JoJo Siwa (right) admires the multiple bows worn by superfan Leah-Jade Davies from Cardiff (Image: Birmingham Mail)
Devoted followers of JoJo Siwa rushed to the Birmingham Bullring shopping centre to see the 14-year-old internet sensation who had flown over from Omaha, Nebraska, on her first visit to the UK.
Alisha Hobbs, aged 12, and Jasmine Chapman, aged six. from Newport came to Birmingham to meet JoJo Siwa (Image: Birmingham Mail)
Fans of the star - known as Siwanators - had to buy a bow at Claire's accessories store in the Bullring to get one of 250 coveted wristbands entitling them to a meet and greet at a specially-branded double decker bus in St Martin's Square.
Many shoppers wondered what was going on as queues of children, all wearing the oversized bows, formed at the shop and at the bus.
JoJo was in the city from 1pm to 3.30pm, posing for photographs with those who were lucky enough to meet her in person.
Leah-Jade Davies, aged 13, from Cardiff, came to Birmingham to meet JoJo Siwa (Image: Birmingham Mail)
Some families arrived very early in the morning to be first to get a bow and wristband when Claire's opened especially early at 7am.
And they weren't just from Birmingham but from all over the UK.
Among them was superfan Leah-Jade Davies from Cardiff, who was bedecked in a cascade of big colourful bows clipped all the way down through her hair.
One girl even came all the way from Dubai! Imaan Malik, aged nine, had flown in from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) just to see her idol.
Imaan Malik flew in from Dubai just to see JoJo Siwa at the Bullring in Birmingham (Image: Birmingham Mail)
JoJo Siwa rose to fame through the popular TV reality series Dance Moms - following a group of young competitive dancers and their equally competitive mothers. She now interacts with her fans through social media platforms.
JoJo has more than 5.8 million followers on Instagram, 11.4 million followers on Music.ly and 600 million views on her YouTube channel, as well as having talent and a global consumer products deals with Nickelodeon.
The youngster has already released three pop songs and has now expanded her accessories range to include keyrings, jewellery, watches and cosmetics.
Crowds of fans wait to meet JoJo Siwa at the Bullring (Image: Birmingham Mail)
The giant bows became so popular in the UK that several schools banned them, saying they didn't comply with rules on uniforms.
Claire’s has previously organised meet and greets with JoJo Siwa in the USA, visiting Chicago, Miami and Minnesota.
Hind Palmer, global brand marketing and communications director for Claire's, told the Birmingham Mail: "Claire's couldn't be more pleased at the successful outcome of the Birmingham Meet and Greet with JoJo Siwa.
"Her fans were thrilled to meet her and couldn't contain their excitement!
"We look forward to our continued thriving partnership with JoJo Siwa and Nickelodeon."
JoJo Siwa was also in Manchester earlier this week, where she told the Manchester Evening News: "This is my first time in the UK and it definitely feels like a foreign country to me, but I really love it here.
"I got to meet so many people, everyone was so nice, and I think I almost had a British accent by the end!
"I have loved bows my whole life, so we just said ‘why not do bows?’ and they have been really successful which is amazing.
"It is so cool seeing people wearing them in the street. I knew people would like them because I like them so much, but I didn’t know they would love them so much."
Crowds of JoJo Siwa fans wait at her special bus in St Martin's Square (Image: Birmingham Mail)
Watch a video of JoJo Siwa's visit to Birmingham here on BirminghamMail.co.uk!
JoJo will be returning to the UK in October to perform for the first time in the UK exclusively at SLIMEFEST in Blackpool, a festival organised by Nickelodeon that features music, dancing – and plenty of slime.
Fans can step into JoJo Siwa’s world with JoJo Siwa: My World, a brand-new docu-style special that goes inside the social media superstar’s journey from small town girl who loved to dance and sing, to Kids’ Choice Award winner for Favorite Viral Music Artist, premiering Friday 18th August 2017 on Nickelodeon UK & Ireland. Fans can also catch JoJo's first-ever live performance in the UK exclusively Nickelodeon SLIMEFEST 2017 this October half-term. See nick.co.uk/slimefest for full information and tickets!
In addition to SLIMEFEST and JoJo Siwa: My World, JoJo will also be guest starring on Nickelodeon's hit musical comedy series School of Rock, as part of a multi-episode story arc, and is set to star in the brand-new Nickelodeon Original Movie Inside Voice, alongside Jace Norman (Henry Danger, Splitting Adam, Rufus) and Daniella Perkins (Knight Squad, Legendary Dudas).
Hundreds of people queued for a chance to meet JoJo Siwa at the Bullring in Birmingham today (Image: Birmingham Mail)
Fans can also catch JoJo in Nickelodeon’s Sizzling Summer Camp Special, airing regularly throughout the summer holidays on Nick UK & Eire.
Also, from Daily Star:
JoJo Siwa reveals shock career move after huge TV fame at 14 years old
DANCE Moms star JoJo Siwa revealed what she wants to be when she grows up on today's episode of This Morning.
The 14-year-old is in the UK for the first time ever and sat down with Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford.
JoJo made an appearance to show support to This Morning's Be Kind Campaign to stop bullying.
She said: "You have friends, just hang out with your friends. Don't worry about your bullies or haters."
The child star doesn't go to school – she's too busy with her TV and online career – so is homeschooled instead.
Eamonn and Ruth were enamoured with her energy and positivity but were curious to find more out about her serious side.
They asked her what she would like to be when she grew up and she's clearly thought about it before.
She told them: "I definitely want to be a pop star and actor but if I wasn't doing that, I would 100% be a surgeon."
In fact, it seems she could be well on her way to adding medical skills to her repertoire.
Eamonn, who had been coughing all episode, told her: "You're so positive. I think you've actually cured my cold today."
JoJo shot into the spotlight after appearing on two seasons of Dance Moms between 2015 and 2016.
Her former mentor, Abby Lee Miller, was handed a prison sentence earlier this year after a fraud trial.
Now, JoJo – real name Joelle Joanie – is best known for her colourful bows which have taken over the country.
--Ends--
Also, from Mirror Online:
Eamonn Holmes asks 'most annoying child star ever' if she's had too many sugary drinks [...]
JoJo Siwa bounced into the studio to chat about her internet fame
Eamonn Holmes questioned whether internet star JoJo Siwa had drunk too many sugary drinks after she bounced into the This Morning studio.
The 14-year-old dancer, reality TV and social media star, real name Joelle Joanie Siwa, admitted she was "very full of energy" during a fast-paced interview.
JoJo, who has nearly four million YouTube subscribers and has a range extravagant bows have become the latest craze in UK schools.
But This Morning viewers didn't take to the adorable American, branding her the 'most annoying child star ever'.
Speaking about her success to Eamonn and Ruth, JoJo said: "For me I feel like I'm relatable. I just want to be a kid and have fun and I think that's what people like about me.
I know it's always what I wanted, but you know your dreams might not come true, but then it did. I was on my first TV show when I was 8-years-old and it all took off from there."
JoJo first found fame on Dance Moms and with her own show JoJo With the Bow Bow.
The Nickelodeon 'It' girl was visiting the UK for the first time and admitted she loved everyone's accents.
Presenter Eamonn asked: "On telly you've got all this great energy and you sing and you dance, just energy, energy, energy and there's a lot of happiness and positivity there.
"Where do you get all that energy from - do you drink a lot of sugary drinks?"
JoJo said: "I actually don’t, it's the weirdest thing, you can ask anyone around me. People call me energy in a bottle.
"It's literally just always like this it really is but then when I'm done I'm asleep and you can’t wake me up. I hit a wall it's the funniest thing."
JoJo has released a song called Boomerang about online bullying, which she suffers from on a daily basis.
She said: "They comment you're fat, you're ugly, you're a brat - it's just terrible. It's not ok. I just want to end it and make people feel good."
[...]
--Ends--
More Nick: JoJo Bows Star JoJo Siwa Sends Fans Into A Frenzy At The Intu Manchester Trafford Centre!
H/T: International Business Times.
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