Joanna (JoJo song)

Following the release of her third studio album Mad Love, JoJo announced the creation of her record label imprint, Clover Music, in a joint deal with Interscope.[4] It later moved to Warner Bros. Records.[5] "Joanna" is the singer's first original release under the label.[1]

On December 21, 2018 JoJo's first two studio albums were re-released with re-recorded vocals and slightly reworked production in order to coincide with the singer's 28th birthday.[6][7] The albums were re-recorded due to Blackground Records' removing of both of the records from all music platforms following the singer's disputes with the label.[8][9][10] Work on the singer's fourth studio album began shortly after the re-releases.[11] "Joanna" was announced the day prior to its release.[12]

"Joanna" was written by JoJo, Natalie Dunn, Rebekah Muhammad, and Jeff Gitelman, the latter of whom produced the track.[13] Musically, "Joanna" has been described as a freestyle[1] and R&B[2] ballad with "raw" and "stripped-down" instrumentation led by a "bluesy" guitar riff.[2][14][3] The musical arrangement of the song was compared to the songs found on the singer's previous mixtapes.[15] The lyrical content of "Joanna" centers around the comments of haters, music critics, and fans. Singing in the third person,[1] singer mocks the opinions of others in the lyrics "Where did your acting career go? / You were supposed to be somebody / You were supposed to make more money".[14] "Joanna" has also been interpreted as a response to cancel culture.[14]

Madeline Roth, writing for MTV, called the single a "clever, confident response to cancel culture".[14] Allison Stubblebine of Nylon wrote the song "addresses all the negativity that has been thrown [JoJo's] way regarding her career".[1] Mike Wass, writing for Idolator referred to the song as a "hard-hitting track" and a "tantalizing first glimpse of the 'When Love Hurts' hitmaker’s new era".[15] Clare Palo of Vulture referred to the lyrics as "so raw that it seemed almost necessary to start out with a brutally honest take for her never 'Too Little, Too Late' comeback".[3]

A music video was released alongside the single.[16] The video, directed by Se Oh, features hoards of fans rushing past the singer towards an unknown celebrity's car in front of a theater. The singer winks at the camera during the video's conclusion to indicate the release of new music.[16]

Adapted from Tidal.[13]

• JoJo – vocals, composition
• Jeff Gitelman – composition, production
• Natalie Dunn – composition
• Rebekah Muhammad – composition
• Tony Maserati – mixing
• Miles Comaskey – mix engineering
• Dale Becker – mastering
• Hector Vega – mastering
• Ryann Fretschel – mastering