JoJo Siwa Says 'DWTS' Partner Jenna Johnson Helped Bring Her Out of Her Shell (Exclusive)
JoJo Siwa still has Dancing With the Stars on her mind all the time. The singer and TV star opened up to ET about her time on the show, and her friendship with dance partner Jenna Johnson, at the iHeartRadio 102.7 KIIS FM Jingle Ball concert on Friday.
"I miss it so much, it's actually insane," JoJo shared with ET's Denny Directo on the red carpet outside The Forum in Inglewood, California. "I text Jenna every day about how much I miss it. I post everyday about how much I miss it. It was just such a good experience."
JoJo said that, while she felt being on the show and making history as the show's first same-sex dance couple, that her appearance on DWTS might have a positive impact on those watching, but she "had no idea what it was going to do for me, personally."
"I feel like I'm just more self-aware and I feel like I'm more confident. I feel like I'm less scared of myself," JoJo said, adding that it was Jenna, really, who helped guide her and showed her how to embrace herself and her power.
"She we able to come out of my shell," JoJo said, adding with a laugh, "I came out once again! Second time around."
JoJo and Jenna made it all the way to the finals -- and were the odds-on favorites to win it all. However, the pair wound up the season 30 runners-up after Iman Shumpert and his pro partner, Daniella Karagach, took home the Mirrorball trophy in a surprise victory. However, as JoJo previously expressed, getting to spend that much time with Jenna and that much time working on herself was a victory in itself.
The young star's mom, Jessalynn Siwa, attended the event and walked with her daughter on the carpet. JoJo brought her mom in for the interview, and Jessalynn had nothing but love and support for her DWTS journey.
"[I was] unbelievably proud, every night," Jessalynn shared. It was amazing."
Looking back over her daughter's last year, the pair reflected on the role JoJo has taken on as a public figure in the LGBT community after coming out last January.
"It's all new to me and I'm just embracing it with everything I can do," Jessalynn shared. "I just want JoJo to be happy and I want her to know that I love her unconditionally and I'm excited for it."
As for JoJo, one thing she's really looking forward to is to go back on the road for her D.R.E.A.M. the Tour, which kicked off again in early January.
"I'm so excited!" JoJo declared. "I have been waiting for this for two years."
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