Kim Kardashian: 'JoJo Siwa is a ray of sunshine in a scary world'

Kim Kardashian has heaped praise on JoJo Siwa in an essay to celebrate the 17-year-old making it into Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

The 39-year-old called the former Nickelodeon star, who earned legions of fans via her hugely popular YouTube channel, "a ray of sunshine in a world that seems scary right now" in her essay for the publication.

"As a parent, you want your kids to admire positive figures. There's no one more positive than JoJo. You just can't help but smile when you see her rainbow ponytail," wrote the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star.

"She's a great role model for children, and her optimism is more necessary now than ever. It's no wonder my 7-year-old daughter North and millions of other children around the world adore her," Kim continued. "When North met JoJo last year to fulfil her dream of being part of her YouTube channel, North got really shy. But JoJo, like a big sister, made her feel at home as they dressed up, danced and made slime."

Last year, Kim let the dancer "babysit" daughter North, seven, for a video shared on the teenager's channel.

"JoJo is never ashamed to be herself, which can be really hard to do in this industry, especially when you're so young," the reality TV star gushed. "When Keeping Up with the Kardashians first aired, I was old enough to know who I was and make my own decisions. I can't imagine what it's like to live this life at age 17. JoJo embraces it, and I hope she always will."

Kim concluded: "At some point, she'll evolve and grow up a little bit, and that's OK. The people who love and support her will always be there. Live in the moment. Have fun. Be yourself and surround yourself with people who will keep you positive."