JoJo's New Song Is A Clever, Confident Response To Cancel Culture

JoJo is willing to launch a new era, however first, she has a couple of things to get off her chest.


As you could remember, the singer reemerged in 2016 with the great Mad Love, and then re-recorded and re-released her first two albums at the end of last year, as a way to push back against nagging label roadblocks. Right now, her reinvention is finally taking form — she recently swapped labels, and has spent some needed time processing her past, which we can hear on "Joanna."


The shockingly raw song, which arrived on Friday (October 11), opens with a bluesy guitar riff before making way for JoJo's still-impeccable vocals. "You should date somebody prominent, that'll probably put you on the A-list," the 28-year-old sings, mocking the unsolicited opinions she constantly receives. "That'll probably get you on them playlists, stop you being so damn underrated." It only gets realer from there: "Where did your acting career go? / You were supposed to be somebody / You were supposed to create more money."


In the accompanying video, it's JoJo who has the last laugh. As she delivers the final lyric — "You should just hurry and drop your new shit — she gives a knowing wink at the camera, hinting that that's exactly what she's about to do.


According to a press release, the reflective new track started as a freestyle, with JoJo echoing the thoughts of her haters and critics, and also her own doubts. Ultimately, though, it became a commentary on cancel culture. JoJo explains, "For someone to write someone off and tell them as soon as their story ends or what's possible for them is just dumb. Anything is possible. You are on a path all your own – I am more confident than ever about mine."


And rest assured, JoJo does indeed have "new shit" on the way — and also dropping "Joanna" on Friday (October 11), she reported a new single, "Sabotage," featuring CHIKA, out on October 25. The singer's upcoming body of work promises to center around her "new-found confidence – both musically and emotionally. There's a lightness, a joy, a sense of satisfaction: JoJo doesn't aspire to avoid the past, nevertheless it is time to open the next chapter." It's what she deserves!