ET caught up with the former 'Dance Moms' star via Zoom on Monday.
JoJo Siwa is giving fans an update on what she's been up to amid the coronavirus pandemic. ET caught up with the dancer via Zoom on Monday, ahead of the release of her new music video for "Nonstop," which drops June 19 on her YouTube channel. During the interview, Siwa discussed everything from why she's been ditching her signature ponytail to rumors that she has a new boyfriend.
Siwa has recently been linked to Elliott Brown, an 18-year-old from her home state of Nebraska. The two were first spotted together in March, posing for pics, showing off their dance moves and enjoying the rides at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California.
While Siwa confirmed to ET's Keltie Knight that she is, in fact, dating someone, she said it's not Brown. "It's not him. I can say that with a dead straight face," said Siwa. "It's not Elliot. Keep doing your research!"
"It makes me giggle talking about it," she added. "Even Elliot texted me and was like, 'Who [is it]? And I was like, 'Sorry, we're not saying.'"
Siwa, who just celebrated her 17th birthday last month, is clearly growing up before our eyes. In addition to dating, she's also been playing with new looks -- and breaking the internet with her makeovers!
"It's hilarious," Siwa said of the massive response from fans. "I knew it would be a shock to people ... I knew it was going to be like, 'Oh my gosh, JoJo put her hair down,' because people just don't see that. But I also did not expect it to go as [viral] as it did."
"The bow will never be over," she added. "I mean, the bow is my life. I loved it ever since I was little. It's become who I am."
Later in the interview, Siwa addressed why she chose to defend her former Dance Moms coach, Abby Lee Miller, back in May. At the time, Siwa's former co-star, Brooke Hyland, shaded Miller in a since-deleted TikTok video. The footage showed Hyland shaking her head, seemingly in disgust, after seeing Miller's name pop up under Facebook's "friend suggestion" list. Siwa commented at the time, "It's one thing to just not add her back, it's another to post it..."
"Listen, Abby is Abby ... you either go to Abby's studio, you work for Abby; Abby doesn't just go pick up people off the street and be like, 'You're working for me.' That's not how it works," Siwa explained to ET. "You go to Abby, you know what you're getting into. So it makes me really, really upset that I am one of the few -- there's only a few people -- that really truly thank Abby, and are thankful and grateful for what she's done for us. Because without her, Dance Moms wouldn't be a thing."
"And without that, none of us would have a career. Like, Dance Moms is where I got my start," she added. "That's where Maddie [Ziegler] got her start, that's where Kenzie [Ziegler] got her start, Kalani [Hilliker], Paige [Hyland], Brooke, Nia [Sioux], Chloe [Lukasiak], Kendall [Vertes]. I mean, that's where everyone got their start."
Siwa continued on, telling ET that's why she got upset when she saw Hyland's video.
"[Miller] did some things to you that were not fair, [but] it was years ago, do not take it online," she said. "If you don't wanna add her back on Facebook, that's totally fine, but you don't need to publicly shade someone like that ... it's just unnecessary."
Miller has also been making headlines lately after she was accused of making racist remarks to Adriana Smith, and her daughter, Kamryn, who appeared on season 8 of Dance Moms. Lifetime has since pulled the plug on her new reality show, Abby’s Virtual Dance Off, which was supposed to premiere this summer.
"I genuinely understand and deeply regret how my words have effected and hurt those around me in the past, particularly those in the Black community ... I am truly sorry," Miller wrote in a statement addressed to "Kamryn, Adriana, and anyone else I've hurt," via Instagram. "I realize that racism can come not just from hate, but also from ignorance. No matter the cause, it is harmful, and it is my fault."
"While I cannot change the past or remove the harm I have done, I promise to educate myself, learn, grow and do better," she continued. "While I hope to one day earn your forgiveness, I recognize that words alone are not enough. I understand it takes time and genuine change."
While speaking to ET, Siwa did not address the most recent allegations against Miller. ET has also reached out to Lifetime and Miller for comment.
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