Gene Simmons Defends JoJo Siwa’s KISS-Like Appearance at 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards: ‘She Looks Cool’

“JoJo is cool. Anybody who doesn’t get it is just jealous, period,” said the rock legend in a new interview

Gene Simmons; JoJo Siwa. PHOTO: PER OLE HAGEN/REDFERNS, MATT WINKELMEYER/GETTY

Gene Simmons is happy to see JoJo Siwa embracing a new look — even if she resembles a member of KISS.

After Siwa sported an eye-popping black-and-silver outfit with heavy eye makeup reminiscent of a member of the “Rock and Roll All Nite” band to the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles on Monday, Simmons offered his stamp of approval in a new interview with TMZ.

“JoJo is cool,” said the 74-year-old rock legend on Wednesday. “Anybody who doesn’t get it is just jealous, period.”

“Never be ordinary. Always be extraordinary. JoJo is extraordinary, and she looks cool,” added Simmons, before quipping: “Of course, she looks like me, but that’s another story.”

JoJo Siwa Is ‘Ready’ for Criticism over Her ‘Transition’ to Adulthood: ‘If You Follow Along, That’s All You’ (Exclusive)

JoJo Siwa at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles on April 1, 2024.FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY

Siwa’s revamped style comes as she prepares a return to music with her new song, “Karma,” set to release on Friday. Before the new song arrives, she spoke to PEOPLE at the 2024 GLAAD Awards about the upcoming transition — which was preceded by a “heads-up” on Instagram that her new content is “not made for children.”

“I feel like a lot of child stars started as a character then they grew into an adult as themselves,” said the Dance Moms alum last month. “Whereas for me, I’ve always been myself, you know what I mean? And so to make this transition while being true to myself, while being artistic, has been interesting to figure out. But I think we’ve nailed it and I think it definitely makes a massive statement. Maybe even too big of a statement, but I think it’s going to be a good one.”

At the 2024 iHeartRadio Awards, Siwa opened up about facing criticism for her new look and how she’s pushing forward. “It’s been fun. It’s been criticized, that’s for sure,” she told E! News on the carpet.

“People are afraid of things they don’t know. Things can be scary for people. New things can be very, very scary,” she added. “But I think that creating art is such a special, special thing, and I’m very lucky that I’m one of the people in the world that gets to create art.”

JoJo Siwa at the GLAAD Media Awards in Beverly Hills in March 2024.STEVEN SIMIONE/WIREIMAGE

Simmons, however, isn’t the only star who’s had Siwa’s back as she prepares to launch a new era. “Honestly, the way that I’m able to keep going and keep being like, ‘Wait, actually, what I’m doing is right,’ is because some of the most respected people in the world have come up to me and been like, ‘What you’re doing right now is so right. It is so right. It’s what the world needs. I’m learning from what you’re doing right now.’ That’s crazy to me,” she said.

“I heard that from Lil Nas X yesterday. I heard it from Meghan Trainor a few weeks ago,” continued Siwa. “It blows my mind.”