How JoJo Siwa, 16, who’s BFFs with the Kardashian kids, became the YouTube dance star every schoolgirl wants to be thanks to her famous big colourful bows
JoJo Siwa is only 16, but she's already made £9million by selling hair bows to UK kids and releasing anti-bullying anthems
JOJO Siwa giggles gleefully as she holds on to her hair bow, shoots down the slide and lands in a pile of glittery balls.
But the 16-year-old YouTube star isn't at an indoor play centre, she's in her own £1.5million house, complete with a bedroom slide, glitter walls and candy vending machines... which she bought with her £9million fortune.
This week she hosted a Sweet Sixteen party in LA which was attended by North West and Penelope Disick - and was given a BMW emblazoned with her face across the bonnet.
The party cemented JoJo, from Nebraska, US, as one of the most influential teenagers on the planet - and one millions of UK kids want to be like.
Here, Sun Online reveals how the star - known for her garish dress sense and cheesy pop songs -amassed her fortune with a hair bow business which caused uproar in British schools... and why UK kids are obsessed with her.
JoJo's Bow Bows banned in UK schools
Real name Joelle Joanie Siwa, the teen, who shot to fame in 2014 after appearing on controversial reality show Dance Moms, launched her hair-bow business after finding a niche in the market among her young fans who all wanted to look like her.
The star, who also has a hugely successful YouTube channel, began marketing her statement hair accessories by saying they were "a symbol of power, confidence, believing-ness” - and has gone on to sell 35million of them worldwide.
But last year, UK schools were forced to launch a blanket ban on them after teachers found children were fighting over the bows, which cost between £8-£10 each.
Chris Ashey, headteacher at Fairfield Community Primary, one school which has banned the bows, spoke out to defend his decision.
He said: "We have a massive curriculum now in primary schools and there is simply no time for added distractions like this."
But kids continue to flock to the shops every weekend to buy the bows - which are sold exclusively in Claire's.
Lying about her dad's near-death experience
Despite her huge popularity, the star recently upset some fans after making up that her dad was hit by a bus in a bid to get more clicks on her videos.
In the now-deleted video, filmed with with her brother Jayden, JoJo explains: "Today was a rough day.
“We were going to buy some stuff from the store for a homeless guy. As we were crossing the road, literally a bus came flying at us and knocked my dad to the ground.
“My dad is in the hospital right now. The bus just smacked into him. It was a whole production, he has broken bones. When we got to the hospital it was very scary.”
After a brief pause and a look of guilt, she reveals: “We’re just messing with you, we just wanted the views so we made up a story about a near-death experience.”
Many fans were offended by the prank, particularly people who'd actually lost relatives in car accidents.
In a follow-up post, JoJo apologised saying: "I'm very sorry for yesterday's video… I know it was a lot of click bait, and I know some of you are mad at me, but you know what? It wouldn't be a YouTube video if there wasn't click bait."
Hair bleached from the age of two
With her fame, JoJo - who only turned 16 this week - has had to deal with huge criticism from trolls who target her on social media - and their main ammunition is her hair.
While on Dance Moms, the YouTube star admitted she’d been bleaching her hair "since she was, like, two".
The teen pop star also confessed she would never wear her hair down for a week - even if she was paid £1million - because she just doesn’t like it.
“People think I’m forced to wear a side ponytail and if I don't I’ll get sued or something but that is not the case at all,” she said. “I just like it.”
The star - who released a song about anti-bullying last year - has also been targeted by trolls who say she has a receding hairline.
“There’s been a lot of people who have said that they don’t like my hairline,” she admitted on the Today show.
“But here’s the thing, when I look in the mirror, I know that my hairline makes me who I am, it makes me special…We all have something about us that we don’t like. I think we should all end up loving what we don’t like.
“I am who I am. I can’t change it so I might as well love what I got.
“People online have been like, 'Your hairline is so receding. JoJo Siwa is a 60-year-old dude who has a receding hairline.' And it's kind of made me think, like, is my hairline actually receding?
“I try not to read the comments on my YouTube page ... well, actually, let me rephrase that. I do read the comments, but I have the mean comments blocked. So I have words like, "hate," "mean," "brat," "ugly," etc. blocked so that I don't see them. And so my fans don't see them."
Trolled for her clothes
JoJo has also been targeted by trolls who belittle her for looking and acting like a child - even though she is 16.
Speaking to Fox News, she explained why she acts younger than she is: "I think it's important because kids need to stay kids.
"Kids don't need to grow up as they think, maybe, they should. Or as they think they want to.
"You know, you only live your childhood once. You only live every age once. You only live your life once.
"I think it's good for kids to stay kids, and for kids to stay young, and stay healthy. So, I try to help with that."
A house decorated with life-size posters of herself
JoJo may be judged for acting like a child, but by the age of 14 the savvy youngster had bought her own house in Los Angeles where she now lives with her family.
In a house tour, JoJo, who often speaks in the third person, shows off the rainbow glitter walls, life size posters of herself and giant lollipops.
JoJo has a merchandise room locked with a secret code filled from floor to ceiling with dolls, scooters, branded water bottles and rucksacks.
Her living room could be mistaken for an arcade, with games to win her own merchandise, sweet machines and a table covered in stickers.
The kitchen comes complete with a pantry full of sweets and nacho machine with an endless supply of melted cheese.
Friends with Elton John and Kim Kardashian
Despite her lavish lifestyle, JoJo remains grounded, and still pinches herself when celebrities she looks up to invite her to hang out.
As well as having Kim Kardashian on speed dial, Elton John recently invited her to his dressing room after a show to meet his husband.
JoJo has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and rubbed shoulders with actor and presenter Nick Cannon, too.
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With an army of young fans, JoJo says she feels responsible for creating family friendly content to help children aspire to achieve their dreams.
She told Fox News: "I think it's important because kids need to stay kids. Kids don't need to grow up as they think, maybe, they should. Or as they think they want to.
"You know, you only live your childhood once. You only live every age once. You only live your life once. I think that it's good for kids to stay kids, and for kids to stay young, and stay healthy. So, I try to help with that."