Katseye, a group under the infamous K-pop label Hybe, began with a small start on June 24, 2024. They then slowly began gaining popularity online and became famous.
Members Daniela, Yoonchae, Megan, Sophia, Lara and Manon are part of the global girl band. Their first public appearance was in a reality television show called “Dream Academy,” which was released on Sept. 1, 2023. This was then followed by their return to “Pop Star Academy” on Aug. 21, 2024.
“It’s been so cool and heartwarming every day to see that through this journey and through Dream Academy to now,” member Lara said in an interview with Teen Vogue. “EYEKONS (the group’s fandom name) have just really stuck on this journey with us, so we’re so grateful that they have and we promise that we won’t disappoint them.”
After both TV shows, they released their first official single titled “Debut,” a track that expresses the group’s sisterhood due to training together for years and growing confidence. They then released two other singles, “My Way” and “I’m Pretty,” in the same timespan as their debut. These three songs went off the charts and their popularity grew larger.
“The Debut song is mostly about sisterhood and being confident,” Lara said. “The strength and power and the best version of yourself.”
This year, they released their second extended play (EP), “Beautiful Chaos,” on June 27. This EP features fan-favourites “Gnarly” and “Gabriela.” As the group’s music features a blend of Western pop and K-pop, they initially faced backlash. Before releasing “Gnarly,” some fans wondered if the song would have a “K-pop” bubbly and soft feeling as opposed to their previous single “Touch.” Once the song was released, it faced massive criticism for having a more Western artist sound rather than a K-pop sound, even though the group is a global girl group. Members of the band were also receiving scrutiny for their fashion and performance choices.
“We’re not trying to prove anything, we’re just being ourselves,” member Sophia said in an interview with Wmagazine. “We’re passionate about making music and we want to show the world who we are.”
After releasing nine singles, two EPs and two soundtrack songs in the previous year, as of now, the group’s fan base and popularity have skyrocketed. As of late November, Katseye has approximately 33.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify. According to chartmetric.com, the most popular Katseye single is “Gabriela,” with over 460 million streams on Spotify.
After being recognized in parts of Asia and the United States, the group was a huge success. They have been on their 16-stop “Beautiful Chaos Tour” since Nov. 15. They are also set to participate in various festivals such as Coachella, held in April. 10, 2026 and Lollapalooza Argentina in March. 13, 2026.
“It’s a huge, huge milestone for us,” member Daniela said in an interview at their Grammy Museum event on Sept. 18. “It’s a dream come true and I am excited.”
