On October 3rd, Dance Moms alumni and internet sensation JoJo Siwa made her fourth stop on the European leg of her Infinity Heart Tour in Newcastle. Crowds clad in glitter jerseys and bows made their way to Digital to see the dancer-turned-singer put on an unforgettable show.
Siwa has undergone a notable rebrand in recent years, as she has embraced a more mature sound, a clear departure from the style that first catapulted her to fame as a former child star. However, on the night, she took time to honour all of her eras by performing both old and new material, which was met with deafening approval from the crowd.
As the sole performer of the night, Siwa’s entrance was met with ceiling-raising cheers. Dressed in a sparkly pink and blue ensemble, she burst onto the stage with her trademark energy and beaming smile. She immediately broke into ‘Choose UR Fighter’ from her EP Guilty Pleasure, commanding the crowd effortlessly as we chanted “That’s when you choose your fighter” back at her.
Classic hits like ‘Iced Coffee’ and ‘High Top Shoes’ kept us moving, with Siwa occasionally pausing between songs to compliment the audience’s passion and express her gratitude for our presence. At one point, she set out to find “the oldest and the young person in the room” – who ended up being 75 and four, showing us just how universal and compelling her tunes are.
During the course of the night, she surprised us with unreleased tracks – one being a playful reinterpretation of her close friend and musical legend Sir Elton John’s ‘I’m Still Standing’, reimagined as ‘I’m Still Dancing’. Despite not yet knowing the lyrics, the crowd continued to bop as Siwa and her backup dancers infused the room with their boundless positivity.
As the show drew to a close, Siwa pulled out the biggest surprise yet, as she played fan favourite ‘Karma’ for the second time. Fans who had already started working their way out of the show stopped in their tracks, rushing back to join in and mirror her signature choreography in frenzies of excitement.
While headlines have long painted Siwa as a polarising figure, the atmosphere inside Digital told a different story – generations united beneath the dazzling umbrella of JoJo. Her performance proved her place as a fearless entertainer who continues to evolve while staying true to the joy and energy that made her a star.
Words by Zahra Hanif
Support The Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.