American singer who shot to fame at the age of 13 with a smash hit single looks unrecognisable as she lands in Australia 20 years later

She skyrocketed to fame at the age of 13 with a smash hit single.

But even fans of a well-known American singer failed to recognise her when she stepped off the plane at Sydney Airport last week ahead of her Australian tour.

These days the songstress, now 32, has a short blonde bob, which she covered with a black cap for her flight. 

She dressed comfortably in a pair of black tracksuit pants, a black singlet top covered by a dark denim jacket, plus a pair of Nike running shoes.

The popstar also flashed several arm tattoos as she toted a cream tote bag over one arm.

The star in question is none other than singer JoJo, who rose to fame in 2004 following the release of her debut single Leave (Get Out).

She is now in New Zealand after spending time in Australia touring with Fridayz Live, performing in Melbourne last week. 

She’s set to take the stage in Brisbane on Friday, November 17 and Sydney on Saturday, November 18. 

JoJo, whose real name is Joanna Noëlle Levesque, became the youngest star to have a song peak at the top of the US Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart – at the age of just 13.

The talented songstress released two more albums and was poised for stardom – with her second studio album The High Road spawning her first top-five Hot 100 hit with Too Little Too Late.

But her career ground to a halt when she became embroiled in a seven-year contract dispute with her label Blackground Records, who she signed with at age 12.

During the bitter legal battle, the Too Little Too Late singer claimed she was being held hostage by the label because she was not allowed to leave or release new music commercially.

The feud led to her fans taking up a #FreeJoJo campaign on social media at the time.

JoJo went on to win the legal fight in 2013, was eventually released from her contract and signed with Atlantic Records in January 2014.

However, in 2017, JoJo proved she was still affected from the situation, as she tweeted: ‘My former label removed my music, I unfortunately have absolutely no control over what they do or don’t do…I want to let bygones be bygones. I pray one day they put my music back up.’

That year, the singer revealed she had turned to alcohol during low points in her life as she battled with her self image.

The singer told Entertainment Tonight: ‘I’ve had many low points, honestly. I thought, ‘How can I come back from this, you know, too much time has passed?

‘I was depressed, I was drinking a lot because I wanted to get out of my mind. I’m being totally honest … I just wanted to feel good and get out of my mind and that was obviously trying to fill a hole that I had.’

In 2020 she revealed how fellow pop star Taylor Swift had supported her amid her own battle with her old label. 

‘A few years ago, Taylor had me over her house, actually,’ JoJo told People magazine. 

‘She was just like, “I can’t believe everything you’re going through. This is so f****d up, so wrong, blah, blah, blah.’ 

‘Of course, she couldn’t have ever known that she would go through something similar where her catalog was bought from her.’

In 2016, the star released her third studio album, Mad Love, and is currently signed to Interscope.

JoJo revealed in 2020 that she lost her virginity when she was just 14, one year after releasing her single Leave (Get Out).

‘I lost my virginity just before I was 15, so I was 14. I don’t know why I say that. I was 14,’ she told actress Sarah Hyland, YouTube star Simmi Singh, and OB/GYN to the stars Dr. Sherry Ross on the Ellen Original series ‘Lady Parts’.

She became engaged to Saved By The Bell actor Dexter Darden in December 2021 – however, the US Sun reported earlier this year that they had split.  

JoJo re-recorded her first two albums and are available to download from iTunes and available to stream on Apple Music.

She has also branched out into acting in her time, making her on-screen feature film debut in the 2006 film Aquamarine, as well as guest appearances in the likes of The Bernie Mac Show, Hawaii Five-0 and Lethal Weapon!

This year she even made her Broadway debut, playing Satine in Moulin Rouge! The Musical – two decades after finding fame as a child star. 

The singer wowed audiences at Al Hirschfeld Theatre in the lead role of Satine, having taken over from Broadway vet Ashley Loren for a limited number of performances. 

‘Truth. Beauty. Freedom. Love,’ wrote JoJo on Instagram as a direct reference to the musical’s tagline. ‘So I can’t believe I’m finally able to say this… I’m making my Broadway debut in MOULIN ROUGE!!!’ 

The star also maintains an active social media presence with 2.7 million followers.