JoJo Siwa turned heads when she wore a bedazzled bulge in a recent photoshoot — and now she’s explaining her decision behind the controversial outfit.
“The stone bulge is … we were just giving a little spice, a little gender-bend, a little you can be anything you want to be,” Siwa, 21, explained during a recent appearance on the “Talk Tuah” podcast. “Spice it up a little.”
Siwa compared her Ladygunn Magazine look to Harry Styles’ 2020 cover shoot with Vogue, where the former One Direction band member, 30, rocked a white lace Gucci dress and jacket.
“It’s kind of like back in the day when Harry Styles wore a dress,” she said. “Obviously wearing a bulge is a little different than wearing just a dress, but.”
While explaining her choice to don the bulge, Siwa reflected on her decision to push boundaries.
“One thing about me is I like to be for the people that are different, for the people that don’t fit in and for the people who are just unafraid to take risks,” Siwa said. “I feel like being that person, I have to go as far as I possibly can into the risk zone. I have to explore the risk zone to see what it’s like.”
Siwa posed in a nude strapless bedazzled top with nipples and built-in abs for the magazine in September. She paired the corset with a glittery codpiece (which housed the prosthetic bulge) and crystal-embellished gold combat boots. For her glam, done by Euphoria makeup artist Doniella Davy, the former Dance Moms star wore vibrant colors. Her split brown and blonde hair was parted to the side and blown out by stylist Isaac Davidson.
Fans quickly weighed in on the look in the comments section. “No hate, I’m honestly just confused,” one user wrote, while another added, “It’s not a good day to have eyes.”
Others praised Siwa’s outfit, writing, “Omg, this is soooo camp i’m loving it,” while another added, “If Lady Gaga did this be honest y’all would eat it up.”
Siwa has been known to make statements with her bold colors and funky hair accessories through the years. While Siwa was known for wearing bows earlier in her career, the Special Forces alum said she’s now going for a more “mature” look.
“The bow is still a part of my life,” she said during a talk with Instagram head Adam Mosseri in June 2021. “I still love bows. I forever will. I mean, they’re who I am. I just, you know, maybe I won’t wear [bows] every day,” she told the publication.