KATSEYE is a six-member global girl group formed in 2023 through the Dream Academy project—an international talent competition created by HYBE and Geffen Records. The group was born out of months of auditions, training, and challenges, bringing together six standout girls from different corners of the world. The members include Sophia, a Filipino-American raised in Queens who’s been singing since she was three; Manon, a Swiss-Ghanaian-Italian former model and multilingual creative from Zurich; and Daniela, a Cuban-Venezuelan-American dancer from Atlanta who’s been performing on TV since childhood. Lara, an Indian-American from LA, started as a young actress and model and came out as queer in 2025. Megan, from Honolulu, is Swedish-Chinese-American, a trained dancer, and openly bisexual. Lastly, Yoonchae, the youngest member, hails from South Korea and quietly impressed with her steady growth during the competition. Though they come from different cultures and experiences, the girls built a strong bond through shared goals, late-night practices, and the intense journey that led to their debut.
Four: Debut
Debut is KATSEYE’s first official single, released on June 28, 2024, as part of their EP titled SIS (Soft Is Strong). The song was produced by Ryan Tedder, alongside Tyler Spry, Grant Boutin, and Omer Fedi—some seriously big names in the pop music scene. It has garnered over 103M streams on spotify and over 26M views on it’s Official Music Video on YouTube. Lyrically, it gives off a confident, sisterhood vibe, with lines like “We ain’t flexin’, babe, we do what we do,” making it clear that these girls aren’t here to beg for the spotlight—they are the spotlight. The song left fans with mixed feelings. While some loved the bold, carefree energy and catchy hook, others felt it was too short and didn’t fully show off the girls’ potential. Many expected a stronger debut from a group backed by HYBE and Geffen, especially given how hard they trained and the hype around their formation. The music video, directed by Gregory Ohrel and filmed in Medellín, Colombia, featured dramatic shots and sharp choreography, but some fans felt the production quality didn’t match the prestige of the project. Despite the critiques, Debut served its purpose—it introduced KATSEYE to the world with bold confidence, sharp visuals, and a taste of the group’s chemistry. It might not have been a perfect launch, but it definitely got people watching, and that’s exactly what a debut is supposed to do.
FYI
- Their name, KATSEYE, symbolizes clarity, strength, and bold femininity—everything they stand for as a group.
Three: Gnarly
Gnarly dropped on April 30, 2025, as the lead single from KATSEYE’s second EP Beautiful Chaos. Co-written with experimental pop figure Alice Longyu Gao and produced by Tim Randolph, Pink Slip, “Hitman” Bang, and Slow Rabbit, the song is an abrasive, playful, in-your-face anthem that leans heavily into chaos and confidence. It has garnered over 128M streams on spotify and over 48M views on it’s Official Music Video on YouTube. The response was polarizing: some critics branded it “campy” or “cringe” with amateurish lyrics, while others praised it as a daring shift that spotlighted the group’s charisma and performance energy . Though controversial, Gnarly became KATSEYE’s breakout moment—breaking onto the Billboard Hot 100 and UK charts—and while the song’s production and visuals sparked debate, fans agreed the live performances were electric enough to turn skepticism into hype. The music video, which hit No. 1 on YouTube’s trending chart with millions of views, and thrilling live performances on music shows and at festivals like Wango Tango and Lollapalooza, helped flip skeptics into believers.
Two: Gabriela
Serving as their most recent release, “Gabriela” was released on June 20, 2025, as the second single ahead of KATSEYE’s Beautiful Chaos EP, and dropped with an over-the-top telenovela-style music video starring Jessica Alba as the CEO of “Gabriela Enterprises.” It has garnered over 44M streams on spotify and over 22M views on it’s Official Music Video on YouTube. The song was produced by Andrew Watt and John Ryan—two big names behind artists like Lady Gaga and Sabrina Carpenter—and written alongside Ali Tamposi, Charli XCX, and Sara Schell. Musically, it blends Latin‑tinged R&B-pop with synth-pop and acoustic guitar, clocking in at around 4:54, and features KATSEYE’s first-ever Spanish verse, sung in falsetto by Daniela. The music video, directed by Andrew Thomas Huang, channels 90s telenovela drama complete with broken brides, boardroom power struggles, and a stylized cat-fight over who will inherit the empire. Critics generally praised the track’s dramatic vibe and the group’s bold cultural fusion, with fans voting it Billboard’s best new song of the week in June 2025. Chart-wise, “Gabriela” peaked at No. 94 on the Billboard Hot 100, entered the Top 10 on the Philippines Hot 100 (No. 8), and performed well internationally, showing that KATSEYE’s global push is really catching fire.
Awards/Nominations
- KATSEYE has received several award nominations, including Rookie of the Year at the 2024 Hanteo Music Awards, and nods at the 2025 iHeartRadio and Asia Star Entertainer Awards.
- They’ve also been recognized by Billboard, Teen Vogue, TIDAL, and VEVO as rising stars. Though they haven’t won a major award yet, their performances at big shows like the MAMA Awards and Kids’ Choice Awards have earned them praise and growing fan support worldwide.
Discography
- SIS (Soft Is Strong) (2024)
- Beautiful Chaos (2025)
One: Touch
“Touch” dropped on July 26, 2024 as the second single from KATSEYE’s SIS (Soft Is Strong) EP and blends liquid drum‑and‑bass, dance‑pop, and R&B to explore the ache of feeling emotionally disconnected from a lover. The music video, directed by Cody Critcheloe and shot in Los Angeles, features a city‑wide search for missing member Yoonchae and showcases the group’s strong sisterhood through synchronized choreography and symbolic “dream charms”. It has garnered over 324M streams on spotify and over 129M views on it’s Official Music Video on YouTube. “Touch” was a breakthrough for KATSEYE, going viral on TikTok thanks to its iconic hand choreography, entering charts in Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, and the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 as well as the Billboard Global 200. Critics were split: some called it a dreamy, lyrical dance‑pop anthem about rediscovering self‑worth, while others felt it was too short and lacked dynamic peaks. The group performed “Touch” live on The Kelly Clarkson Show rooftop in October 2024, where their in‑sync moves and vocal chemistry earned them fresh praise.
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