Did JoJo Siwa Copy Kim Carnes’ ‘Bette Davis Eyes’ Too Closely?

Kim Carnes has explained her feelings about JoJo Siwa’s new cover version of “Bette Davis Eyes,” which A took to No. 1 for five weeks in 1981.

Carnes said she’d been concerned when she heard the two versions overlapped, describing Siwa’s performance as too close to her own.

But she added that she didn’t want anyone becoming a victim of online hate as a result of the situation.

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Carnes had previously posted and deleted a social media message noting there was a difference between simply “singing a song and embodying it,” adding: “I’ve always believed authenticity is what makes music timeless… I’m forever grateful to be the voice behind this one.”

Afterwards she told TMZ: “When I first saw my original performance placed side-by-side and then layered on top of a new version… [t]he phrasing, the tone, even the little inflections – it all felt a bit too close.”

She continued: “This business can be brutal, and I strongly reject the kind of hate and personal attacks I’ve seen online, whether directed at me, JoJo Siwa or anyone else. That kind of behavior doesn’t belong in music, or anywhere.”

Watch Kim Carnes’ ‘Bette Davis Eyes’ Video

Listen to JoJo Siwa’s ‘Bette Davis Eyes’ Cover

Carnes added: “At the same time, I believe artists have the right to speak openly about how something makes them feel, especially when it’s as personal as your voice. These days, our voice is one of the few things we truly own. So when it feels like your voice is being borrowed, it strikes a deeply personal chord.”

Kim Carnes Remains Proud of Magic She Brought to ‘Bette Davis Eyes’

“Bette Davis Eyes” was written by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon in 1974, and released by DeShannon that year without making much impact. Carnes said: “When Donna Weiss… first brought me the song in 1980, I saw a chance to make it my own.

“[W]e recorded the entire track live in one take. No overdubs, no manipulation. What you hear on that record is what we played. And the result was magic.”

Noting that her version earned over 130 million streams a year, she continued: “I’m proud that my version of ‘BDE’ still resonates… I’ve always tried to protect and celebrate the legacy of this recording.”