Jojo Siwa doesn’t care what the haters say. “I’mma come back like a boomerang,” she says in her song, “Boomerang.” And she does.

Jojo Siwa, born Joelle Joanie, made her television debut in 2013 on Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition. In 2015, she joined Dance Moms for seasons 5 and 6. From the beginning of her television career, she was complete with confidence and her signature bow. In recent years, Siwa has become involved with much more than dancing. She released a line of bows. She has her own doll. She’s released four books. And this spring, she’s going on tour to promote her music, sponsored by Nickelodeon.

It wasn’t until mid-2018 that her popularity reached a height with her status as a meme. Suddenly, Siwa was everywhere. What people do not understand, however, is that Jojo Siwa is a fictional character, about as genuine as Barney, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Siwa’s primary audience is children, and she understands this. She wears bright, modest clothes and dances with more than a fair share of enthusiasm on Jimmy Kimmel. She speaks and acts like an “overgrown toddler,” because that’s what her fans like.

According to CelebrityNetWorth, Siwa is one of the richest teenagers in America with a net worth of $12 million. She is worth twice as much as Billie Eilish and four times as much as Bhad Bhabie.

While she may not appear as a businesswoman in her tutu and neon converse, Siwa and her management have clearly built a formidable brand. Besides her Nickelodeon tour, she has won two Kids Choice Awards, and her single “Boomerang” is certified platinum by The Recording Industry Association of America. The question is: why the hate?

Many may feel uncomfortable with Siwa’s persona due to the fact that she simply doesn’t act her age. Even Justin Bieber recently told her to “burn” her custom painted car on Instagram. She has even been called “the most annoying child star ever.”

Whether you love Jojo Siwa or cringe whenever you hear her name, who she presents herself as is not who she is. There is absolutely no possibility that the 15-year-old millionaire wears tutus in her free time; she is fake. But Siwa is crafting her brand and a business, and her persona is the key to it.