Jojo Siwa Spills The Tea: Clearing Up Lesbian Rumors And Her Romance With Chris Hughes!

JoJo Siwa’s Journey: From Child Star to Unfiltered Queen

Hey there, darlings! Let’s chat about JoJo Siwa, the 22-year-old sensation who’s been stealing hearts since she was just a kid with a giant bow. Sitting pretty in a high chair during her YOU photoshoot, JoJo’s flawless skin (seriously, it’s unreal!) gets a quick glow-up with some mascara and foundation - done in under 20 minutes. I’m over here on the sofa with her publicist, marveling at her youthful vibe, and let’s just say, being ‘only 22’ has its perks.

For those who haven’t kept up, JoJo’s rise is pure magic. From a tiny dancer on reality TV at nine to a billion-dollar empire by 15 - think 90 million hair bows sold worldwide - she’s the ultimate 21st-century child star. She even sold out London’s O2 Arena at 16! Now, post her stint on Celebrity Big Brother and with a hot new romance, JoJo’s figuring out her next big move - and we’re all ears.

Born Joelle Joanie Siwa in Omaha, Nebraska, she grew up in a cozy middle-class fam with her dance teacher mom Jessalynn, chiropractor dad Tom, and big bro Jayden. Homeschooling kicked in early - not because she struggled, but because she was *too* sharp for regular school. Boredom? Not in her vocab. By 2013, at just nine, she was on Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition, and soon, she and mom were off to California for Dance Moms.

Dancing Through Drama: The Dance Moms Days

Picture this: a pint-sized JoJo on Dance Moms, standing tough under the intense (and often shouty) guidance of choreographer Abby Lee Miller. Rewatching those episodes, I’m shook by her resilience - even when Miller yelled that she ‘deserved nothing,’ JoJo held it together, only letting a tiny tear slip before snapping back with a grown-up, ‘If you yell at me, I’m gonna cry.’ That’s our girl!

While many former dancers have called out Miller’s harsh style, JoJo’s not one to hold a grudge. Even after Celebrity Big Brother, Miller popped over to London to visit her. ‘I just don’t do bad feelings,’ JoJo told me with a smile. ‘Choosing happiness is everything.’ And honestly, that positivity? It’s downright contagious.

‘Life’s too short for drama - I’d rather focus on the good stuff and keep smiling,’ JoJo shared, radiating her signature optimism.

Nickelodeon Fame and Breaking All the Rules

By 13, JoJo was a Nickelodeon darling, starring in shows, dropping hit songs, and touring the world with a 132-show extravaganza. At 15, she became the youngest ever to sell out the O2 Arena - cue the happy tears! ‘I couldn’t believe it at first, but then it became my every night,’ she recalls. Talk about living the dream.

Then there’s the merch empire. From dolls to slime to those iconic bows (6,000 varieties, starting at £3!), JoJo became a brand like no other. Walmart, Amazon, Claire’s - they couldn’t keep her stuff on shelves. Fun fact: her bows were so huge in the UK, some schools banned them for breaking uniform rules. Now worth an estimated $20 million, JoJo’s still grounded, laughing off her mom’s old worry that she’d take her locked savings at 18 and bolt. ‘That was never gonna happen!’ she giggles.

Oh, and let’s not forget the splurges - like the Lamborghini she bought at 18, wrapped in stickers of her own face. ‘It was my “you survived” gift,’ she winks. Though it’s since been sold, along with her six-bedroom Tarzana house, she’s now renting a chic three-bedroom spot in Encino. ‘Rent’s cheaper than my old AC bill!’ she quips. Too many figures? ‘Way too many!’

Coming Out and Facing the Fallout

In 2021, at just 17, JoJo made headlines by coming out as pansexual with a casual Instagram post rocking a ‘Best Gay Cousin Ever’ tee. No big team meeting, just pure JoJo spontaneity. But the aftermath? Not all glitter and rainbows. She’s spoken about a call from a company exec asking how to explain it to her young fans, plus a nudge to reassure retailers she wasn’t ‘going crazy.’ Thankfully, the retailers were all love.

Then came the snub - no invite to the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. An ‘honest mistake,’ they claimed, but some whispered ‘blackball.’ JoJo shrugs it off today. ‘If it was about my sexuality, fine by me. It didn’t faze me, but it sure fazed them,’ she says with a smirk. That’s the spirit - owning her truth, no apologies.

Fast forward to 2024, and JoJo’s shedding the child star image. Goodbye bows, hello black leather and a ‘bad girl’ vibe with her track Karma. She admits it was a bit of a stunt for attention. ‘I faked being naughty for a year, and now I’m like, what was I doing?’ she laughs. While she can’t sell out arenas like her 14-year-old self, her recent sold-out London shows at Colors (a 300-person venue) prove she’s still got it.

Celebrity Big Brother: Drama and Unexpected Love

The Mickey Rourke Clash

JoJo joined Celebrity Big Brother in April 2024 not for cash, but for kicks. ‘I love reality TV - it’s a blast,’ she told her hesitant team. But drama found her fast. Two days in, 72-year-old actor Mickey Rourke confronted her, asking if she was a lesbian. When she said yes, he quipped, ‘If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay anymore.’ Ouch. Later, in the smoking area, he made a crude remark, pointing at her with, ‘I’m not talking to you.’ He was booted from the house, and JoJo hasn’t heard from him since. ‘I doubt he’d even recognize me on the street,’ she chuckles.

Despite the shade, JoJo’s unbothered. That’s her vibe - rolling with the punches and keeping it cute. But the real headline from the show? Her budding connection with co-star Chris Hughes, a former Love Island heartthrob. Let’s dive into that next.

Falling for Chris Hughes

Now, let’s talk about the romance that’s got everyone buzzing. Chris Hughes, 32, a Gloucestershire farmer’s son and influencer with 2.2 million Instagram followers, seems an unlikely match for JoJo. She’d identified as a lesbian and was dating non-binary actor Kath Ebbs at the time. Yet, inside the Big Brother house, sparks flew. By day 16, JoJo confided to a housemate she felt more ‘queer’ than strictly lesbian, fueling all kinds of speculation.

Post-show, after splitting with Ebbs, JoJo and Chris teased fans with a ‘will-they-won’t-they’ dance. A cozy Mexico vacay and sweet pics had us all guessing, but they played it cool with ‘platonic soulmates’ vibes. When I caught up with JoJo, the relationship was finally official. ‘It took time apart and time together,’ she says softly, adding that Chris is now ‘the favorite part of my life.’ Swoon!

She’s meeting his fam - and his horse! - in the Cotswolds soon, before heading back to the US for her tour. Long-distance? ‘It’s tough, but we make it work with careers we control,’ she assures me. And dating her first English guy (and first guy, period)? ‘It’s all new, but I’m loving it,’ she grins. Cultural quirks aside, this pair is pure goals.

Owning Her Fluidity: Sexuality and Staying True

On the topic of sexuality, JoJo’s keeping it real. Now identifying as queer, she reflects on the pressure to box herself in as a lesbian after coming out as pansexual at 17. ‘I think some of that pressure came from within the LGBTQ community, from people and past partners,’ she admits. ‘Once you say you’re a lesbian, you feel you *have* to be. But sexuality is fluid.’

Her first girlfriend sent sweet support after the Big Brother romance news, and even with Ebbs’ less-than-happy TikToks post-breakup, JoJo’s unfazed. ‘It’s all good - sometimes people just need a quick vent,’ she says with a shrug. That level-headedness? It’s why we stan. Not mad at exes, not mad at Rourke, not even mad at Nickelodeon for past slights - JoJo’s stability is next-level.

‘I’ve processed so much already, and I’m beyond happy with it all,’ she tells me. ‘If I could go back, I’d change nothing - zero.’ With a career that peaked young, a net worth to dream of, and a new love to cherish, JoJo Siwa’s living proof you can grow up in the spotlight and still shine bright. So, what’s next for our fave? Stick around - with her, it’s always a wild, wonderful ride.