She began performing in singing competitions and local talent shows as a child. In , record producer Vincent Herbert noticed her after she competed on the television show America's Most Talented Kids and asked her to audition for his record label Blackground Records. After signing with the label, JoJo released her eponymous debut studio album in It peaked at number four on the U. Billboard and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America RIAA , selling over four million copies worldwide to date.
With her debut single " Leave Get Out " peaking atop the U. Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart, JoJo became the youngest solo artist in history to top the chart at age The album was later certified gold, selling over three million copies worldwide.
She left Atlantic in and founded her record label Clover Music through a joint venture with Warner Records , where she re-recorded and re-released her debut and second albums as the label's first project in In addition to her music career, JoJo has also pursued an acting career. In , she made her on-screen feature film debut in Aquamarine and later starred in R. She made her Broadway debut in playing "Satine" in Moulin Rouge! The Musical. As a child, JoJo listened as her mother practiced hymns.
In , she auditioned on the television show Destination Stardom , singing Aretha Franklin 's hit " Respect " and " Chain of Fools ". Record producer Vincent Herbert contacted her and asked her to audition for Blackground Records.
In , at age 12, JoJo signed with Blackground Records and its imprint Da Family Entertainment and began working with producers for her first album. JoJo's gold-certified debut single " Leave Get Out " was released in When the single reached number one on the Mainstream Top 40 chart, she became, at age thirteen, the youngest solo artist to have a number-one single in the United States. The single version of the song features rapper Bow Wow.
