JoJo Siwa has once again found herself at the center of a social media storm, this time for her unconventional cover of Kim Carnes’ 1981 hit "Bette Davis Eyes." The pop star, known for her vibrant personality and bold style shifts, introduced the cover during her live concerts earlier this year and recently teased a studio version that has divided fans and critics alike.
In May 2025, Siwa began performing "Bette Davis Eyes" on her UK tour, following her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother UK. Notably, she altered the iconic chorus lyric from "Bette Davis eyes" to "Chris Hughes' eyes," a nod to her new boyfriend Chris Hughes, whom she met during the reality show. This personal twist added a fresh, if unexpected, layer to the classic song, which originally tells a tale of a mesmerizing and dangerous woman.
On July 8, Siwa shared a clip of her recorded cover on TikTok, sporting a striking 1950s-inspired look: a wavy retro blonde wig, pearl necklace, and frilly blue crop top. Her raspy vocal delivery, drenched in heavy auto-tune, immediately caught attention. The clip quickly went viral, amassing nearly 20 million views and sparking a wave of reaction videos and commentary online.
However, the response was far from uniformly positive. Many listeners ridiculed Siwa’s vocal style, describing it as raspy to the point of sounding like she was battling a sore throat. Some likened the auto-tune effect to an "anti-smoking commercial," while others compared it to the wildest use of auto-tune they had ever heard. One commenter wrote, "This makes me wanna clear my throat and drink water," while another quipped, "I'm so glad Bette Davis isn't alive to hear this."
Despite the backlash, Siwa’s boyfriend Chris Hughes was quick to defend her, commenting on TikTok, "Ugh so good, you’re perfect." Siwa herself responded to harsh criticism with a simple "Thank you," demonstrating a mix of humor and resilience in the face of online mockery.
Siwa’s latest musical endeavor is not her first to invite such intense scrutiny. In 2023, her cover of Olivia Rodrigo's "Traitor" went viral for her struggle with a high note, which she openly acknowledged, describing her attempt as "far from hitting it" and embracing the humor in the situation. In interviews, Siwa has been candid about her vocal abilities, telling Capital Buzz in 2025, "I have learned to never call myself a singer. I don't think I'm a singer, I think I'm an artist. I know my ability. My passion isn't in singing. My passion is being a performer." This perspective sheds light on her approach to music as more about performance and persona than technical vocal mastery.
The cover’s visual presentation also sparked discussion. Siwa’s new look, a sharp departure from her previous "bad girl" era marked by KISS-inspired makeup and a mohawk, channels a 1930s Christian housewife meets Disney princess aesthetic. Fans and social media users described her transformation as a "trad wife era," with some expressing surprise at the drastic switch from her earlier goth-punk-pop image. This stylistic pivot aligns with her current public persona, which she has described as more "straight-presenting" following her relationship with Hughes and a shift in how she identifies sexually.
Indeed, Siwa has publicly spoken about feeling "pressure" from the LGBTQ+ community to label herself as a lesbian after originally coming out as pansexual. During her time on Celebrity Big Brother, she explained that she no longer identifies strictly as a lesbian but rather as queer, reflecting a more fluid approach to her sexuality. Her relationship with Hughes, a former Love Island star, has been a significant part of this personal evolution, and the lyrical change in "Bette Davis Eyes" underscores this new chapter.
Interestingly, the choice to cover "Bette Davis Eyes" is steeped in queer cultural significance. The original 1981 song by Kim Carnes is widely regarded as a queer classic, narrating the story of a captivating and enigmatic woman. In the wake of Pride 2025, the song has seen renewed attention, with artists like alt-pop singer Ethel Cain also releasing works inspired by the track. Cain’s new single "Fuck Me Eyes," released on July 2, is viewed as a modern, nuanced continuation of Carnes’s themes, blending dreamy instrumentation with explorations of unacknowledged queerness.
Where Cain’s version is seen as a forward-looking, emotionally complex homage, Siwa’s cover is perceived as more retrograde, even "mustier," as critics put it. Her insertion of her boyfriend’s name into a song about a woman’s allure and danger has been interpreted as a move to embrace a more traditionally heterosexual identity, contrasting with the song’s original queer subtext.
The viral nature of Siwa’s cover also raises questions about the role of "bad" or unconventional music in today’s digital culture. As one commentator noted, we live in an era where music doesn’t need to be traditionally "good" to succeed; it needs to be "noticeable, shareable, screamable." Siwa’s cover, with its raspy vocals and striking visuals, perfectly fits this mold, serving as "rage bait" that provokes strong reactions and fuels online discourse. This phenomenon reflects a broader trend where virality and spectacle often outweigh technical skill or subtlety in capturing public attention.
Looking ahead, Siwa has hinted at releasing the full studio version of "Bette Davis Eyes" on streaming platforms, possibly by July 11, 2025, though she remains undecided. Whether the release will be met with acclaim, ridicule, or a mix of both remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: JoJo Siwa knows how to keep the conversation going, whether through her music, her bold aesthetic transformations, or her candidness about her identity.
In a pop landscape where the boundaries between artist, persona, and spectacle blur, Siwa’s latest move is a fascinating case study. It challenges traditional notions of talent and authenticity, and invites us to reconsider what it means to be a performer in the age of social media.
