“Hands off Gabriella…” You may have sung that lyric or even done the trending TikTok challenge that accompanies it. That’s the charm that Katseye brings to the table. The six-member girl group is comprised of Sophia (Philippines), Daniela (Atlanta, USA), Lara (Los Angeles, USA), Manon (Switzerland), Yoonchae (South Korea), and Megan (Honolulu, USA). Join us as we take a peek behind the curtain and see their rise to fame.
The Dream Academy
Photo from HYBE x Geffen
Karseye is the birthchild of American and Korean record labels, Geffen and Hybe. Geffen is known as the label behind rock and pop artists like Guns N’ Roses, Olivia Rodrigo, and Camila Cabello, to name a few, while Hybe manages K-pop group sensations BTS, LE SSERAFIM, and more. When these giants came together, the survival show, The Debut: Dream Academy, was born. The show aimed to create a US-based girl group while putting them through the gruelling training of K-pop groups. From 120,000 applications, only 20 contestants were chosen to take part in the reality survival show, with the final six being chosen to join the girl group.
After a rigorous year-long training in the academy, Sophia, Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, and Yoonchae came out on top and became the girl group now known as Katseye. The group released their single a few months after winning the competition, with the appropriately titled “Debut,” and the rest, as they say, is history.
Individual Charms
Photo from Katseye
Like their namesake jewel, the cat’s eye gemstone, each member is a reflection of the group’s unique facets. Sophia, Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, and Yoonchae have their own unique aesthetic and talent that contribute to Katseye’s diversity and star power.
Photos from Katseye
Sophia Laforteza is a Filipina-American singer and leader of Katseye. Fans often call her “Sophia the Great” due to her exceptional leadership skills, confidence, and strong representation of Filipino culture. Being chosen as the leader of the group was not only an individual accomplishment, but it also felt like a national one.
Daniela Avanzini is of Venezuelan and Cuban descent and best known for her dancing prowess paired with her strong vocals. Some fans even call her “Mami Daniela” because of how well she dances.
Photos from Katseye
One of the group’s queer icons is Lara Raj, an Indian-American singer and dancer. She came out during a livestream in WeVerse earlier this year. Lara is also known for her experimental style, wearing bindi and other cultural statements showing off her Tamali heritage.
Meret Manon Sarpong Bannerman was raised in Switzerland and is a polyglot who can speak English, German, Swiss-German, and basic French. Her role in the group is the center and visual, which can also be attributed to her experience as a model.
Photos from Katseye
Megan Meiyok Skiendiel also came out as bisexual earlier this year during a WeVerse live with Lara. She is of Singaporean and Chinese descent and best known as the group’s main dancer and all-rounder.
Lastly, we have Jeung Yoon-chae, who is the maknae or the youngest of the girl group. She is the only one who was born and raised in Korea amongst the members, and is a trained K-pop idol.
Each member of Katseye brings their own unique background and skills to the group, making for an interesting and diverse whole.
Trending Bops and Cutesy Choreography
Unlike the usual K-pop groups, Katseye takes a more Western approach with pop music. Oftentimes, the music is dreamy or nostalgic, reflecting what the group went through when they achieved their dream and debuted. Taking influence from genres like R&B, drum and bass, hyperpop, and latin pop, Katseye is more experimental with their releases than typical “Gabriella,” “Gameboy, “Tonight I Might,” to name a few.
In total, Katseye has released 13 songs, with their most recent EP entitled Beautiful Chaos, which topped the Billboard 200 charts at the 4th spot.
The Projects Just Keep Coming
Still from Katseye
Katseye recently performed at the VMAs and won an award for Push Performance of the Year. But you haven’t seen them at their peak yet. The girl group is set to perform at the Lollapalooza and Coachella Music and Art Festival next year, and have recently appeared in a Gap ad and collaborated with Jolibee. The girl group even performed songs for shows like Jentry Chau vs the Underworld and Monster High.
Katseye’s journey is only just beginning. Their marketing game is strong, and with their second EP out, they are still experimenting with what works best for them and their fans. A truly global girl group from diverse backgrounds, Katseye is a rising star to watch out for.
What do you think of Katseye? Let us know in the comments!