JoJo Siwa Blasted Over Accusations She Had an 11-Year-Old Dancer Wear ‘Blackface’ to Perform as a Monkey in Video

JoJo Siwa is facing some serious allegations online due to her latest music video. On June 19, the Dance Moms alum dropped the visual for her new single, “NONSTOP.” The footage is circus themed, with Siwa singing while dressed as a ringmaster. A team of dancers, who are all dressed up as circus animals, surround her. One of these animals in question was a monkey. The dancer’s face was painted up to match the animal, which drew allegations of Blackface.

After considerable backlash on the matter, Siwa felt compelled to address the issue. She noted she wanted to “set the record straight about a few things because some have been irresponsible in recent stories and posts.” She also blasted those who “rush to conclusions without having all of the facts.” In the Instagram post on the matter, the Masked Singer alum discussed some actions she’s taken in response to the hatred she’s received because of the video. She noted that she blocked some accounts and unfollowed others because she was “was tired of seeing the personal hate” directed at her from said accounts.

“Some people will do anything for attention and that includes being mean,” she wrote. “People were sending me really horrible and disgusting messages about my appearance, my sexuality, my content, and overall just being hateful.”

She then adamantly denied that the facepaint in question should be interpreted as Blackface. She claimed it was an innocent exercise in dress-up, being as the dancer was painted up as an animal, not a person of color.

“We’re talking about kids dressing up as circus animals! No one in my video is wearing blackface. It’s awful that anyone’s mind would even go there,” Siwa wrote. “Kids dressing in animal costumes, having their faces painted to look like animals, acting the part. There were zebras, tigers, dogs, clowns, mermaids, everything.”

She also solidified her support for the Black Lives Matter movement, noting that Black lives matter “today, tomorrow, yesterday and forever.” She added, “I’m on the right side of history here. Stop trying to make this about something it isn’t. I love my real fans and am so grateful for their love and support. Instead of trying to drag everyone down, let’s be positive and come back like a boomerang.”