The intersection of high-octane sports, legacy fashion, and early-2000s pop nostalgia collided in Austin, Texas, during one of the most anticipated weekends on the global racing calendar. Singer-songwriter JoJo made her inaugural appearance at a Formula 1 Grand Prix, attending the event as a guest of iconic American designer Tommy Hilfiger. Amid the roar of V6 hybrid engines and the bustling paddock of the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), the Grammy Award-winning artist reflected on a remarkable two-decade milestone in music, her enduring affinity for automotive speed, and the seamless convergence of streetwear culture and high fashion that has defined Hilfiger’s brand for over forty years.
The weekend’s festivities, which included an intimate acoustic performance at the Austin Proper Hotel as part of the Proper Presents: Soundtracks music series, brought together an eclectic mix of cultural figures. Alongside JoJo, guests included Love Island USA winners Trinity Tatum and Bryce Alakai, as well as acclaimed producer and DJ TOKiMONSTA, whose weekend culminated in an exclusive set at Kappo Kappo, the Austin Proper’s Michelin-starred omakase restaurant. Yet, amidst the star-studded engagements and VIP hospitality, it was JoJo’s palpable enthusiasm for motorsport culture that captured the attention of fans and media alike.
A Need for Speed and Childhood Nostalgia at COTA
Despite marking her very first live Formula 1 experience, JoJo approached the weekend with the curiosity of a seasoned enthusiast. Speaking backstage with Billboard, the singer didn’t hesitate to express her visceral connection to the sport and high-performance machinery. "I like to drive fast, bi—! I love to go fast," she declared with a laugh. "I love to whip a car around. I want to be in that car."
That affinity for automotive culture extends back to her formative years. The singer noted that her introduction to the American automotive landscape was heavily shaped by Cadillac, specifically through a childhood friend’s family vehicle, which she remembered as "the fanciest car in town." This personal history added a layer of profound resonance to her presence at the race, given that Tommy Hilfiger serves as the official apparel sponsor for the Cadillac Formula 1 Team as it makes its historic debut season on the elite racing grid.
"The fact that Tommy is [working] with Cadillac makes me feel so nostalgic," JoJo noted, bridging her childhood memories with the current commercial and cultural partnerships shaping modern motorsport.
The Enduring Blueprint of Tommy Hilfiger and American Cool
The collaboration between the multi-platinum artist and the fashion house highlights a shared appreciation for cultural longevity and cross-industry synergy. For JoJo, her entry point into the world of Tommy Hilfiger was inextricably linked to hip-hop and R&B royalty of the 1990s.
"My introduction to Tommy was when Aaliyah was rocking Tommy," she said, paying homage to the late style icon who famously blurred the lines between athletic comfort and high-end streetwear. This fusion of preppy Americana and urban edge remains central to JoJo’s personal aesthetic. "Being preppy but also streetwear is something that really resonates with me because I love to inhabit that space. I appreciate the classic Americana cool of it. As somebody who moved to New York three years ago, I am always looking for that wearability and that cool. It’s no surprise that Tommy has [maintained] that cultural relevance."
For Tommy Hilfiger himself, this intersection of fashion, music, and sports is far from accidental. The designer has spent decades deliberately embedding his eponymous label into the fabric of contemporary culture, treating style not as an isolated discipline, but as a reflection of broader societal movements.
"I’ve always believed fashion is part of the conversation, but it’s only one part of culture," Hilfiger explained. "You have to be curious about what people are listening to, who they’re watching, and what they’re excited about. That’s where the energy comes from. For me, art, music, celebrity, and sport have always been connected to fashion. They’re all ways people express who they are and what they want to be part of."
This philosophy has allowed the brand to remain a fixture in popular culture across multiple generations, seamlessly transitioning from 90s hip-hop videos to the modern paddock of Formula 1.
Celebrating Two Decades of The High Road
While the Grand Prix weekend celebrated modern technological and athletic achievements, it also served as a reflective milestone for JoJo’s storied career in the music industry. The year marks the 20th anniversary of her sophomore studio album, The High Road, a seminal pop release that cemented her status as a powerhouse vocalist following her groundbreaking self-titled 2004 debut.
To commemorate the anniversary, JoJo is preparing to launch a limited seven-city acoustic run titled "The High Road: 20 Years Unplugged" this November. The intimate tour is designed as a direct celebration of the album, featuring acoustic renditions of the original tracklist alongside beloved fan favorites from that golden era of mid-2000s pop and R&B.
The tour arrives on the heels of a major career development for the artist. Earlier this year, JoJo announced a landmark partnership with Seeker Music, a creator-led music rights, publishing, and record company. In a move that brings creative and financial closure to a tumultuous chapter of her career, Seeker acquired the master recordings and publishing rights for both her original and re-recorded versions of JoJo and The High Road. This acquisition has paved the way for an official 20th-anniversary rerelease of her second album, offering a new lease on life for a catalog that had spent years in administrative limbo.
"It feels really amazing because for a long time I didn’t know what was going on with my music," JoJo reflected on regaining control and security over her body of work. "Now I know what’s going on with it, and that it’s in good hands. People who care, who have the resources and the infrastructure to support it, to get it out there."
The Secret to Longevity: "You Just Keep Going"
That commitment to getting her music heard was on full display during her performance at the Austin Proper Hotel. Clad entirely in Tommy Hilfiger, JoJo climbed onto a table in the center of the room, delivering an impassioned acoustic set to a rapturous audience. When she launched into her monumental Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper "Too Little Too Late," the crowd’s collective vocal accompaniment drowned out the singer herself, offering a tangible testament to the enduring impact of her catalog more than two decades after her debut.
Maintaining relevance in an ever-shifting entertainment landscape is no small feat, particularly for artists who transition from child prodigies to mature independent creators. When asked about the secret to sustaining a multi-decade career, JoJo pointed to a piece of wisdom imparted by another legendary icon.
"I recently worked with Cyndi Lauper on a new musical, and I asked her what she would attribute her longevity to," JoJo shared. "She said, ‘You just keep going.’ That changed me. In life and in this industry, that’s what it is: You just keep going."
The Broader Impact of F1 and Lifestyle Brand Integration
The convergence of high fashion, luxury hospitality, and motorsport at the Austin Grand Prix underscores a broader economic and cultural shift. Formula 1 has experienced an unprecedented surge in popularity across the United States, largely catalyzed by aggressive media expansion, digital storytelling, and strategic partnerships with American lifestyle and fashion brands.
By integrating luxury hospitality partners like Proper Hotels—whose signature Proper Music Series curates bespoke live performances during major civic events—and fashion institutions like Tommy Hilfiger, race organizers and sponsors have successfully transformed Grand Prix weekends into multi-day cultural festivals. These activations effectively bridge the gap between traditional sporting spectatorship and modern lifestyle consumerism.
As the checkered flag fell in Austin, the weekend’s events served as a blueprint for the future of entertainment marketing. Whether through the revving engines of Cadillac’s new F1 team, the timeless appeal of American preppy streetwear, or the enduring vocal prowess of an artist who has spent half her life in the public eye, the Austin Grand Prix proved that cultural resonance is built at the intersection where heritage meets relentless momentum.
