JoJo Siwa is dealing with "Karma" as a dueling version of her new single is getting released on streaming platforms.
Brit Smith has dropped her version of the song that she recorded in 2012, which fans have accused Siwa of "stealing" upon her drop. E News reports that Miley Cyrus also allegedly recorded her own version of the single in the past.
Siwa recently told TMZ that she "did not steal" the song and maintained that there is "no such thing as stealing." She insists that Smith's song is just a demo that had previously leaked. Calling it an "old song," she says that "I was pitched it. I loved it, was obsessed with it, so I grasped onto it. That's a very normal thing."
"What happens is people write songs, and then, they don't do anything with them," the Dance Moms alum said. "Then, a few years later, it makes sense for another artist."
The single was produced by RockMafia, who has worked on several tracks like "Can't Be Tamed" for Cyrus and "Potential Breakup Song" for Aly & AJ.
Smith has revealed to Page Six that the song was supposed to be her debut single, but she and her record label decided to go in a different direction with her introduction as a pop singer.
"Things changed and I went with 'Provocative' instead," she recently claimed about the single. She regrets that she "and shouldn't have done that really - we should've gone with 'Karma.' That was my first choice."
Smith has since reversed her decision and is now releasing the original single onto streaming platforms. Her version, titled "Karma's A Bitch," is available on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and more.
Siwa has been criticized for the new single after she was saying that the song is "such a head-turner" as she delves into a darker departure from her usual colorful and bubbly personality.
"I knew that it was a special song," she said. "I knew that it fit. I knew that it was exactly the vision that I wanted to create for the world ...'Karma' makes you listen, 'Karma' makes you ask, 'Karma' makes you confused. So, whether people like it or not, marketing plan worked."
While the So You Think You Can Dance judge has said that she is introducing a "controversial" new side to herself, fans have mocked the "rebrand," stating that it seems like she is playing dress up.
As she prepared to release the new single and kickstart her new musical endeavor, Siwa warned her fans that the new material is not suitable to her younger fans that she has been associated with. With a teaser on her social media, she posted: "Warning. The following content is not made for children and may be disturbing or offensive to some viewers. May contain sexual themes, violence, strong language, traumatic scenarios, and flashing lights. Viewer discretion is advised."
Siwa faced further scrutiny when she said that she has been aiming to create a "new genre of music" called "gay-pop." Many responses cited Dove Cameron, Frank Ocean, RuPaul, and Lady Gaga as pioneers in the already-established genre.
