JoJo Siwa Reveals She and Ex Kylie Prew 'Aren't as Close as We Used to Be' but Are Both 'Happy'

JoJo Siwa is handling her breakup from girlfriend Kylie Prew with grace.

While walking the American Music Awards red carpet, Siwa — who is a finalist on Dancing with the Stars — spoke to PEOPLE's Jeremy Parsons and Janine Rubenstein about what "single JoJo" is like.

"I was with my girlfriend for nine months. And those nine months were amazing and incredible. And obviously I've talked about [it], we broke up. And one thing that I'm grateful for is that we're both okay," the dancer-singer, 18, says. "We obviously aren't as close as we used to be, but we're both okay. And we're both happy, and that's all that matters."

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The Nickelodeon star says that she's been in work mode since the breakup (the two split ahead of Disney Night on DWTS in October) but that she hasn't lost faith in love.

Amy Sussman/Getty JoJo Siwa

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"I've been straight working every single day," she says. "However, single JoJo is funny. Every day she's like, 'I want to marry somebody, and then the next day she's like, 'Ugh, I'm so happy to be single.' "

Siwa stunned on the carpet with a long black dress, heels — switching up her typical style.

"I am in a dress and heels the first time in my life. When I knew I was coming to the AMAs, I was like, 'Oh, what am I gonna wear,' because I have had this transition while being on Dancing with the Stars where I've gone from dressing like I normally dress to looking more adult," she says. "And I want to branch out of my comfort zone, and so today we went for a dress. I got some heels on."

Referring to her DWTS partner she adds, "These heels, actually Jenna [Johnson] gave to me today."

When asked what it's like to hit the dancefloor for the show after competing on Dance Moms as a kid, Siwa explains that things are much different.

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"I explain it like a football player playing baseball. It's very very different. And honestly being a dancer when I was little, it's a lot of things are quite opposite doing ballroom styles," she says. "So it's super challenging, and I even have to remind myself, and Jenna in rehearsals will get mad at me like, 'Stop, you're putting pressure on yourself to do a tango when you've never done a tango.' And I'm like, 'You're right. You're right. You're right.' "

Siwa recently caught up with PEOPLE about her split from Prew, saying she hadn't started dating but that she wouldn't mind a "cuddle buddy."

"I haven't started dating at all, anybody, but whatever happens happens," she told PEOPLE on Friday. "I fell in love with somebody who I didn't ever expect to fall in love with. We met on a cruise ship, she was my best friend. And then we went to Disney together and all of a sudden ... it kind of all happened. And so I think I learned to just trust life and whatever's supposed to happen is going to happen."

Siwa added, "But trust me, I want to have a cuddle date. So if anybody out there needs a cuddle date, cuddle buddy, I'll take it."

The American Music Awards, hosted by Cardi B, are broadcasting live from Los Angeles on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.