Joanna Noëlle Levesque (born December 20, 1990),
known professionally as JoJo, is an American singer and actress. She began performing in singing competitions and local talent shows as a child. In 2003, record producer
Vincent Herbert
Vincent Herbert (born January 27, 1973) is an American songwriter, record producer, record executive, and founder of Streamline Records, an imprint of Interscope Records.
Work
He has worked with artists such as Aaliyah, Tatyana Ali, Toni Braxt ...
noticed her after she competed on the television show ''
America's Most Talented Kid
''America's Most Talented Kid'' was an American television series that premiered on NBC on March 28, 2003. In each round, three age groups (3-7, 8-12, 13-16) of talented children would perform songs, dance numbers, magic, and other forms of ente ...
s'' and asked her to audition for his record label
Blackground Records. After signing with the label, JoJo released her
eponymous debut studio album in 2004. It peaked at number four on the US
''Billboard'' 200 and was later
certified
Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA), selling over four million copies worldwide to date.
With her debut single "
Leave (Get Out)
"Leave (Get Out)" is the debut single of American singer JoJo from her self-titled debut studio album (2004). It was released as the album's lead single on February 24, 2004. Produced by Danish production duo Soulshock & Karlin, the song became ...
" peaking atop the US ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Mainstream Top 40
Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/contemporary hit radio, CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played o ...
chart, JoJo became the youngest solo artist in history to top the chart at age 13. The song peaked at 12 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and was certified gold by the RIAA along with its follow-up single "
Baby It's You". Her second studio album ''
The High Road'' (2006) spawned her first top-five Hot 100 hit "
Too Little Too Late", peaking at number three, becoming her first single to be certified platinum by the RIAA. The album was later certified gold, selling over three million copies worldwide to date.
Record label disputes delayed JoJo from commercially releasing her third studio album; she released two
mixtape
A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
s independently, ''
Can't Take That Away from Me'' (2010) and ''
Agápē
In Christianity, agape (; ) is "the highest form of love, charity" and "the love of God for man and of man for God". This is in contrast to philia, brotherly love, or philautia, self-love, as it embraces a deep and profound sacrificial love tha ...
'' (2012).
After her contractual release, JoJo signed with
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
in 2014 and released her first commercial
EP ''
III
III or iii may refer to:
Companies
* Information International, Inc., a computer technology company
* Innovative Interfaces, Inc., a library-software company
* 3i, formerly Investors in Industry, a British investment company
Other uses
* Ins ...
'' (2015), followed by her third studio album ''
Mad Love __NOTOC__
Mad Love may refer to: Books
*''Mad Love'' (French ''L'amour fou''), collection of poems by André Breton
*'' The Batman Adventures: Mad Love'', an Eisner and Harvey award-winning comic by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm
* Mad Love (publisher), ...
'' (2016), which became her third top-ten album in the US. She left Atlantic in 2017 and founded her record label
Clover Music
Joanna Noëlle Levesque (born December 20, 1990), known professionally as JoJo, is an American singer and actress. She began performing in singing competitions and local talent shows as a child. In 2003, record producer Vincent Herbert notic ...
through a joint venture with
Warner Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
, where she re-recorded and re-released her debut and second albums as the label's first project in 2018.
JoJo's fourth studio album ''
Good to Know'' was released in May 2020, preceded by its first single, "
Man". In October, she released her first Christmas album called ''December Baby''. By 2007, JoJo had sold more than seven million records worldwide,
including 2.1 million albums and four million digital downloads in the United States.
In addition to her music career, JoJo has also pursued an acting career. In 2006, she made her on-screen feature film debut in ''
Aquamarine'' and ''
R.V.'' alongside Robin Williams. She has also had guest appearances on the television shows ''
The Bernie Mac Show
''The Bernie Mac Show'' (often shortened to ''Bernie Mac'' in syndication) is an American sitcom television series created by Larry Wilmore, that aired on Fox for five seasons from November 14, 2001 to April 14, 2006. The series featured Bernie ...
'' (2002), ''
American Dreams'' (2004), ''
Romeo!'' (2006), ''
Hawaii Five-0
Hawaii Five-O or Hawaii Five-0 may refer to:
* Hawaii Five-0 (2010 TV series), ''Hawaii Five-0'' (2010 TV series), an American action police procedural television series
* Hawaii Five-O (1968 TV series), ''Hawaii Five-O'' (1968 TV series), an Ame ...
'' (2011) and ''
Lethal Weapon'' (2017). Other films JoJo has appeared in include the
Lifetime Television film ''
True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet'' (2008) and ''
G.B.F.'' (2013).
Early life
Joanna Noëlle Levesque was born on December 20, 1990, in
Brattleboro, Vermont, but raised in
Keene, New Hampshire
Keene is a city in, and the County seat, seat of Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 23,047 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 23,409 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census.
Keene is ho ...
, and
Foxborough, Massachusetts
Foxborough is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, about southwest of Boston, northeast of Providence, Rhode Island and about northwest of Cape Cod. Foxborough is part of the Greater Boston area. The population was 18,618 at ...
. She is of
French-Canadian
French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fr ...
,
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
,
Scottish
Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
*Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland
*Scottish English
*Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
,
Irish, and
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
*Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
descent.
Her father, Joel Maurice Levesque (January 8, 1955–November 14, 2015), sang as a hobby, and her mother, Diana Levesque (née Blagden) sang in a Catholic church choir and was trained in musical theater.
[ JoJo's parents divorced when she was four years old, and she was raised as an only child by her mother. The name JoJo was a childhood nickname.]
As a child, JoJo listened as her mother practiced hymns. She started singing when she was two years old by imitating everything from nursery rhymes to R&B, jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
, and soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
tunes.[ As a child, JoJo enjoyed attending Native American festivals and acted locally in professional theaters.]
At age seven, JoJo appeared on the television show '' Kids Say the Darndest Things: On the Road in Boston'' with American comedian and actor Bill Cosby,[ and she sang a song from singer ]Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
. After auditioning in the television show ''Destination Stardom'', JoJo sang Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...
's 1967 hit "Respect
Respect, also called esteem, is a positive feeling or action shown towards someone or something considered important or held in high esteem or regard. It conveys a sense of admiration for good or valuable qualities. It is also the process of ...
" and " Chain of Fools". Soon after, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show
''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', often referred to as ''The Oprah Show'' or simply ''Oprah'', is an American daytime broadcast syndication, syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in Chicag ...
'' contacted her, inviting her to perform. At age eleven, she performed on '' Maury'' during a "kids-with-talent" episode in 2002.
Career
1998–2005: Beginning and ''JoJo''
At age six, JoJo was offered a record deal, but her mother turned it down because she believed JoJo was too young for a music career. After appearing on various talk shows, the McDonald's Gospelfest
The McDonald's Gospelfest is an annual gospel music festival, talent competition, and fundraiser in Newark, New Jersey. The event, inaugurated in 1983, and sponsored by McDonald's, takes place in spring and has been held at the Prudential Center s ...
, performing Whitney Houston's "I Believe in You and Me
"I Believe in You and Me" is a song written by Sandy Linzer and David Wolfert in 1982. The song was first recorded and released by the R&B group The Four Tops, who released it as a single from their album '' One More Mountain'' (1982). While it fa ...
" and competing on the television show, ''America's Most Talented Kids
''America's Most Talented Kid'' was an American television series that premiered on NBC on March 28, 2003. In each round, three age groups (3-7, 8-12, 13-16) of talented children would perform songs, dance numbers, magic, and other forms of enter ...
'' (losing to Diana DeGarmo), record producer Vincent Herbert contacted her and asked her to audition for Blackground Records.[ During her audition for Barry Hankerson, Hankerson told her that the spirit of his niece, the late singer ]Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
, had brought her to him. She was signed to the label, and had recording sessions with producers The Underdogs and Soulshock & Karlin. JoJo's live demo, ''Joanna Levesque'', recorded in 2001, features covers of soul and R&B songs, including Mack Rice
Bonny "Mack" Rice (November 10, 1933 – June 27, 2016), sometimes credited as Sir Mack Rice, was an American songwriter and singer. His best-known composition and biggest hit as a solo performer was " Mustang Sally". He also wrote " Respe ...
's 1965 " Mustang Sally", Etta James
Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer who performed in various genres, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll, and soul. Starting her career in 1954, sh ...
's 1989 "It Ain't Always What You Do (It's Who You Let See You Do It)", Aretha Franklin's 1968 "Chain of Fools" and 1969 " The House That Jack Built", The Moonglows
The Moonglows were an American Rhythm and blues, R&B group in the 1950s. Their song "Sincerely (song), Sincerely" went to number 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, R&B chart and number 20 on the ''Billboard'' Juke Box chart.
They wer ...
' 1956 "See Saw", Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...
's 1972 "Superstition
A superstition is any belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural, attributed to fate or magic, perceived supernatural influence, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly applied to beliefs and ...
", and The Temptations
The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...
' 1975 "Shakey Ground".
In 2003, at age 12, JoJo signed with Blackground Records and Da Family and began working with producers for her first album. JoJo's gold-certified debut single "Leave (Get Out)
"Leave (Get Out)" is the debut single of American singer JoJo from her self-titled debut studio album (2004). It was released as the album's lead single on February 24, 2004. Produced by Danish production duo Soulshock & Karlin, the song became ...
" was released in 2004. Before the album's release, JoJo embarked on her first ever tour, the Cingular Buddy Bash with pop rock
Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
singer Fefe Dobson, hip hop duo Young Gunz, alternative metal
Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music
Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With r ...
band Zebrahead
Zebrahead is an American rap-punk band from La Habra, California. Formed in 1996, the band has released thirteen studio albums to date.
History
1996–2001: Formation and early years
Zebrahead was formed in La Habra, California in summer ...
, and teen pop stars Ryan Cabrera and Busted. Like debut tours by Tiffany
Tiffany may refer to:
People
* Tiffany (given name), list of people with this name
* Tiffany (surname), list of people with this surname
Known mononymously as "Tiffany":
* Tiffany Darwish, (born 1971), an American singer, songwriter, actress kn ...
and Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
before her, it stopped at nine malls, starting at Atlanta's Northlake Mall and ending at South Shore Plaza
South Shore Plaza is a shopping mall in Braintree, Massachusetts, owned by Simon Property Group. It is near the Braintree Split interchange, off the I-93 / US 1 and Route 37 junction. The mall opened as an open-air plaza in 1961; it was enclosed ...
near her hometown of Foxborough. When the single reached number one on the Mainstream Top 40
Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/contemporary hit radio, CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played o ...
chart, she became, at age thirteen, the youngest solo artist to have a number-one single in the United States. The first single was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2004 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on August 29, 2004, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. The show took place at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida, and, unlike in previous years, had no host.
Background
MTV ...
, which made JoJo the youngest MTV Video Music Award nominee. Her first album, the platinum-selling ''JoJo
Jojo, JoJo or Jo Jo is a given name, surname, nickname or stage name used by several people and fictional characters, including:
People with the given name, nickname or stage name Musicians
*JoJo (singer) (born 1990), American R&B singer, songwri ...
'', was released in 2004, peaking at number four on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 and number ten on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, selling 95,000 copies in its first week and reaching the top forty of the UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
. In December 2004, she was nominated for Female New Artist of the Year and Mainstream Top 40 Single of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards
The ''Billboard'' Music Awards are honors given out annually by '' Billboard'', a publication covering the music business and a music popularity chart. The ''Billboard'' Music Awards show has been held annually since 1990, with the exception of ...
. She is also the youngest artist to be nominated at the Billboard Music Awards. Her second single, released in September 2004, the gold-selling " Baby It's You" – which features rapper Bow Wow – peaked at number twenty-two in the U.S. and number eight in the UK. The final single from the album, "Not That Kinda Girl
"Not That Kinda Girl" is a song by American singer JoJo from her self-titled debut studio album (2004). It was written by Neely Dinkins, B. Cola Pietro, Balewa Muhammad, and Sylvester Jordan Jr. The song was released on February 15, 2005, as the ...
", was released in 2005 and peaked at number eighty-five in Germany.
In 2005, JoJo participated in " Come Together Now", a charity single to benefit the victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami
An earthquake and a tsunami, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami and, by the scientific community, the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, occurred at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7) on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Suma ...
and the 2005 Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
. That year, she was requested by First Lady
First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non-monarchical
A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state fo ...
Laura Bush
Laura Lane Welch Bush (''née'' Welch; born November 4, 1946) is an American teacher, librarian, memoirist and author who was First Lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009. Bush previously served as First Lady of Texas from 1995 to 2000. ...
to perform at the 2004 Christmas in Washington special, broadcast by TNT and hosted by Dr. Phil
Phillip Calvin McGraw (born September 1, 1950), better known as Dr. Phil, is an American television personality and author best known for hosting the talk show '' Dr. Phil''. He holds a doctorate in clinical psychology, though he ceased rene ...
and his wife Robin McGraw. JoJo hosted and performed at the Hope Rocks Concert in 2005 to benefit City of Hope National Medical Center, and co-hosted the 2006 TV Guide Channel's countdown to the Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
. In 2005, she was offered a role on the Disney Channel
Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Compan ...
television series ''Hannah Montana
''Hannah Montana'' is an American teen sitcom created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll and Barry O'Brien that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between March2006 and January2011. The series centers on Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus), a ...
'', but she turned down the role in favor of developing her music career.
2006–2009: ''The High Road'', acting and label trouble
In 2006 JoJo was cast opposite Emma Roberts and Sara Paxton
Sara Paxton (born April 25, 1988) is an American actress, voice artist, and singer. She began acting at an early age, appearing in minor roles in both films and television shows, before rising to fame in 2004, after playing the title role in the t ...
in '' Aquamarine'', playing Hailey. The film opened on March 3, 2006, opening at number five with $7.5 million. Her second major film, '' RV'', a comedy starring Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and come ...
, was released on April 28, 2006. It opened at number one and grossed $69.7 million. JoJo had to audition for the part five times, and eventually replaced an actress who had already been cast in the role. JoJo's second album, '' The High Road'', was released on October 17, 2006. The album debuted at number three on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 108,000 units. It was produced by Scott Storch
Scott Spencer Storch (born December 16, 1973) is an American record producer and songwriter. He started off as a keyboardist for the group the Roots.
Early life
Storch was born on Long Island, New York. He was raised in South Florida and Phila ...
, Swizz Beatz, J. R. Rotem
Jonathan Reuven Rotem is a South African-born record producer, songwriter and music publisher.
Biography
Early life
Rotem was born in South Africa to Jewish Israeli immigrant parents. He moved to Canada at the age of two and to Moraga, Cal ...
, Corey Williams, Soulshock & Karlin and Ryan Leslie. It received mainly positive reviews. In the summer of 2006, the lead single from her second album, " Too Little Too Late", was released to radio stations. "Too Little Too Late" broke the record for the biggest jump into the top three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, moving from number 66 to number three in one week; this record was previously held by Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
with her 2001 single "Loverboy
Loverboy is a Canadian rock band formed in 1979 in Calgary, Alberta. Loverboy's hit singles, particularly " Turn Me Loose" and "Working for the Weekend", have become arena rock staples and are still heard on many classic rock and classic hits r ...
", which went from number 60 to number two. The album's second single, " How to Touch a Girl", experienced less success. It charted just outside the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and peaked at number 76 on the ''Billboard'' Pop 100. " Anything" was released as the third single to little success. The album sold over 550,000 copies and was certified gold by the RIAA in December 2006.
On July 20, 2007, JoJo's version of " Beautiful Girls" by Sean Kingston
Kisean Paul Anderson (born February 3, 1990), better known by his stage name Sean Kingston, is an American-Jamaican singer and rapper. He is known for his hit songs " Beautiful Girls", "Fire Burning", " Take You There", and his collaboration wit ...
leaked on the internet titled "Beautiful Girls Reply". It debuted at number thirty-nine on the ''Billboard'' Rhythmic Top 40 chart one month later. In late 2007, JoJo stated that she would be writing songs for her third album, to be released when she turned 18. She said she wanted her fans to "see growth" in her music.
In an April 2008 interview, JoJo stated that she was writing and producing an upcoming album in Boston and Atlanta. On August 30, 2008, JoJo posted her own version of the song " Can't Believe It", originally performed by T-Pain. On June 3, 2009, JoJo stated on her YouTube account that she was waiting for her record label to sign a distribution deal to release her album. In a few months time, nearly 20 of her songs were leaked through a YouTube channel. In August 2009, it was reported that JoJo filed a lawsuit in New York against her record label Da Family Entertainment for putting her in musical limbo. She reportedly sought $500,000 for her troubles and to be released from her contract. JoJo was released from her contract in October 2009 and a deal was reached with Blackground Records to have JoJo's third album distributed by Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
.
In late 2009, JoJo appeared on Timbaland's ''Shock Value II
''Shock Value II'' is the third studio album by American record producer Timbaland. It serves as the sequel to ''Shock Value''.
Initially slated for a 2008 release, the project was pushed into 2009 and tentatively confirmed for November 23, 2009 ...
'' as a featuring artist on the song "Lose Control". She also appeared as a background vocalist on "Timothy Where You Been" from the same album with the Australian band Jet
Jet, Jets, or The Jet(s) may refer to:
Aerospace
* Jet aircraft, an aircraft propelled by jet engines
** Jet airliner
** Jet engine
** Jet fuel
* Jet Airways, an Indian airline
* Wind Jet (ICAO: JET), an Italian airline
* Journey to Enceladus a ...
. On September 10, JoJo revealed that she would be traveling to Toronto to film a small screen adaptation of Lola Douglas' '' True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet'' and play the role of Morgan Carter, with Valerie Bertinelli
Valerie Anne Bertinelli (born April 23, 1960) is an American actress. She first achieved recognition as a child actress, portraying Barbara Cooper Royer on the sitcom ''One Day at a Time (1975 TV series), One Day at a Time'' (1975–1984) for w ...
and Shenae Grimes. It was broadcast on Lifetime Television on August 9, 2008, and released on DVD on March 3, 2009.
2010–2013: ''Can't Take That Away from Me'' and ''Agápē''
'' Can't Take That Away from Me'' was released as JoJo's first mixtape in September 2010 and spawned the single " In the Dark". In late 2010, JoJo made cameo appearances in music videos for Keri Hilson and Clinton Sparks
Clinton Charls Sparks (born September 18, 1975) is an American Disc jockey, DJ, record producer, songwriter and singer from Boston, Massachusetts. He initially started his career as a rapper, dancer, producer, and DJ who gained notoriety by maki ...
. In January 2011, JoJo was cast in an episode of CBS's ''Hawaii Five-0
Hawaii Five-O or Hawaii Five-0 may refer to:
* Hawaii Five-0 (2010 TV series), ''Hawaii Five-0'' (2010 TV series), an American action police procedural television series
* Hawaii Five-O (1968 TV series), ''Hawaii Five-O'' (1968 TV series), an Ame ...
'' as Courtney Russell, the daughter of a Tsunami Warning Center scientist who goes missing on the eve of a big storm hitting the Honolulu coast. In February 2011, JoJo uploaded a video to YouTube announcing that she was shooting a video for her song "The Other Chick" and that she had changed the title of the album from ''All I Want Is Everything'' to ''Jumping Trains'', stating that she had desires to "represent something different; something fresh". Her actual first lead single "The Other Chick" was supposed to release digitally but the label decided to make it as a buzz single. In June 2011, she released a remix of rapper Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
's song " Marvin's Room", renamed "Marvin's Room (Can't Do Better)" through Rap-Up
''Rap-Up'' is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the ...
's YouTube channel. JoJo rewrote the song from a female perspective to express a frustration towards an ex-lover and his supposed new girlfriend. Drake himself expressed his appreciation for her interpretation.
On August 29, 2011, " Disaster" was released to U.S. radio. The song saw her continue in a similar style to her previous hits, which was praised by critics for not "jumping on the synthpop bandwagon", but also criticized for not showing much progression after a five-year hiatus. "Disaster" debuted on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 87, but fell off the chart the next week. This gave JoJo her first charting single since "Too Little Too Late" in 2006. The single failed to impact any chart internationally. In support of the single, she opened for the Joe Jonas & Jay Sean Tour
Joe Jonas & Jay Sean: Live in Concert was a co-headlining tour by American recording artist Joe Jonas and British recording artist Jay Sean
Kamaljit Singh Jhooti (born 26 March 1981), better known by the stage name Jay Sean, is a British si ...
. JoJo gave her first televised performance of the song on ''Good Day Dallas'' on September 29, and later performed on a small promotional tour for "Pinktober
Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM), also referred to in the United States as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awaren ...
" in order to raise money for breast cancer research during the month of October. A music video for the song premiered on JoJo's website in November 2011. In August 2011, JoJo signed a promotional deal with HeartSoul clothing to become the new face for their Fall/Winter collection. In December 2011, JoJo signed a deal with skin care brand Clearasil
Clearasil is a brand of skin care and acne medication, whose products contain chiefly benzoyl peroxide, sulfur and resorcinol, triclosan, or salicylic acid as active ingredients. Clearasil has a wide range of products both for rapid and sometimes ...
to become the new spokeswoman for Clearasil
Clearasil is a brand of skin care and acne medication, whose products contain chiefly benzoyl peroxide, sulfur and resorcinol, triclosan, or salicylic acid as active ingredients. Clearasil has a wide range of products both for rapid and sometimes ...
's PerfectaWash.
In October 2012, JoJo was cast and began working on the film '' G.B.F.'' JoJo was cast as Soledad Braunstein who is the President of the Gay Straight Alliance. The film was shot in Los Angeles over 18 days by director Darren Stein
Darren Stein (born December 24, 1971) is an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer who grew up in the San Fernando Valley. Among his works include the documentary ''Put the Camera on Me'', the 2010 horror comedy ''All About Evil' ...
. In early 2012, JoJo toured with Big Time Rush
''Big Time Rush'' is an American musical sitcom television series created by Scott Fellows that originally aired on Nickelodeon from November 28, 2009, to July 25, 2013 and is currently available in Paramount+. It focuses on the Hollywood misa ...
for five dates of their Better with U Tour. A promotional single, "Sexy to Me
"Sexy to Me" is a song recorded by American singer JoJo (singer), JoJo. It was written by JoJo, Jim Beanz, James Washington, Marcella Araica, Kenna and Danja (record producer), Nathaniel "Danja" Hills, who also produced the song.
Background and c ...
", was made available for purchase on iTunes and Amazon on February 28, 2012. JoJo, wanting to go in a new direction with the album, released " Demonstrate", produced by Noah "40" Shebib
Noah ''Nukh''; am, ኖህ, ''Noḥ''; ar, نُوح '; grc, Νῶε ''Nôe'' () is the tenth and last of the pre-Flood patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5– ...
, on July 17, 2012. Its release as a single was eventually scrapped for reasons unknown despite a music video already having been filmed.
After Blackground Records lost their distribution deal through Interscope Records in late 2012, resulting once again in the delay of the release of an album, JoJo began recording new material specifically for a new mixtape to be released by the end of the year, as she "didn't want to keep the fans waiting for new music any longer". On November 15, 2012, she announced the release of a mixtape, titled ''Agápē
In Christianity, agape (; ) is "the highest form of love, charity" and "the love of God for man and of man for God". This is in contrast to philia, brotherly love, or philautia, self-love, as it embraces a deep and profound sacrificial love tha ...
'', which means "unconditional love" in Greek. The project was released for free through digital download on her 22nd birthday on December 20, 2012. In support of the mixtape, JoJo embarked on her first headlining North American tour, The Agápē Tour
The Agápē Tour was the second headlining concert tour by American singer-songwriter JoJo. It was launched in support of her second mixtape '' Agápē'' (2012). The tour visited just six cities; an expected expansion to the East Coast of the U ...
. "We Get By" was released as the lead single from the mixtape on November 15, 2012. "André" was released as the second single from the mixtape on November 30, 2012, with the music video for the song premiering on March 21, 2013, through ''Complex'' magazine.
2014–2018: Label changes, ''III.'', ''Mad Love'' and re-releasing albums
On July 30, 2013, it was reported that JoJo had filed a lawsuit against her labels Blackground Records and Da Family for "irreparable damages to her professional career". Minors cannot sign contracts that last more than seven years under New York State law and thus she claims that as her contract was signed in 2004, her deal should have expired in 2011. In December 2013 both of JoJo's and Blackground's attorneys agreed to drop the case as both parties came to an agreement outside court. On January 14, 2014, it was announced that JoJo was released from her multi-year battle with the label and signed a new recording contract with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
. On February 14, she released an extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. , titled '' #LoveJo'', featuring covers of three classic songs, which were all produced by Da Internz
Da Internz are a production team originating from Chicago, Illinois. The duo is composed of Marcos " Kosine" Palacios and Ernest Tuo Clark. Da Internz describe their sound as "gourmet ratchet", meaning imperfect but excellent.
Background
Both ...
. On March 16, 2014, she performed at SXSW
South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Te ...
.
On August 5, 2015, JoJo's website under Atlantic was relaunched. On August 20, 2015, JoJo released three singles simultaneously on the ''III.'' extended play, which she referred to as a "tringle", as a preview of her third studio album. In support of the release, JoJo embarked on the I Am JoJo Tour
The I Am JoJo Tour was the third headlining & first world concert tour by American singer-songwriter JoJo. It was launched in support of her upcoming yet to be titled third studio album & its III., which included the album's first 3 singles. ...
, her first world tour, in November 2015. On December 18, 2015, JoJo released the sequel to ''#LoveJo'', titled ''#LoveJo2''.
In June 2016, Fifth Harmony announced that JoJo would be one of the opening acts on their 7/27 Tour
The 7/27 Tour was the second major headlining concert tour by American girl group Fifth Harmony, in support of their second studio album ''7/27'' (2016). The tour began in Lima, Peru on June 22, 2016, and concluded in Singapore on April 8, 2017. ...
. On July 27, 2016, JoJo released the lead single "Fuck Apologies
"Fuck Apologies", alternatively titled "No Apologies" for the radio edit, is a song by American singer JoJo featuring American rapper Wiz Khalifa from the former's third studio album, '' Mad Love'' (2016). It was released on July 28, 2016, by A ...
", featuring rapper and label mate Wiz Khalifa
Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He released his debut album, ''Show and Prove'', in 2006 and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 200 ...
. ''Mad Love __NOTOC__
Mad Love may refer to: Books
*''Mad Love'' (French ''L'amour fou''), collection of poems by André Breton
*'' The Batman Adventures: Mad Love'', an Eisner and Harvey award-winning comic by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm
* Mad Love (publisher), ...
'', JoJo's third studio album was released on October 14, 2016, ten years following the release of ''The High Road''. The album entered and peaked on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart at number 6. In January 2017, JoJo embarked on the Mad Love tour, a four-month concert tour of North America and Europe.
In August 2017, JoJo announced her departure from Atlantic, in conjunction with announcing her new music venture, Clover Music
Joanna Noëlle Levesque (born December 20, 1990), known professionally as JoJo, is an American singer and actress. She began performing in singing competitions and local talent shows as a child. In 2003, record producer Vincent Herbert notic ...
, in a joint deal with Interscope. In April 2018, she announced the Leaks, Covers, & Mixtapes tour, which began on May 29. On December 20, 2018, her 28th birthday, JoJo announced plans to re-release her first album with re-recorded vocals. The following day, JoJo re-released her debut album and ''The High Road'', as well as her singles " Demonstrate", and " Disaster"—all with re-recorded vocals and slightly reworked production. A similar tactic was employed by Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
years later.
2019–present: Move to Warner and ''The Masked Singer''
As of January 2019, per ''Billboard'', Clover Music
Joanna Noëlle Levesque (born December 20, 1990), known professionally as JoJo, is an American singer and actress. She began performing in singing competitions and local talent shows as a child. In 2003, record producer Vincent Herbert notic ...
is no longer affiliated with Interscope, and will now associate with Warner Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
. On February 12, 2019, JoJo announced the release of the single "Say So
"Say So" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat from her second studio album, ''Hot Pink'' (2019). The song was written by Doja Cat with her manager Lydia Asrat, and Dr. Luke, who handled production for the song under the pseudonym T ...
", which features R&B singer-songwriter PJ Morton, two days later on February 14. "Say So" was included as the lead single on Morton's album '' Paul''. On October 10, 2019, via Instagram, JoJo announced that she would release the single " Joanna" at midnight, followed by the music video premiering the next day. On October 25, JoJo collaborated with Alabama rapper and then-recent Warner Records signee Chika on the single "Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. One who engages in sabotage is a ''saboteur''. Saboteurs typically try to conceal their identitie ...
", which was intended the first single from her next album.
JoJo announced a new album via Instagram, '' Good to Know'', which was released on May 1, 2020. A tour supporting the album was set to begin in April 2021. The lead single "Man" was released on March 13, 2020. On August 3, 2020, JoJo announced the single "What U Need" via Instagram. It was released on August 7, 2020, as the lead single from the deluxe version of ''Good to Know'', which followed on August 28, 2020. On October 2, 2020, she released a song titled "The Change", written by Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren (born September 7, 1956) is an American songwriter. She has received several awards including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, three ''Billboard'' Music Awards and an Honorary Academy Award.
Wa ...
, to serve as the official anthem for the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign
Former vice president Joe Biden began his presidential campaign on April 25, 2019 by releasing a video announcing his candidacy in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. The campaign concluded with him and his running mate Kamala H ...
. Her first holiday album
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or, in the case of carols or songs, may employ lyrics whose subject ma ...
, ''December Baby'', was released on October 30 of the same year.
In January 2021, after being twice delayed, JoJo cancelled the Good to Know tour due to the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. She also announced that she plans to tour in 2022 after releasing a sixth studio album. Later in 2021, JoJo competed on the fifth season of ''The Masked Singer
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' as "Black Swan". She finished in second place making her the first female runner-up on the show. On August 17, 2021, she announced her first capsule project (12-track EP) ''Trying Not to Think About It'' with the first single "Worst (I Assume)" released three days later. The EP was released on October 1, 2021, followed by a six-date tour starting a day later. It was announced that her original debut album and '' The High Road'' would be re-released on September 24, 2021, by the second incarnation of Blackground Records and Empire Distribution
EMPIRE Distribution, Records and Publishing Inc. (marketed as EMPIRE) is an American distribution company and record label founded in by Ghazi Shami with offices in New York City, London, Nashville, and Atlanta. It has released albums in vario ...
, but JoJo encouraged her fans not to listen to it due to the absence of credited songwriting on the original projects. JoJo contributed to Stan Walker's 2022 album '' All In'', collaborating on the song "Remember Us", which she also co-wrote.
Artistry
Musically, JoJo is considered to be primarily a pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' (G ...
and R&B artist; however, the majority of her singles tend to lean more towards the former as a marketing tool
Marketing strategy allows organizations to focus limited resources on best opportunities to increase sales and achieve a competitive advantage in the market.
Strategic marketing emerged in the 1970s/80s as a distinct field of study, further build ...
. ''Prefix'''s Norman Meyers observed that "As an adolescent white girl singing mainstream R&B, her singles have leaned toward pop to snag sales ... But the list of producers on ''The High Road ...'' shows that Jojo is more concerned with harder beats and soulful sounds." JoJo is a mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...
and her singing voice has been widely acclaimed by music critics, one of whom ranked it among "the best in the game", while her R&B recordings have been compared to the likes of R&B singers Brandy
Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
and Monica
Monica may refer to:
People
*Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress
*Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name)
*Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...
. Describing her as a "vocal phenom", ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
''s Leah Greenblatt enthused that JoJo is "capable of Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
-style upper-register flourishes". Vocally, critics frequently draw comparisons between JoJo and singers Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of ''American Idol'' in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA. Her debu ...
and Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
, while ''Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'''s Sal Cinquemani remarked that the singer "could very well be the next Teena Marie".
At times some of her material and use of melisma has been criticized for being overproduced and overused, respectively. Emma Morgan of Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music was a brand under which Yahoo! provided a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming. Previously, users with Yahoo! accounts could gain access to hundreds of ...
dismissed JoJo as "mercilessly multi-tracked à la J. Lo, her voice encoded flatteringly as she too-many-notes her way through a succession of R'n'B beats and hooks that owe everything to studio wizardry and little to simple songwriting", lacking experience and soul. While admitting that JoJo is "surprisingly adept at frenzied, sexually possessed hollering", Alex Macpherson of ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' believes that the singer "is, however, at her best when compulsively dissecting emotional situations straight out of high-school movies via the medium of big, heartfelt choruses". Pegging JoJo as "a teen-pop star with an R&B singer's voice", Kelefa Sanneh of ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' continued, "she can outsing much of the competition, but it also means more ballads ... and more not-quite-credible lovesick lyrics." JoJo's earliest memories of singing are performing songs by Etta James
Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer who performed in various genres, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll, and soul. Starting her career in 1954, sh ...
, Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...
, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
for customers in hair salons. Her mixtape, ''Agápē'', was influenced by musicians Joni Mitchell
Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell ( Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American musician, producer, and painter. Among the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her sta ...
and James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...
.
JoJo possesses a mezzo-soprano vocal range, which Jordan Riefe of '' Maxim'' described as "better suited to R&B." Upon making her mainstream debut in 2004, critics immediately noticed that JoJo's vocal prowess and material exceeded her age. When she released her single " Demonstrate" in 2012, critics observed that both the singer's voice and lyrics had matured alongside her. Subsequently, JoJo's second mixtape ''Agápē
In Christianity, agape (; ) is "the highest form of love, charity" and "the love of God for man and of man for God". This is in contrast to philia, brotherly love, or philautia, self-love, as it embraces a deep and profound sacrificial love tha ...
'' drew attention from both critics and the singer's own family due to its mature content
A content rating (also known as maturity rating) rates the suitability of TV shows, movies, comic books, or video games to this primary targeted audience. A content rating usually places a media source into one of a number of different categories, ...
; ''Agápē
In Christianity, agape (; ) is "the highest form of love, charity" and "the love of God for man and of man for God". This is in contrast to philia, brotherly love, or philautia, self-love, as it embraces a deep and profound sacrificial love tha ...
'' features lyrical references to drinking, drug abuse and sex, which were absent from her previous "G-rated" releases. The mixtape also addresses her conflict with her record label. JoJo's early image followed popular trends related to hip hop culture
Hip hop or hip-hop is a culture and art movement that was created by African Americans, Latino Americans and Caribbean Americans in the Bronx, New York City. Hip hop culture is characterized by four key elements: rapping, DJing and turntablis ...
at the time. The cover of JoJo's first album features the singer donning a T-shirt and cap, which Sal Cinquemani of ''Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' dismissed as "contrived and calculated". Matt Collar of AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
wrote, "Jojo is an assured and likeable performer who can somehow embody the yin-yang persona of a suburban cheerleader slinging hip-hop attitude." According to Jenny Eliscu
Jenny Eliscu is a radio host for Sirius XM and a contributing editor for ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. She also had a recurring presence on the TV program ''I'm from Rolling Stone'' and has been on other music programs, including ''Behind the Music' ...
of ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'', the singer "has become a role model to suburban adolescents who talk gangsta but still carpool to school in mom's Kia Sorento."''The Guardian''s Alex Macpherson commented that "In an era of boozy Amys, gobby Lilys and flashing Britneys, a pop star as wholesome as JoJo seems almost quaint." Writing for ''Prefix'', Norman Meyers believes that JoJo "could have been a '' Mean Girls'' extra, but she has talent" and "comes off more like a pint-size Mariah Carey or Christina Aguilera than a hip-shaking Britney clone".
Personal life
JoJo lived in Edgewater, New Jersey with her mother, until age 18, when she moved out on her own to Boston for a year. She now resides in Los Angeles.
JoJo dated American soccer player Freddy Adu from May 2005 until September 2006. The couple met on the MTV show ''Fake ID Club'' while JoJo was hosting it. JoJo made an appearance in the commentary box at a New England Revolution home game when they were playing D.C. United. In November 2006, ''The Washington Post'' reported that the couple had split up. JoJo revealed on ''American Top 40
''American Top 40'' (previously abbreviated to ''AT40'') is an internationally syndicated, independent song countdown radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds, and Ron Jacobs. The program is currently hosted by Ryan Seacr ...
'' with Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American media personality and producer. He is the co-host of ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'', as well as the host of multiple media shows including ''American Idol'', ''American Top 40'', and '' ...
that she and Adu were still good friends.
In August 2009, JoJo graduated from high school and stated that she would stay focused on future projects. She was accepted to Northeastern University
Northeastern University (NU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston. Established in 1898, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs on its main campus as well as satellite campuses in ...
but did not attend; she considered majoring in cultural anthropology
Cultural anthropology is a branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans. It is in contrast to social anthropology, which perceives cultural variation as a subset of a posited anthropological constant. The portma ...
.
Aside from singing and acting, JoJo is also a supporter of various charitable organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs of America, World Vision
In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the worl ...
, She's the First
She's the First (STF) is a non-profit organization whose stated mission is to "team up with grassroots organizations to make sure girls everywhere are educated, respected, and heard." She's the First was founded in New York, NY by Tammy Tibbetts ...
, Make A Wish Foundation, and others.
In December 2021, JoJo announced her engagement to '' Saved by the Bell'' (2020) actor Dexter Darden
Dexter Darden is an American actor, best known for playing the role of Walter Hill in '' Joyful Noise,'' and Frypan in the ''Maze Runner'' film series.
Personal life
Dexter was engaged to singer/actress JoJo, they split in November 2022
...
.
Discography
* ''JoJo
Jojo, JoJo or Jo Jo is a given name, surname, nickname or stage name used by several people and fictional characters, including:
People with the given name, nickname or stage name Musicians
*JoJo (singer) (born 1990), American R&B singer, songwri ...
'' (2004)
* '' The High Road'' (2006)
* ''Mad Love __NOTOC__
Mad Love may refer to: Books
*''Mad Love'' (French ''L'amour fou''), collection of poems by André Breton
*'' The Batman Adventures: Mad Love'', an Eisner and Harvey award-winning comic by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm
* Mad Love (publisher), ...
'' (2016)
* '' Good to Know'' (2020)
* ''December Baby'' (2020)
Filmography
Tours
Headlining
* The High Road Tour (2007)
* Then & Now Concert Tour (2010)
* Pinktober
Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM), also referred to in the United States as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awaren ...
(2011)
* The Agápē Tour
The Agápē Tour was the second headlining concert tour by American singer-songwriter JoJo. It was launched in support of her second mixtape '' Agápē'' (2012). The tour visited just six cities; an expected expansion to the East Coast of the U ...
(2013)
* I Am JoJo Tour
The I Am JoJo Tour was the third headlining & first world concert tour by American singer-songwriter JoJo. It was launched in support of her upcoming yet to be titled third studio album & its III., which included the album's first 3 singles. ...
(2015–16)
* Mad Love Tour
The Mad Love Tour is the fourth concert tour by American recording artist JoJo (singer), JoJo. The tour supported her third studio album, ''Mad Love (JoJo album), Mad Love'' (2016).
Background
JoJo announced that the tour would launch in early 2 ...
(2017)
* Leaks, Covers and Mixtapes Tour (2018)
* Trying Not to Think About It Tour (2021)
* JoJo Tour 2022 (2022)
As a special guest
* Timbaland – Shock Value II Tour
The Shock Value II Tour was a 2010 concert tour by American rapper/producer, Timbaland to support his third studio album, ''Shock Value II'' (2009). The tour lasted from January 15, 2010 to February 3, 2010.
Set list
#"Timothy Where You Been"
...
(2010)
As an opening act
* Usher
Usher may refer to:
Several jobs which originally involved directing people and ensuring people are in the correct place:
* Usher (occupation)
** Church usher
** Wedding usher, one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony
** Fiel ...
– The Truth World Tour (2004)
* Joe Jonas
Joseph Adam Jonas (born August 15, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He rose to fame as a member of the pop rock band the Jonas Brothers, alongside his brothers Kevin Jonas, Kevin and Nick Jonas, Nick. The group released their ...
/ Jay Sean – Joe Jonas & Jay Sean Tour
Joe Jonas & Jay Sean: Live in Concert was a co-headlining tour by American recording artist Joe Jonas and British recording artist Jay Sean
Kamaljit Singh Jhooti (born 26 March 1981), better known by the stage name Jay Sean, is a British si ...
(2011)
* Big Time Rush
''Big Time Rush'' is an American musical sitcom television series created by Scott Fellows that originally aired on Nickelodeon from November 28, 2009, to July 25, 2013 and is currently available in Paramount+. It focuses on the Hollywood misa ...
– Better With You Tour (2012)
* Fifth Harmony – The 7/27 Tour
The 7/27 Tour was the second major headlining concert tour by American girl group Fifth Harmony, in support of their second studio album ''7/27'' (2016). The tour began in Lima, Peru on June 22, 2016, and concluded in Singapore on April 8, 2017. ...
(2016)
Awards and nominations
See also
* List of people with reduplicated names
Reduplication is a process by which the root or stem of a word, or part of it, is repeated. Alternative terms include cloning, doubling, duplication, and repetition. Reduplication has a grammatical function in some languages, such as plurality ...
* Clover Music
Joanna Noëlle Levesque (born December 20, 1990), known professionally as JoJo, is an American singer and actress. She began performing in singing competitions and local talent shows as a child. In 2003, record producer Vincent Herbert notic ...
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
{{Authority control
1990 births
Living people
21st-century American actresses
21st-century American singers
21st-century American women singers
American child actresses
American child singers
American women pop singers
American film actresses
American people of French descent
American people of Irish descent
American people of Polish descent
American women singer-songwriters
American sopranos
American television actresses
Child pop musicians
Singers from Vermont
People from Edgewater, New Jersey
People from Foxborough, Massachusetts
People from Brattleboro, Vermont
Universal Music Group artists
Atlantic Records artists
Interscope Records artists
Warner Records artists
Participants in American reality television series
Actresses from New Jersey
Actresses from Vermont
Singer-songwriters from New Jersey
Singer-songwriters from Massachusetts
Association footballers' wives and girlfriends
American contemporary R&B singers