When you think of girl groups, you probably think of Destiny’s Child or Spice Girls. Or maybe even multiple K-pop groups, like BLACKPINK or TWICE. But just last year, HYBE debuted with a new group of women, known for being culturally diverse, young, and for their quick rise to fame. With their different descents from being Indian, Korean, Swiss, Chinese Singaporean, Venezuelan Cuban, and Filipino, KATSEYE is taking over the world.

KATSEYE ORIGINS

Back in 2023, The Dream Academy was released, a reality show that hosted 20 girls to compete to be the next idol. But only 6 made it to the top: Yoonchae, Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, and their leader, Sophia. But it wasn’t easy getting there. The members talk about the show and how it was only a glimpse of what actually happened. But what they say they can appreciate from it is how it toughened them up, enabling them to take any hate or backlash now.

“What I’m grateful for is that it toughened us up a bit and gave us thick skin,” said Manon.

RISE TO FAME

While The Dream Academy was the reason people found out about the group, they became popular on their own accord. With their first single, “Debut,” they already had a following. Then, they released “Touch,” making charts in many different countries. Followed by a TikTok dance, the song became a hit. Fans everywhere were making their own videos, only confirming KATSEYE’s fame. But a few months ago, the group released their most controversial song yet, “Gnarly.” From cringy lyrics to the grittiness of the music, the song became a popular topic of criticism. But later on, fans grew to love the song and the abnormality of it. It’s not something you hear every day; it’s messy, chaotic, and an overall vibe. It’s stupid, but in the best way possible. Other popular songs they’ve released, like “Mean Girls,” “M.I.A,” “Gabriela,” and “Gameboy,” only solidify their fame.

COLLABORATIONS

While KATSEYE has only been around for over a year, they already have an insane number of collabs. Pandora, LUSH, Fendi, and even Jollibee have collabed with the group, but the most recognizable goes to GAP. Around a month ago, the clothing shop released their ad, “Better in Denim,” taking the world by storm. In just 3 days, it hit over 400M views and made over 8 billion impressions. Released right after American Eagle’s very controversial ad on jeans, featuring Sydney Sweeney, KATSEYE, and their dance, only became even more popular.

GOALS

Being a diverse girl group, KATSEYE capitalizes on this, and their group goal plays into this. Some members shared their opinion.

“People want to see diversity. People want to see themselves represented on the TV, on billboards,” Manon continues, “And I really hope that people high up see that and see that it works, and implement that.”

“We’ve all, growing up, had to tell ourselves, ‘OK, if we’re not going to see that, if other people aren’t going to do it for us,’ and represent us, we have to be the ones to do it,” Lara remarks.

Sophia shares KATSEYE’s goal: “Our goal is to truly break barriers for those who look like us, those who have the same personality, the same upbringing.”

KATSEYE is still rising in fame, with ticket prices ranging from $300 to over $1000. The group itself is a new milestone for all women from all different backgrounds, seeing yourself in at least one of the girls . They represent a new generation, inspiring people everywhere.