The record marks the dancer and singer’s first explicit break away from the cleaner image of her early career
When JoJo Siwa announced her latest single, it came with a cautioned warning: “The following content is not made for children and may be disturbing or offensive to some viewers. May contain sexual themes, violence, strong language, traumatic scenarios, and flashing lights. Viewer discretion is advised.” She gave listeners nearly a month to prepare for “Karma,” and now it’s here.
“And when I lay me down to sleep, it’s not your body next to me/This lonely room feels so empty, just me and my regrets/And cold blue eyes look back at me, the mirror has no sympathy/My guilts become a symphony that won’t let me forget, oh,” Siwa sings on the record. “Karma’s a bitch, I should’ve known better/If I had a wish I would’ve never effed around/When I saw the pics of you and her I felt the knife twist/Karma’s a bitch (Karma), and she’s with you right now.”
The 20-year-old shared the accompanying “Karma” music video alongside the single, which she co-directed with Marc Klasfeld.
“I’ve grown up for eleven years now in front of the world and I have always been about making art. That’s what I love to do. I’ve always been genuinely myself and I’ve always created stuff that felt true to me,” Siwa shared at a listening party ahead of the song’s arrival. “As I got older I really wanted to create stuff that was gonna make the world say, “What the fuck?” And the fun thing is with ‘Karma,’ I wanted this first breakout adult moment to do that. I wanted this first adult breakout moment to make people’s heads turn.”
Siwa’s moment arrives less than two months after reports about the dissolution of XOMG Pop!, the girl group she assembled with her mother in 2021. Rolling Stone spoke with multiple sources familiar with the matter and reviewed more than two dozen documents related to XOMG Pop!, including contractual agreements, text messages, and emails. “It’s like, they use you,” one former member of the band, Leigha Sanderson, said. “And then they throw you in the trash.” The Siwas denied allegations of verbal abuse and physical duress via legal council.
