Let’s be real. Nobody had JoJo Siwa resurrecting a 1980s synth-pop classic on their 2025 bingo card. Especially not after the "Karma" era, which was essentially a fever dream involving black leather and Gene Simmons-adjacent face paint. But here we are.
In July 2025, JoJo decided to drop a cover of "Bette Davis Eyes." You know the one—the Kim Carnes hit that’s basically the sonic equivalent of a smoky basement club. JoJo’s version? Not exactly smoky. It was more like a neon-lit car crash on TikTok that you couldn’t stop watching.
It sparked a massive online debate about authenticity, vocal talent, and whether some songs should just be left alone.
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The Bette Davis Eyes Reveal That Broke the Feed
The rollout was classic JoJo. She started teasing the track on Instagram and TikTok around July 7, 2025. But instead of the usual high-energy dance moves, she pivot-shifted into this weird, "Old Hollywood" aesthetic.
Short blonde bob. Gingham crop top. Pink shorts. Pearls.
She looked less like a pop star and more like someone’s very intense cousin trying to win a Marilyn Monroe lookalike contest at a regional fair. The internet, predictably, lost its mind. Some people called it her "trad wife" era. Others just called it confusing. Honestly, the change was so abrupt it felt like whiplash.
That Raspy Vocal Choice
Then there were the vocals. "Bette Davis Eyes" is famous for Kim Carnes’ signature raspy, gravelly voice. JoJo tried to emulate that, but the result was... polarizing.
Critics and fans on Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) were ruthless. The comments were flooded with people saying it sounded like an "anti-smoking campaign" or that she had "lost her voice screaming." It was heavily autotuned. Like, really heavily. The contrast between the grit she was trying to project and the digital smoothing made the whole thing feel a bit uncanny valley.
One user on TikTok even commented, "I'm so glad Bette Davis isn't alive to hear this," which racked up over 35,000 likes. Ouch.
Kim Carnes Enters the Chat (Briefly)
The most dramatic part of the whole saga wasn't even JoJo. It was the original singer, Kim Carnes.
On July 9, just as JoJo's teaser was peaking in virality, Carnes posted a TikTok that she later deleted. It featured a clip of her own 1981 music video with a caption that felt like a tactical nuke:
"There is a difference between singing a song. And embodying it... I’ve always believed authenticity is what makes music timeless."
She didn't name JoJo. She didn't have to. The timing was so precise it could have been tracked by an atomic clock. It was the ultimate "legend" shade.
JoJo’s Defense: It’s About the Love Story
So why did she do it? Why take on a song so far outside her usual wheelhouse?
Apparently, it started as a live tribute. JoJo had been performing the song during her London shows in May 2025. She even personalized the lyrics, replacing "Bette Davis" with her boyfriend’s name, singing "Chris Hughes’ eyes" instead.
Hughes, who she met during her stint on Celebrity Big Brother UK, was her biggest cheerleader. He called the cover "unreal" on social media. According to JoJo, the fans at the live shows loved it so much that she felt compelled to record a studio version.
Why the Bette Davis Connection Matters
There’s a deeper irony here that a lot of younger fans missed. Bette Davis wasn't just a movie star; she was a rebel. She was known for being "difficult," for taking roles that made her look ugly, and for fighting the studio system tooth and nail.
In a way, JoJo is trying to do the same thing—fighting against the "Nickelodeon kid" image she spent a decade building. But where Bette Davis used raw, gritty realism, JoJo uses high-gloss, high-friction spectacle.
Comparing Versions: JoJo vs. The World
JoJo wasn’t the only one revisiting the track. 2025 was a big year for "Bette Davis Eyes." Ethel Cain also released a cover around the same time, which was met with near-universal acclaim for being atmospheric and haunting.
- Kim Carnes (1981): The gold standard. Cool, detached, and effortlessly raspy.
- JoJo Siwa (2025): High energy, heavy production, and very "online."
- Ethel Cain (2025): Gothic, slow-burn, and critically adored.
When you put JoJo’s version next to Ethel’s, it highlights the divide in modern pop. One is seeking artistic depth; the other is seeking the "scroll-stopping" moment.
The Aftermath of a Viral Moment
Did the cover "flop"? Not exactly. It got millions of streams. People used the sound for thousands of TikToks—mostly to make fun of it, but in the world of the attention economy, a stream is a stream.
JoJo has mastered the art of "rage-bait pop." She knows that if she releases something "perfect," people might listen once and move on. If she releases something that makes people's ears itch, they'll talk about it for months.
It’s a risky strategy. It can alienate serious music listeners, but it keeps her name in the headlines. And for a former child star trying to navigate their 20s in the public eye, relevance is the only currency that matters.
Understanding the Shift
If you’re trying to make sense of the Bette Davis JoJo Siwa connection, you have to look at it as a piece of performance art rather than a standard cover song.
- Embrace the Cringe: JoJo knows she’s being mocked. She often leans into it, which is her superpower.
- Visual Storytelling: The "trad wife" look wasn't a permanent change; it was a costume for the era.
- Vocal Experimentation: She’s clearly trying to find "her" adult sound. It just might take a few more tries (and maybe less autotune) to get there.
If you want to dive deeper into this specific moment in pop culture history, go back and watch the original 1981 Kim Carnes video. Notice the lighting, the mood, and the restraint. Then watch JoJo’s teaser. The contrast tells you everything you need to know about how much the music industry has changed in forty years.
Compare the two versions side-by-side on your preferred streaming platform to hear exactly how the "rasp" differs between organic vocal fry and digital processing.