Jojo Siwa defends music video featuring a dancer accused of wearing blackface

Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY
·4 min read

Jojo Siwa is responding to backlash she's received for a music video featuring a backup dancer who some accused of featuring blackface.

The video for "NONSTOP," which Siwa says was filmed in February, premiered on YouTube on June 19. In the circus-themed video, Siwa is dressed up as a ring leader while backup dancers are dressed up as various animals and circus performers, including a tiger, a zebra and an acrobat.

One backup dancer is wearing a costume and face paint depicting a monkey, which drew criticism.

The singer and internet star, 17, took to Instagram Saturday to "set the record straight."

"We’re talking about kids dressing up as circus animals! No one in my video is wearing blackface," she wrote in a lengthy statement. "It’s awful that anyone’s mind would even go there. 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 continued, "I’ve addressed Black Lives Matter issues previously on my social media, I will say it again for the ones in the back, Black Lives Matter, today, tomorrow, yesterday and forever. I’m on the right side of history here. Stop trying to make this about something it isn’t."

She added that she's grateful for the love and support from her "real fans."

View this post on Instagram

I need to set the record straight about a few things because some have been irresponsible in recent stories and posts about me, and everyone seems to rush to conclusions without having all of the facts. My instagram post yesterday had absolutely nothing to do with the criticism I received on my music video ‘NONSTOP.' I blocked certain people online and stopped following others because I was tired of seeing the personal hate on me. Some people will do anything for attention and that includes being mean. People were sending me really horrible and disgusting messages about my appearance, my sexuality, my content, and overall just being hateful. More importantly, I would like to address the music video that we shot for ‘NONSTOP' in February. 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. Kids dressing in animal costumes, having their faces painted to look like animals, acting the part. There were zebras, tigers, dogs, clowns, mermaids, everything. I’ve addressed Black Lives Matter issues previously on my social media, I will say it again for the ones in the back, Black Lives Matter, today, tomorrow, yesterday and forever. 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.

A post shared by JoJo Siwa (@itsjojosiwa) on Jun 26, 2020 at 4:18pm PDT

Blackface was a form of entertainment condemned as offensive from its beginning, where white men would darken their faces to create caricatures of black people, including large mouths, lips and eyes, woolly hair and coal-black skin. The performances would stereotype black men and women as ignorant, hypersexual, superstitious, lazy people who were prone to thievery and cowardice.

Her comments were praised by some in the comment section.

YouTuber Colleen Ballinger wrote, "proud of you always. love you!"

Her mother, Jessalynn Siwa, wrote, "Love you so much and everything you stand for always."

Others said they were still looking for an apology.

"no one was hating on you at all!!! we were simply asking for an apology. just because it wasn’t meant to seem like a blackface doesn’t mean it didn’t come off as racially insensitive," user @brynndefender commented.

User @greenninjagooo wrote, "You finally addressed it but please at least apologize jojo. I know you didn’t mean anything wrong but it’d be nice if you could apologize to those who were offended."

Contributing: Jesse J. Holland, Associated Press

More: Everything you should know about JoJo Siwa, the 'Dance Moms' alum turned teen Internet star

More: Hulu removes ‘Golden Girls’ episode over blackface concerns: reports

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jojo Siwa denies blackface in video, says kids are dressed as animals