewart (aka Miley Cyrus) live a fabulous double life on Disney Channel.

In those days, “Just about every kid wanted to become famous like Hannah Montana, me included,” she remembers. But for her, it was different. Why? Well, mainly because JoJo actually made it happen (just minus the whole double persona thing).

It was in 2013—years after JoJo’s mom placed that first ribbon in her hair—that JoJo and her bows made their way into popular culture on Lifetime’s Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition.