Quarantine Fireside Chat With JoJo

Get out! (Leave)Right now
It’s the end of you and me
It’s too late (Now)
And I can’t wait for you to be gone

No, I’m not talking to you. I’m singing one of JoJo’s most popular songs. I’m not sure if you remember this tune but JoJo has been belting out love lyrics since, well, she found her voice at the young at of 13. The songstress made her first appearance on the scene back in 1998 with a big voice and personality to match.

In 2003, Record producer Vincent Herbert noticed her after she competed on the television show America’s Most Talented Kids and asked her to audition for his record label Blackground Records. Having signed with them that same year, JoJo released her eponymous debut studio album the following year in June 2004. It peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200 and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling over four million copies worldwide to date.

Since bursting onto the scene at just 13 years old and shooting to the top of the charts with her single “Leave (Get Out)” – still the youngest-ever solo artist to have a debut #1 at Top 40 radio – it hasn’t been the easiest ride for JoJo. Legal battles with her former label prevented her from officially releasing music for years, and it wasn’t until 2016 that she was able to take back ownership of her voice and start releasing music again.

Earlier this summer, JoJo released her 4th studio album, good to know, which debuted at the #1 spot on the R&B Albums Chart in its first week and receiving widespread acclaim from Associated Press, Vulture, TIME, Variety, NYLON, NPR, The FADER, and more.

Now free from the legal shackles, JoJo released good to know (Deluxe) August 28th featuring 5 new tracks, including the new single “What U Need” and features with Tinashe and Demi Lovato.

In preparation for the release of the deluxe album, I took a min to chat with JoJo, via Zoom, of course, to talk about her music journey, love, life, and manifestation.