‘Dance Moms’ Creator Developing JoJo Siwa Docuseries for Sony

A new docuseries focusing on the personal and professional life of JoJo Siwa, the former child reality star and now TikTok-famous musician, is being developed by the creator of “Dance Moms.” Resilient Content production studio confirmed to Forbes that the project is in the works. Jeff Collins, the creator of “Dance Moms” and founder of Resilient Content in partnership with Sony, is producing the docuseries for Sony Pictures Television’s nonfiction unit. The series will track Siwa’s transition from beloved child star to adult pop sensation.

JoJo Siwa will narrate the series in the first person, offering insights into her life as one of the world’s most famous 20-year-olds managing various businesses, fulfilling a recording contract, and living independently for the first time, according to Resilient Content.

Siwa, known for her appearances in “Dance Moms,” “Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition,” “Lip Sync Battle Shorties,” “The Masked Singer,” “Dancing with the Stars,” and “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test,” will have her career and personal life exclusively documented for the first time. Details on the broadcast or streaming platform for the docuseries have not yet been disclosed.

JoJo Siwa began her career on “Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition,” produced by Collins when she was 8 years old. She then became a regular on “Dance Moms” for two seasons. After leaving the show, she released several songs, appeared on Nickelodeon shows, and launched a successful accessories brand for Claire’s, featuring her signature giant hair bows. Siwa has competed in various reality shows and came out as gay in 2021 through a viral TikTok video. She released her debut single “Karma” earlier this year, marking a significant step in her transition to an adult pop artist. Siwa also debuted a new look at the iHeartRadio music awards, inspired by KISS with a black and silver costume.

Siwa’s rebrand has faced challenges. “Karma” received a lukewarm reception, and a cover of the same song by Brit Smith, recorded in 2012, went viral on TikTok, outperforming Siwa’s version on iTunes. Siwa faced backlash for a Billboard interview where she claimed to be pioneering a new genre called “gay pop.” She later clarified her statement, saying she did not invent the genre. An interview clip where Siwa discussed her rebrand has also gone viral, with many mocking her claim of making a revolutionary change. Videos using the original sound from this interview have been created more than 21,000 times on TikTok.