JoJo embarks on the next chapter her career with “Joanna,” a prelude to her upcoming fourth album.
In the video, JoJo confronts her critics as well as her own internalized negativity, while celebrating her loyal fans. “What is going on, Joanna?” she asks.
The Se Oh-directed clip was shot earlier this year at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, Calif. Hoards fans rush past JoJo and towards a celebrity’s car in front the theater, but it’s unclear who’s inside. At the end, JoJo winks at the camera, a sign that new music is on the way.
“My INCREDIBLE fans who were in (and honestly MADE) the video have kept it under wraps with me since we filmed a few months ago. They the best,” she wrote. “I asked them to say mean slick shit to me and ignore me. You’ll see what I mean when u see the video. Lol.”
The reflective track, which started as a freestyle, is also a commentary on cancel culture. “For someone to write someone f and tell them when their story ends or what’s possible for them is just ridiculous,” said JoJo. “Anything is possible. You are on a path all your own – I am more confident than ever about mine.”
And there’s more “new sh*t” on the way. On Oct. 25, JoJo is set to release the soulful hip-hop-infused “Sabotage” featuring CHIKA.
My new shit ✨ Sabotage feat. CHIKA ✨out Oct 25th. Pre-Save now: https://t.co/MHKexYIKJf pic.twitter.com/FHIMbLMYaD
— JoJo. (@iamjojo) October 11, 2019
On her new album, her first since signing a joint venture with Warner Records earlier this year, she worked with producers Doc McKinney (The Weeknd, Santigold) and Lido (Halsey, Chance the Rapper). According to a press release, the project is “centered around this new-found confidence—both musically and emotionally.”
“There’s a lightness, a joy, a sense satisfaction: JoJo doesn’t want to avoid the past, but it’s time to open the next chapter.”