1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: Hello Sunshine. 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 2: Hey, Bessie's Today on the bright Side. We're joined by 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 2: the chart topping superstar Jojo. Maybe you're like me and 4 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 2: Danielle and JoJo's hits like Leave get Out and Too Little, 5 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 2: Too Late. We're the soundtrack to your youth too. But 6 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 2: what happens when that voice is silenced? We'll find out 7 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 2: when we unpack her new memoir, Over the Influence. Jojo 8 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 2: is back, y'all, more empowered than ever and sharing for 9 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,599 Speaker 2: the first time how she's reclaiming her career, her story, 10 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:36,919 Speaker 2: and her voice. It's Tuesday, October First, I'm Simone. 11 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 3: Voice, I'm Danielle Robe and this is the bright Side 12 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 3: from Hello Sunshine, a daily show where we come together 13 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 3: to share women's stories, laugh, learn. 14 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: And brighten your day. 15 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 3: All right, we're both so excited for today's guests. 16 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: Joanna Jojo Leveck. You all know her. 17 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 3: She burst into the spotlight at just thirteen years old 18 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 3: when she released her her self titled debut album. 19 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 1: It was a huge success. 20 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 3: It went on to sell over four million copies and 21 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 3: became JoJo's first platinum record, and her hit from that album, 22 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 3: Leave Get Out, made Jojo the youngest ever solo artist 23 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,479 Speaker 3: to have a debut number one single in the US. 24 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:18,679 Speaker 1: I still sing that song all the time. 25 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 2: I was just about to say the exact same thing. 26 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 2: Her songs still live rent free in my head. I'll 27 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: just be going about my day and then all of 28 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 2: a sudden, Jojo has me in a choke hold again. 29 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 3: I mean, especially with TikTok, they're everywhere once again. They 30 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 3: never really went out, but they're having a resurgence for sure. 31 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 3: Jojo released her second studio album, called The High Road, 32 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 3: just two years later, and it featured her second smash 33 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 3: hit too Little, Too Late, which I know we've all 34 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,759 Speaker 3: sung along too on road trips in the shower if 35 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 3: a man leaves us all the time. 36 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 2: Definitely sung about heartbreak at a time when I didn't 37 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 2: even know what heartbreak was. So thank you for that education, Jojo. 38 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 2: You know, in the early two thousands, Jojo was truly 39 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 2: everyone where I mean movies, magazines, radio, TV, you name it. 40 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 2: But then it felt like Jojo just kind of disappeared, 41 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 2: leaving a lot of her fans wondering where did she go. Well, 42 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,239 Speaker 2: it turns out a dispute with her record label left 43 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 2: her silence for years, and she finally took them to 44 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 2: court to get out of her contract. I can't imagine 45 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 2: how difficult that must have been, not just for her, 46 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 2: but also for her family. I mean, she was just 47 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 2: a child navigating this massive talent and music career and 48 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 2: trying to find herself. And we've all heard the stories 49 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 2: just about how brutal this industry can be. 50 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 3: It's not lost on me either, the irony, right Like, 51 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,679 Speaker 3: she is known for her voice, and yet she was silenced, 52 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 3: and I think it left a lot of people wondering 53 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:47,080 Speaker 3: what if, what would have happened had she not had 54 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 3: her career ripped away from her like that. 55 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 2: For sure, there was a big question mark there for 56 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 2: a lot of us. And now she's back and putting 57 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:57,360 Speaker 2: all the rumors to rest. She's setting the record straight 58 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 2: herself in her new memoir, Over the Influence. It's this raw, 59 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 2: vulnerable depiction of her life and for the first time, 60 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 2: she's telling her own story in her own words. And 61 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: to quote the chart stopping singer, she is ready to 62 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 2: be counted the f in. She is here with us 63 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 2: now too, Jojo. Welcome to the bright side. 64 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 4: Thank you. It feels good to be here on the 65 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 4: bright side. 66 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 3: We have been waiting fifteen years for this moment. No, Lie, 67 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 3: I have to tell you. Your talent is undeniable, and 68 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:29,799 Speaker 3: you've always had so much to say, not just through 69 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 3: your music, but your words too. And you're out with 70 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 3: your new memoir Over the Influence, and it really lays 71 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 3: bare the experiences that you went through as a teenager 72 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 3: breaking into this industry. And I went to Google your 73 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 3: name last night, and so many of the headlines came up. 74 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 3: Every few years it would say Jojo reclaims her powerhouse voice. 75 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 3: And as I was reading your book, I'm like, Okay, 76 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 3: there's been reclamations a few times. You've really been fighting 77 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 3: for that. It feels like this is the time. What 78 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 3: does it feel like to finally tell your story in 79 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 3: your own words? 80 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 4: Oh my god, it feels right on time. You know. 81 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 4: People are like, why now, And I would say, because 82 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 4: I have the strange experience of having a twenty year 83 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,479 Speaker 4: career at thirty three, so I kind of wanted to 84 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 4: make sense of a lot of the things that confused 85 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 4: me for so long. But yeah, I went back and 86 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,360 Speaker 4: forth about like, can I do my own story justice? 87 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 4: Do I even know how to? I've only written three 88 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 4: minute songs really but before you know what I mean, Like, 89 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,719 Speaker 4: I was like, can I even do this? I don't 90 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:43,039 Speaker 4: want to sell myself short, but I also couldn't put 91 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:45,280 Speaker 4: it in the hands of anyone else. I've done that 92 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 4: in different ways, and just betting on myself is kind 93 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 4: of where I'm at and trusting my own internal guidance 94 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 4: system saying even if other people don't understand or agree, 95 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 4: it just doesn't matter anymore. I just and that, I 96 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 4: think is like the gift of being thirty plus, because 97 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 4: in my twenties I just did not feel that way. 98 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 2: Okay, Jojo, I got to get real with you for 99 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 2: a minute. Oh my god, please, you are a true superstar. 100 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 2: Your songs had top forty in a choke hold, including 101 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 2: you a Girl and Danielle. You've been in major studio films, 102 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 2: on magazine covers, national TV, and then it feels like, 103 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 2: kind of out of the blue, everything came to a 104 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,480 Speaker 2: halt and you stepped out of the spotlight. I ask 105 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 2: this on behalf of all Jojo fans around the world, 106 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 2: because I know you're really tight with your fans, and 107 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 2: you know how invested all of us are in you 108 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 2: in your career. 109 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:39,479 Speaker 5: Just in you as a human. 110 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 2: Tell us what happened, tell us what happened when you 111 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 2: stepped out of the spotlight, and why, Oh. 112 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 4: It was so not my intention, you know, I was 113 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 4: feeling all the momentum that was happening in my career. 114 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 4: I mean, I had back to back really successful albums 115 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 4: in my teens, and then I basically kind of became 116 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 4: a victim of music industry circumstance and politics and things 117 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 4: that are not sexy, but basically like a label that 118 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 4: lost their funding and was no longer a functioning record label. 119 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:16,479 Speaker 4: But then they wouldn't let me go, and then I 120 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:18,840 Speaker 4: didn't own my voice, so I couldn't do anything with it, 121 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:23,720 Speaker 4: like just a shit show and made me feel like 122 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 4: so embarrassed because I didn't want like my fans or 123 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 4: my family to worry about me, and they were like, 124 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:32,160 Speaker 4: they're killing your career, You're about to die on the vine. 125 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 4: I'm like, no, it's gonna be fine, because I just 126 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 4: never wanted anybody to feel bad for me, even though 127 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 4: I was like pretty devastated and ultimately just wanted to 128 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 4: be able to put music out and continue on that 129 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:46,919 Speaker 4: path that I was like that we had started on 130 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:50,839 Speaker 4: when I was twelve thirteen years old. So in the 131 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 4: stepping out of the spotlight, it was not for a 132 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 4: lack of trying, Like I was recording hundreds of songs 133 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 4: over the years and fighting really hard behind the scenes 134 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 4: to the point where I lost that fight from just 135 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 4: fighting so long and so hard to no avail. 136 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, it kind of feels like imprisonment because like music 137 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 3: is all you had known since you were like five 138 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 3: seven years old. Were there moments during that time that 139 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 3: you thought this is it for me? Or did you 140 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 3: have faith it would be okay. 141 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 4: I have a resilient spirit and I'm optimistic, like I 142 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 4: can see the silver lining, I can see a bright side. 143 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 4: But there was a point where I no longer saw 144 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 4: a light at the end of the tunnel. Where I 145 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 4: also had maintained optimism for years and tried different things, 146 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 4: and then I was like, you know what, Actually I'm 147 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 4: a lost cause, like because then I like fell deep 148 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 4: into depression and then like self sabotaging behaviors and addiction 149 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 4: and just trying to like deal with the emotions that 150 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,120 Speaker 4: I had been suppressing because I didn't want people to 151 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 4: worry or feel bad or anything like that. 152 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 3: They literally took your voice. It was like you were 153 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 3: like the little mermaid. 154 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 4: I mean, I started to feel bad for myself. I 155 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 4: started to feel like I was this thing that people 156 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 4: could talk about in the industry, and people were like, Oh, 157 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 4: if only we could sign her or we could work 158 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 4: with her, she was available to do this, but I 159 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 4: wasn't because I legally didn't own my voice, couldn't do 160 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 4: anything with that. And I think that the truth about 161 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 4: my story and what I talk about in Over the 162 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 4: Influence is that a lot of my fans know and 163 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 4: really helped me through that period of time with like 164 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 4: the free jojo movement, with like creating awareness around what 165 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 4: was going on behind the scenes with my label at 166 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:40,840 Speaker 4: the time. But that's just a small sliver of my 167 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 4: story because I also believe that, yeah, you can have 168 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 4: like a set of circumstances that are happening in your life, 169 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:51,719 Speaker 4: but you can make different choices with them, you know. 170 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 4: I think that I really kind of embodied that, Like 171 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 4: people were telling me that I was a victim, and 172 00:08:57,440 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 4: I was like, you know what, yeah I am. And 173 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 4: I think Over the Influence is the journey of saying 174 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:06,840 Speaker 4: that feels terrible. I hate that narrative and I am 175 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 4: similar to what you said earlier, like I have to 176 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 4: reclaim the way I look at things and live my life, 177 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 4: because what is life about if not to like experience 178 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 4: joy and connection and possibility. 179 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:21,440 Speaker 5: You know, yeah, you don't get to tell me when 180 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 5: my story ends. 181 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,959 Speaker 4: Exactly, no, right, But I certainly felt like it was 182 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 4: over a lot, and because I just I gave up 183 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:31,080 Speaker 4: on myself, you know, several times. 184 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 5: Well. 185 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 2: I also I wonder about that because you were thirteen 186 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 2: years old when you just exploded onto the scene. You 187 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 2: were the youngest artist to have a single atop the 188 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 2: top forty charts. I mean, people were praising you and 189 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 2: waiting on you hand and foot everywhere you went. And 190 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 2: I wonder what happens to your psyche, to your emotions, 191 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 2: like when that NonStop avalanche of validation, as you wrote 192 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 2: in your book, goes away. 193 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 4: It went away in like the heightened you know, crazy, 194 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 4: when you have a number one single, it can be 195 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 4: an onslaught of just everybody kissing your ass and all that. 196 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 4: But I heard somebody say this, and it's kind of 197 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 4: true that if you're ever famous, you're kind of famous forever. 198 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 4: And the truth is that people treat you unrealistically, So 199 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:24,080 Speaker 4: I think that that created like a false sense of 200 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 4: first of all, not really knowing who genuinely likes me 201 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 4: or what people's intentions are. Because I started so young, 202 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 4: I think that that was like a tender spot for 203 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 4: me because I was already bullied as a kid. I 204 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 4: already didn't think that people liked me, so then when 205 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 4: people started to being nice to me, I'm like, what 206 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 4: is this about? But I definitely did get my sense 207 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 4: of self worth from being popular and outside of school. 208 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 4: But when my music was particularly popular and I really 209 00:10:56,080 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 4: needed that validation, that can be an addictive thing, and 210 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 4: that's one of the things that influenced so many of 211 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 4: my decisions throughout the years, personally and professionally. Was like 212 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 4: seeking that validation, because when fame gets into your system, 213 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 4: it's like putting heroin into a prepubescent creature. You know. 214 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, how old were you when you recorded get Out twelve? 215 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 3: You weren't even thirteen. That's so wild. I read that 216 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 3: you didn't initially connect with the song and you didn't 217 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 3: want it to be your first single. It obviously was, 218 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 3: and it had major success, But I'm wondering what happens 219 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 3: to your brain? As a young person and as an 220 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 3: artist when they're not listening to you. 221 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 4: I never saw myself as a pop singer. I always 222 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 4: felt like a soul singer. Those were the singers that 223 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:49,280 Speaker 4: I admired and that I studied and looked up to. 224 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 4: And I kind of had like an aversion to say it, 225 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 4: say it the mainstream that just wasn't I don't really 226 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 4: like that shit, Like I wasn't that into the boy 227 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 4: bands and the girl bands and stuff like a little bit, 228 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 4: I guess, but I was more like, no, it's about 229 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 4: Areta and Eda James and even Ella Fitzgerald more on 230 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 4: the jazz side. That's what I resonated with. So with 231 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 4: Leave Get Out, I just didn't get it. I just 232 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 4: didn't really like because that wasn't my world of listening 233 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 4: to a bunch of pop records. I didn't get it. 234 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:24,560 Speaker 4: That was the first instance of me going along for 235 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 4: the ride and my mom, who is very very much 236 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:33,320 Speaker 4: an earnest, true down to earth person. She's very heart 237 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 4: forward and leads just with who she is, and that's 238 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:39,560 Speaker 4: the first time that I really broke with her and 239 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 4: I was like, no, I'm going to listen to what 240 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 4: these people who know better than us are saying oh wow, 241 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:46,560 Speaker 4: because she was like, you don't like the song, I 242 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 4: don't like this song, blah blah blah. But I'm like, no, 243 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 4: I think they know what they're talking about and we 244 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:53,319 Speaker 4: should just go. Because she was managing me at the time, 245 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 4: but she was concerned that her daughter was being molded 246 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 4: and shaped into something that I like, Naturally. 247 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 1: Did that sort of rupture your relationship with her was 248 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 1: at the beginning? 249 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 4: Probably, I would say when I started to have a 250 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 4: lot of success, that deepened that rupture. Because it's hard 251 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 4: enough being a single mom having a girl only child, 252 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:21,960 Speaker 4: where we were so so close, and then she was 253 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:25,199 Speaker 4: managing me and we had no experience in this game 254 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,840 Speaker 4: because it is a game in this system. It was 255 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 4: like trial by fire and it was really really challenging 256 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 4: on our relationship and what that did to my brain, 257 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 4: Like how you asked, I think that it taught me. 258 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 4: It conditioned me to say, how you feel doesn't matter. 259 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 4: And I'm not saying that other people were like how 260 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:45,600 Speaker 4: you feel doesn't matter, but that's the subconscious messaging that 261 00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:48,319 Speaker 4: I very quickly understood. 262 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 3: There's one story from your book that I think is 263 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 3: going to have every stop every millennial girl in her tracks. 264 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 3: You almost signed a record deal with Britney Spears. 265 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: Can you give us the day on that? 266 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:04,040 Speaker 4: I know that is so crazy. When I was like, 267 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 4: I don't even think I was ten yet, I was 268 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 4: maybe nine or ten. I called into the local Top 269 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 4: forty station in Boston because someone was like, oh, they 270 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 4: they're giving tickets away to their summer concert. I always 271 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 4: wanted to put myself in positions to be seen and 272 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 4: to sing for people like I really wanted that. So anyway, 273 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 4: long story short, I ended up winning the tickets. So 274 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 4: my mom and I went and I sang my way 275 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 4: through security from one security guard to the next. Ended 276 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:33,920 Speaker 4: up meeting Britney Spears, and I did, and I still 277 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 4: do think that she's amazing. I loved Baby one more 278 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 4: time when it came out, like there's some soul in that. 279 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 4: First of all, I think it's an a dope record. 280 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 4: She was saying that she was going to start a 281 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 4: production company. Her and her attorney at the time, Larry Rudolph, 282 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 4: were going to start something, and basically a few weeks 283 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 4: after meeting her, a contract was sent to our little 284 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 4: apartment in Massachuset. It was about signing to her production company, 285 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 4: and my mom was like you no, you're too young, 286 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 4: and I'm like, you hate me, you bought you wish 287 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 4: death upon me, like you want me to die, because 288 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 4: I was like, this is a chance, Like we're never 289 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 4: going to get better than this. I'm grateful that she 290 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 4: didn't go with that because first of all, ten, I 291 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 4: mean not that twelve is much older, but ten is crazy. 292 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 4: Ten is crazy, and I don't think Britney ever put 293 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 4: out any artists on her production company, so you know, 294 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 4: I thought I was shelved. I just don't even think 295 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 4: my career would have gotten off the ground because sometimes 296 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 4: it's riskier to sign to an artist's label. 297 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 2: Well, this actually makes me think of something that you 298 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 2: wrote on your Instagram recently. You're doing the series of 299 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 2: posts where you were giving advice to your younger self, 300 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 2: and there was one that you wrote to your thirteen 301 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 2: year old self and you said, quote, not every opportunity 302 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 2: is for you say no to the ones that don't 303 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 2: feel right, so you can be available to say yes 304 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 2: to the things it do. 305 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 5: What did you have in mind when you wrote that. 306 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 4: If you're saying yes to everything from a place of fear, 307 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:10,360 Speaker 4: that you're never going to get another opportunity. Then you're 308 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 4: not really checking in if it's like, if it's in resonance, 309 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 4: not only just does it feel right, but let me 310 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 4: lay this out in black and white, does it make sense? 311 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 4: All these things? So that's really generally what I was 312 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 4: thinking of. But I do think that regardless of how 313 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 4: anything panned out with my former label that I was 314 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 4: assigned to at first, that was meant to unfold that way. 315 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 4: I'm incredibly grateful for the foundation that it set up 316 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 4: for me to live a life that I really enjoy. 317 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 4: And if anything else had been different about it, if 318 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 4: I had said yes to something, then I wouldn't have 319 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 4: been able to say yes to the thing that actually 320 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 4: was a part of my destiny. 321 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 2: I think we are loving this conversation, but we need 322 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 2: to take a quick break. 323 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 5: We'll be right. 324 00:16:55,840 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 1: Back, and we're back with Jojo Jojo. 325 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 3: The other day, I saw this woman from like the 326 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 3: Harvard a cappella group on stage performing a Whitney Houston song. 327 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:19,600 Speaker 4: Oh my god, they're so good. I love the Harvard 328 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 4: Acapella group. I saw that exact thing. 329 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 1: They're unbelievable. 330 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, she was killing you know what I'm talking about. Yes, 331 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 4: she was so killing. 332 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,920 Speaker 3: Oh I'm not in music. I just reposted it because 333 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 3: I was like, this woman is just so embodied. Yes, 334 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 3: And so I'm watching it back and all of a sudden, 335 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:40,480 Speaker 3: I started crying. M And I realized that I started 336 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 3: crying because she looked like the world had not hit 337 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:48,639 Speaker 3: her yet, Like there was no like harassment, There was 338 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:51,160 Speaker 3: no like, there was no the stuff that you get 339 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:55,159 Speaker 3: from just being a woman in any industry, particularly in 340 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:58,959 Speaker 3: Hollywood or in music. You have really been through it, 341 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 3: Like reading your book. I don't want to give it 342 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 3: all away to people, but like you have gone to 343 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 3: the depths of your soul and back again. And I'm 344 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:11,240 Speaker 3: wondering when you look at people that are like young 345 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:14,679 Speaker 3: women coming up or somebody who's like just like on 346 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:18,320 Speaker 3: the precipice of it, what do you feel like, what 347 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:20,400 Speaker 3: do you wish you could say to them to kind 348 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 3: of like protect that that thing that I was feeling 349 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 3: in that video from that girl. 350 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:28,919 Speaker 4: Oh, I love that. That's such a beautiful thing for 351 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:33,160 Speaker 4: you to feel and for her to be reflecting out 352 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 4: into the you know, the joy that like unbridled connection, 353 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:41,920 Speaker 4: yes to whatever it is to source creation like it's 354 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 4: so dope, it's so beautiful. And I think about this 355 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 4: a lot because I really like, I've always been an 356 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 4: old soul, but now I'm old enough that I can 357 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 4: be that eccentric, experienced, artsy auntie to people. And I 358 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:00,680 Speaker 4: want to be so to answer your question, and there's 359 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 4: so many things I would say, and that's part of 360 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 4: why I did like that little series of the advice 361 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 4: that i'd give, you know, my younger self, but I 362 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 4: would say, just be so unapologetic about doing what is 363 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,240 Speaker 4: right for you, doing what feels right for you, and 364 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,720 Speaker 4: following that thing that lights you up, following that joy. 365 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 4: Like I mean, maybe she goes to Harvard for music 366 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 4: or something, but maybe that's just like a passion of 367 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 4: hers and then she's also studying something else, and I 368 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,920 Speaker 4: think that's a side thing. Don't let those side things go. 369 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 4: Don't lose yourself to your ambitions or to climbing. I 370 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:41,639 Speaker 4: don't think that that's worth it. I think that the 371 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 4: example that like Simone Viles has been setting for young 372 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:49,199 Speaker 4: women is so important and so different than what we 373 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 4: saw where it's like burnout, exhaustion. Just just push it 374 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:58,480 Speaker 4: to the max. And look, I have done that in 375 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 4: my own ways, and I've broken many times. And I 376 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 4: think that someone as famous and as influential as she 377 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 4: is to say no, she's really teaching young girls and 378 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 4: grown ask girls like myself how to be a whole 379 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 4: person and not just a machine because we're not. 380 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 3: Well. 381 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:20,439 Speaker 2: You've gotten me thinking about just the contrast between what 382 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 2: it was like to be a pop star in the 383 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:26,600 Speaker 2: late nineties early two thousands versus today, and I think 384 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 2: some aspects have improved for young female pop stars. I 385 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 2: think when you were coming up, there was this widespread 386 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 2: sexualization of young girls from I mean the time that 387 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 2: they were pre teens to teenagers. I read in your 388 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 2: book that you actually didn't want to be perceived as 389 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,159 Speaker 2: more sexual necessarily, but like older and more mature, Like 390 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 2: you wanted to present this older air to the people 391 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 2: that you were around. And there was this quote, Jojo 392 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 2: that hit me like a gut punch when I read it. 393 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:57,479 Speaker 2: You were talking about when you looked in the mirror 394 00:20:57,520 --> 00:20:59,960 Speaker 2: the first time that you had gotten professional makeup done, 395 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:01,880 Speaker 2: and you said, I didn't see a thirteen year old 396 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:04,359 Speaker 2: girl anymore. I saw an eighteen year old pop star. 397 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 2: And that's exactly what I hoped other people would see too. Yeah, 398 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:11,639 Speaker 2: and I don't want to put this like framing on 399 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:14,119 Speaker 2: it that might not be there for you, So correct 400 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:17,199 Speaker 2: me if I'm wrong with this framing. But do you 401 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 2: feel like that perspective cost you anything? Looking back on. 402 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:23,959 Speaker 4: It personally cost me? Yeah, I was in such a 403 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:27,359 Speaker 4: rush to grow up. I never wanted to be a kid. 404 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:31,000 Speaker 4: I thought it was inconvenient to the work that I 405 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 4: wanted to do, and to the money that I wanted 406 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:36,400 Speaker 4: to make, to my ambition. It just was. And first 407 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 4: of all, why was I that way? That's a whole 408 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:41,199 Speaker 4: other conversation, like why was this little girl feeling like 409 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 4: I needed to make a way out of no way 410 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 4: for me and my mom and all these things? And 411 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:49,960 Speaker 4: I wanted something different. But I was embarrassed to be 412 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,480 Speaker 4: so young, Like I did not look at it as 413 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:56,000 Speaker 4: a cool thing. But then when the youngest artist to 414 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 4: have a number one on the top forty chart, I'm like, oh, so, 415 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 4: I guess this is a good thing in other people's eyes. 416 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:05,399 Speaker 4: But I still felt so alone because the closest people 417 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:10,160 Speaker 4: in age to me were eighteen like that were in 418 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:14,240 Speaker 4: music at that time or in film and television and stuff. 419 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 4: So I just I felt like an outlier, even more 420 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:21,880 Speaker 4: so than I already did, just being like a girl 421 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 4: who got bullied and felt like a bit of a 422 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:28,200 Speaker 4: little weirdo. And do I think it cost me anything? 423 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:32,399 Speaker 4: I think that being in a rush for cycles to 424 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 4: complete or for like seasons to go faster, I'm sure 425 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 4: that cost me something. I think that not being around 426 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 4: kids my age, that's exactly what I wanted. I wanted 427 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 4: to be around the adults and everything. But do I 428 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:52,640 Speaker 4: think that I would have benefited from maybe going through 429 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 4: that uncomfortable process with other people my age, Yeah, I 430 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:58,640 Speaker 4: think so probably. 431 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:01,560 Speaker 3: Okay, I need to get key about your music for 432 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 3: a second with you. So I just saw that viral 433 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 3: clip with Adele Bawling singing one of her songs, and 434 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 3: I wanted to ask you which one of your songs 435 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:16,719 Speaker 3: is most likely to give that to you. 436 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:20,480 Speaker 4: I would say that the one that I tend to 437 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 4: get emotional with was a song called music from my 438 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 4: album Mad Love, because I wrote that shortly after my 439 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 4: dad died, and I was thinking about what has been 440 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 4: the most consistent relationship in my life, and it's been music. 441 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 4: It's that has been the thing that has been always 442 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 4: there for me. I could always count on it. I 443 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:48,400 Speaker 4: could always even comforting myself with just singing some melodies. 444 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:52,119 Speaker 4: It feels good the way it reverberates in my chest 445 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:56,359 Speaker 4: and then comes out, like the lyric can take on 446 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 4: different forms depending like who I'm singing it to, because 447 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 4: when I'm in front of my fans and I'm singing, 448 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 4: who would I be without you? It's so very much 449 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:10,679 Speaker 4: for them. If it weren't for their belief and support, 450 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 4: I don't know that I would have made it through 451 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 4: a lot of the times that I had, So that 452 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 4: one always gets to me. 453 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:19,119 Speaker 5: Jojo. 454 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:21,959 Speaker 2: It's clear that you care deeply about fairness. I mean, 455 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:24,159 Speaker 2: you mentioned wanting to be a civil rights attorney when 456 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,320 Speaker 2: you were younger if you didn't end up doing music. 457 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:29,920 Speaker 2: And I feel like Jojo fans collectively, we are all 458 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 2: invested in fairness for you. I mean, there was a 459 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 2: free Jojo movement. We all feel like you were wronged 460 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:38,640 Speaker 2: after all that you've been through in this business. 461 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:41,199 Speaker 5: What does justice look like for you? 462 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 2: And I don't even know if that's the right word, 463 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,439 Speaker 2: but like, what does freedom look like for Jojo? 464 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 5: Ooh? 465 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 4: Freedom just looks like following what actually sparks joy right 466 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:55,480 Speaker 4: now and makes me feel like a little kid and 467 00:24:55,600 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 4: where I can be connected to community and purpose. And 468 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,879 Speaker 4: I think that in having nothing to hide, that's freedom 469 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:05,840 Speaker 4: as well. So I kind of wanted to like blow 470 00:25:05,920 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 4: up my own spot and be like, here's some embarrassing 471 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:10,400 Speaker 4: things that I did. Here's some things that like you're 472 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:14,200 Speaker 4: not supposed to do, or some blind spots that I had. 473 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 4: I do think that freedom is saying this is just 474 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 4: what it is, this is just where I'm at, and 475 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 4: releasing shame. And I was carrying around so much of 476 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 4: it for a variety of different reasons, and some of them, 477 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 4: like guilt can sometimes help change behavior and maybe that 478 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 4: can be a good thing, but the shame and embarrassment, 479 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 4: I think freedom is letting go of those things. And 480 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:45,960 Speaker 4: I think the freedom is in the present. 481 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 3: Okay, I'm about to ask you a question, and I 482 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 3: don't want it to come off rude, because I want 483 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 3: you to know how big of a fan I am. 484 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 3: I bought a ticket to your concert before COVID hit. 485 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:56,800 Speaker 4: Oh thanks, Cinya. 486 00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 3: But when I read your book and I'm thinking about 487 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:04,480 Speaker 3: all that you have been through, and my question is 488 00:26:04,520 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 3: coming from a place of thinking that you are just 489 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 3: one of the most talented people. Do you ever sit 490 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:12,960 Speaker 3: with yourself and think my music career should be so 491 00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:14,359 Speaker 3: much bigger right now? 492 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:17,640 Speaker 4: I appreciate that question and the way you prefaced it too, 493 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:20,880 Speaker 4: but I'm I'm not offended by that, and I'm glad 494 00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 4: that we're talking about it. 495 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:23,199 Speaker 1: Thank you for being open to that. 496 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, I really want to answer it, honestly, I'm like, 497 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:29,240 Speaker 4: do I think that. I think that there was a 498 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 4: moment where I definitely felt like that and where I 499 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 4: felt entitled and deserving of being one of the biggest stars. 500 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 5: In the world. 501 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:45,000 Speaker 4: But I got to be so honest with you, that's 502 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 4: just that's not my passion anymore. It's not my aspiration 503 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 4: to compete on that level. I can't play the game anymore. 504 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:57,480 Speaker 4: Like I just have to unsubscribe from some of those things. 505 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:04,159 Speaker 4: I was hurt so badly at such a soft, impressionable 506 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:08,879 Speaker 4: formative time that I'm way too sensitive for that. And 507 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:11,680 Speaker 4: I think that on the other side of like accepting, 508 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:14,440 Speaker 4: which happened pretty recently, I would say in the past 509 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:17,159 Speaker 4: like four years, like I want to make music that 510 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:21,720 Speaker 4: I dig and I want it to resonate with enough 511 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:25,440 Speaker 4: people to where I can make an impact on them, 512 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 4: and I can have a great career and talk with 513 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:34,120 Speaker 4: cool people and have access to more connections and opportunities 514 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 4: and things like that. But do I want to compete 515 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:38,720 Speaker 4: or make a certain type of I just I don't 516 00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:43,080 Speaker 4: think I can. I just can't do that anymore physically, emotionally, 517 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:45,399 Speaker 4: I just can't. So I don't know if that answers 518 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:46,960 Speaker 4: your question or if I kind of talked around that 519 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,840 Speaker 4: in a circle. But I'm not making music with that 520 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 4: intention anymore, and I was for a while. I'm interested 521 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:56,960 Speaker 4: in how I can help support other younger people on 522 00:27:57,040 --> 00:27:59,920 Speaker 4: their journey too, while they're going through a lot of 523 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,720 Speaker 4: the things that I went through in their own things 524 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:05,719 Speaker 4: and personal stuff. Because I just don't have the stomach 525 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:06,400 Speaker 4: for it anymore. 526 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 3: It's time for another short break, But don't go anywhere, 527 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:12,880 Speaker 3: because when we come back, Jojo is telling us all 528 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:23,200 Speaker 3: about the importance of protecting her peace. And we're back 529 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:24,879 Speaker 3: with Joanna Jojo Levek. 530 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:27,719 Speaker 2: I think my favorite thing that you've said throughout our 531 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 2: whole conversation, Jojo, is how you answered Danielle's question about 532 00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:33,159 Speaker 2: whether you feel like your career should be bigger because 533 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:37,720 Speaker 2: I think so many people, myself included in your twenties, 534 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:40,600 Speaker 2: you have this vision or perception of what your career 535 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 2: is going to look like, but you have no idea 536 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:46,920 Speaker 2: the cost, the relational collateral that's a part of that, 537 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:50,440 Speaker 2: the sacrifices. And it sounds like at the end of 538 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 2: the day, you have discovered that peace is more priceless 539 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 2: than any of that. 540 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 5: And I just think that that is such an important message. 541 00:28:57,920 --> 00:28:58,280 Speaker 1: Thank you. 542 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:04,920 Speaker 4: I definitely love my career and love being busy and 543 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 4: being in community and all that stuff, but yeah, my 544 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 4: piece and being able to look at myself in the 545 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 4: mirror and feel good about myself and not be constantly 546 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 4: thinking that I need to go against what feels right. 547 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 4: Like I realized that like my addictive tendencies were kind 548 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 4: of stoked by wanting to get outside myself, I would 549 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:29,240 Speaker 4: numb those things that discomfort that I was feeling. I 550 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 4: would need the attention of a guy or like a 551 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 4: love affair, and like just like being wrapped up in 552 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 4: a whole thing because I wasn't satisfied in my career 553 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,479 Speaker 4: or with trying to please other people. And I have 554 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 4: a tattoo in white ink that you can't see because 555 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 4: I'm so pale. It's like pretty much the same, but 556 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 4: it's PYP protect your piece. 557 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 1: PYP is the new pyt I have. This is amazing. 558 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:55,600 Speaker 4: One of my best girlfriends, not Done, She's an amazing 559 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:58,440 Speaker 4: songwriter artist. She would say it all the time. She's like, 560 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:00,840 Speaker 4: pyp PYP. I'm like, I'm gonna get tattooed. We should 561 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 4: get that tattooed. She's like, yeah, and anyway, I got 562 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:07,720 Speaker 4: a tattooed. She didn't. Pip is that feels like a trick. 563 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 4: It feels like a trick. No, but pyp is the 564 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 4: is the message. Yeah, protect your piece. Like you said, Simon, 565 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:16,360 Speaker 4: It's just I think a lot about how life is 566 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:21,760 Speaker 4: short and how I always say, God willing life is long. 567 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 4: I mean, you know what I'm saying, because you never 568 00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:27,560 Speaker 4: you never know when when your time is and we 569 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:31,160 Speaker 4: get one shot, get one shot, and living for other 570 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:34,080 Speaker 4: people's ideas about your life sucks. 571 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:37,280 Speaker 5: That's it. I think we got our episode title, protect your. 572 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 3: Pathaya your piece, Yeah, Jojo. These kinds of conversations make 573 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:47,160 Speaker 3: me so grateful that I get to do my job. 574 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:50,000 Speaker 3: So thank you. I know someone feels the same way. 575 00:30:50,040 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 3: Thank you for your heart today. 576 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:54,640 Speaker 4: Oh my god, well I feel the same way. Thank you, guys. 577 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 4: I so appreciate it. I love talking about this stuff, 578 00:30:57,440 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 4: about the journey of the a person, just trying to 579 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 4: experience brightness and joy. So thank you so much for 580 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:06,760 Speaker 4: having me Jojo. 581 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:09,280 Speaker 5: We're so proud of you, girl. Yeah, I'm so proud 582 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:09,480 Speaker 5: of you. 583 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 2: I'm genuinely so happy for you, like you just seem 584 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 2: like you just seem like you have so much peace. 585 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:17,760 Speaker 2: And I'm so happy that you're in Mulan Rouge, one 586 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 2: of my favorite shows. I'm so excited for this next 587 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:21,960 Speaker 2: Jojo Eraich. 588 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:24,360 Speaker 1: You please tour again so that I can make the show. 589 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 4: I promise it's going to be the best tour yet. 590 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:30,880 Speaker 4: So I can't wait. And I gotta have you backstage. 591 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:32,440 Speaker 4: I got to I got to see you. 592 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 1: Oh my god, You're so sweet. 593 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 4: Thank you guys. 594 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:35,479 Speaker 5: Thank you be there. 595 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:41,920 Speaker 2: Jojo is an award winning singer, songwriter, actor and author 596 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:45,440 Speaker 2: of Over the Influence, which is in bookstores right now. 597 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:48,240 Speaker 2: She's sorry in Mulan Ruse the Musical on Broadway through 598 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 2: October thirteenth. 599 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 1: That's it for today's show. 600 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 3: Tomorrow it's Wellness Wednesday, breast cancer surgeon and women's health advocate, 601 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 3: doctor Christy Funk joins us for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 602 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:07,920 Speaker 3: Listen and follow The bright Side on the iHeartRadio app, 603 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:11,200 Speaker 3: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Join the 604 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 3: conversation using hashtag the bright Side and connect with us 605 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:18,040 Speaker 3: on social media at Hello Sunshine on Instagram and at 606 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:20,840 Speaker 3: The bright Side Pod on TikTok, and feel free to 607 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 3: tag us. Simone Boys and Danielle Robe 608 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:27,680 Speaker 2: See you tomorrow, folks, Keep looking on the bright side.