In fact, the “Too Little Too Late” singer completely understood why the 2006 song off her second album The High Road has continued to have a major moment, thanks to lyrics like, “But you don't like me, you just like the chase / To be real, it doesn't matter anyway / You know it's just too little too late.”

“We as people—as women specifically—really are more boundaried,” JoJo told E! News' Keltie Knight on the red carpet at 2026 MTV VMAs at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater Sept. 27. “We are like, ‘That's not gonna work. That's not good enough. I'm already bringing so much to the table. What are you actually [doing]? Is this in resonance? Is this in alignment? No.’”

“Therefore, it's too little, too late,” she mused. “You had a moment to have me, and it's just not gonna work.”

Thankfully, what is gonna work for the 35-year-old (real name Joanna Levesque) is finding a way to empower the female artists around her, the same way she found empowerment as a young artist in the music industry. Especially has previously been vocal about her experience being trapped in a label that wouldn’t let her release new music or let her out of her contract at the height of her career.

“It really does juice me up,” she raved. “I remember Cyndi Lauper gave me some advice. I was like, ‘Cindy, will you please tell me what would you attribute your longevity to?’”

As she recalled, Lauper told her, “Just don't stop.”

“I guess it's as simple as that,” JoJo laughed. “I appreciate that. A woman who's truly experienced decades of longevity. I'm just getting started 20 years in.”

But in her 20 years the “Leave (Get Out)” singer has done more than most, releasing seven albums, appearing on shows like The Masked Singer and even making her Broadway debut as Satine in Moulin Rouge!. She was even set to continue her Broadway performances in the recent revival of Chess, although the show announced its cancellation prior to her appearance. 

"Was supposed to start first day of rehearsals TODAY," JoJo wrote in the comment section of the May 26 Instagram post announcing the closure. "So bummed. all my love to the company."

For more stars at the 2026 MTV VMAs, keep reading.