JoJo Siwa’s latest reinvention just triggered a reaction from a pop legend – and fans are split.
JoJo Siwa's recent controversial cover of the 1981 hit "Bette Davis Eyes" has been criticised by none other than Kim Carnes, the original singer. In a now-deleted Instagram Reel, Carnes suggested that Siwa’s version lacked the authenticity that made the original a classic.
As she put it in the Instagram caption:
"There's a difference between singing a song and embodying it."
While Carnes later clarified in an exclusive interview with TMZ that she wasn’t trying to “tear another woman down”, she stood by her emotional reaction.
Here's what she said about the cover:
“The phrasing, the tone, even the little inflections – it all felt a bit too close,” she said. “These days, our voice is one of the few things we truly own. So when it feels like your voice is being borrowed, it strikes a deeply personal chord.”
A Viral Performance And Backlash
Siwa, 22, debuted her version of “Bette Davis Eyes” during the Tecate Emblema Festival in Mexico this May and later added it to her UK tour setlist. After posting a clip from the London show to Instagram on July 7, she hinted that a studio version might follow soon:
"After performing this song live and then seeing the beautiful response to it, I decided to go record a studio vocal…. I’m undecided if I should release it on Spotify or not…. Would you want me to?!! 🤍"
The crowd’s energy seemed to initially encourage her but the internet had other plans.
Fan reactions to the song ranged from unimpressed to outright brutal.
“It’s overly autotuned, very raspy, and not well sung,”
one critic commented on Instagram.
Some even took issue with Carnes' 1981 version, calling both renditions “too raspy” and “painful to listen to.”
Even worse, many people saw Siwa’s version as evidence of an ongoing identity crisis rather than an artistic evolution.
One fan wrote on Reddit:
"The switch from sparkly bows to karma/guilty pleasure to this? It all adds up to a big fat nothing. She’s obviously just trying things out to see what finally sticks.”
A Legacy On The Line
“Bette Davis Eyes” was originally written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon. It became a cultural staple when Kirsty MacColl released her synth-driven version in 1981.
The track has since been featured in numerous films and TV series, from American Horror Story to Riverdale, cementing its place in pop culture.
Artists like Gwyneth Paltrow (2001) and Taylor Swift (2011) have covered the song before, but none stirred controversy quite like Siwa’s.
Carnes defended her legacy in a statement on TMZ. Despite her remarks, Kim Carnes made clear that her issue was with artistic ownership, not the young singer herself:
“I strongly reject the kind of hate and personal attacks I’ve seen online – whether directed at me, JoJo Siwa, or anyone else. That kind of behavior doesn’t belong in music, or anywhere.”
"I’ve always tried to protect and celebrate the legacy of this recording – and that’s really all I want to say.”
The Controversial Era?
This isn’t the first time Siwa has found herself in hot water.
Once a role model for young audiences, her transition to adult pop has been polarising. Her recent singles have, among others, been criticised for their tone and perceived attention-seeking stunts.
Most recently, Siwa raised eyebrows when she began dating Love Island contestant Chris Hughes, after previously coming out as a lesbian in 2021.
During her live performances of “Bette Davis Eyes,” she even swapped out the iconic title-giving lyric for “Chris Hughes’ Eyes”. A change many saw as overly self-referential and tone-deaf.
Despite the overwhelming amount of hate the singer receives on a daily basis, many expressed sympathy for her situation, believing people should stop bullying a young person clearly struggeling to find her own identity after a hard childhood in the spotlight.
In reference to the "Bette Davis Eyes"-debate, a comment on Reddit reads:
"I honestly feel bad that this poor child’s desperate attempt to find herself and discover who she is has been televised since she was 6.”
Whether you love it, hate it, or just don’t get it, JoJo Siwa’s take on “Bette Davis Eyes” is making people talk.
So now all there is to ask is: Whose version speaks to you more?