JoJo Siwa and her mother Jessalyn Siwa have been accused of mistreating members of their group XOMG Pop!
Leigha Sanderson, 16, who scored a place in the pop group in the 2021 reality series Siwas Dance Pop Revolution, has claimed in a new report by Rolling Stone that contestants were subjected to punishing rehearsal schedules, a cutthroat competitive environment and verbal abuse from Jessalyn.
Once the group was formed, the members allegedly continued to be overworked. According to Leigha, she was also not directly paid for social media content and had to pay for her own food and transportation.
After her mother, Anjie, raised her concerns to other mothers and a teacher in May 2023, Leigha was allegedly fired from the group by Jessalyn via text.
Responding to the allegations, the Siwas’ attorney Bryan Freedman called them “100 percent provably false” and criticised Anjie.
“Had actual investigative reporting been done, the voluminous and irrefutable evidence would tell you all you need to know – that a disgruntled momager’s own abusive behaviour caused for her daughter to be asked not to return to the group,” he said in a statement. “Her relentless texts begging for forgiveness and for her daughter to be reinstated completely discredit her and these ridiculous allegations.”
Explaining Leigha’s termination, he added, “Jess Siwa was protecting the staff, the other girls and their families which she will continue to do vociferously and unapologetically.”
According to Rolling Stone, four of the original winners have quit the group in the past year and a half, leaving only three founding members.
Mothers of the current members of XOMG Pop! provided statements via Freedman attesting to their positive experiences in the group.
