JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes are turning heads—and sparking relationship rumors—after sharing intimate moments from a recent tropical escape.
Fresh off their stint in the Celebrity Big Brother UK house, the 22-year-old pop star and TV personality and the 32-year-old Love Island alum have been spending quality time together in Mexico, as documented in a series of affectionate Instagram posts that went live on May 22.
“The previous 7 days have been the prettiest,” Hughes captioned a carousel of photos showing him and Siwa hugging, lounging together, and enjoying sunsets side by side. In the lead image, Siwa beams while leaning on Hughes’ shoulder, her hand wrapped around his arm.
The “Karma” singer echoed the sentiment in the comments, writing, “& happiest :). Heart is overflowing.”
Siwa later shared her own set of photos from the same vacation, calling it “more magical than anything” in celebration of her birthday week. “Full of surprises, family time, performing, chilling, laughing, loving, smiling, and good meaningful cries,” she wrote. “Absolutely beautiful, wouldn’t change a single thing. A week I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
The pair’s social media posts included candid moments that fans couldn’t help but read into. In one photo, Hughes’ hand rests on Siwa’s leg. In another, they’re wrapped in a cozy embrace. While neither has confirmed a romantic relationship, fans quickly filled the comment sections with heart emojis and speculation.
Fueling the fire, The Sun published a blurry photo on May 22 that appears to show Siwa and Hughes kissing in a resort pool. The individuals in the image are hard to identify, but the timing has only increased buzz around their potential romance.
Siwa addressed her emotional state in an interview with PEOPLE during the Epic Universe Celestial Carpet Opening Celebration at Universal Orlando Resort just days before the Instagram posts. “I’m in such a great place. I’m so, so happy,” she said. “I said to somebody the other day, ‘I don’t think humans are meant to feel this happy,’ and that somebody was like, ‘No. I think you are actually.’”
She described the feeling as “good happy.”
The cheerful vacation comes on the heels of Siwa’s breakup with Kath Ebbs, 27. Though the timeline sparked online speculation—especially after Ebbs posted a TikTok that some interpreted as implying a connection between Siwa’s friendship with Hughes and the breakup—Siwa addressed the rumors head-on during a recent appearance on The Viall Files podcast.
“There’s so many reasons why my breakup happened. Christopher is not one of them,” Siwa said firmly. “Maybe it would be easier if he was! But he is not… I would not, and I have not.”
Ebbs later issued a response to PEOPLE, pushing back on the narrative. “It’s really unfortunate that my relationship with this person is being reduced to untrue allegations about what happened at a party. The public has only heard one side of the story,” she said. “Attacks on my character are not something I take lightly, especially from someone I cared for deeply and shared a committed relationship with.”
Despite the tension surrounding the breakup, Siwa and Hughes have continued to speak positively about each other in interviews. During a chat on This Morning in April, Siwa described Hughes as “a great guy” and emphasized that their bond was platonic. “Life is life, and I don’t know any future of anything,” she added. “But I’m really grateful for our dynamic.”
Hughes has referred to Siwa as a “soulmate friendship” and the “favorite thing” he gained from Celebrity Big Brother. Whether their relationship has turned romantic or remains a deep friendship, one thing is clear: the duo shares a strong connection that continues to captivate fans.
For now, both stars appear content with where life has taken them—and each other.