KATSEYE Are Redefining Pop Music In Their Own Way: “We want to push the boundaries of what we can contribute to the global music scene”

Girl groups have always been an integral part of music history. 

The ’80s had Bananarama, and the ’90s had the Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child. The 2000s saw the dominance of The Pussycat Dolls, while the 2010s had both Little Mix and Fifth Harmony taking over the airwaves right before K-pop began to spread its wings to the general public.

With the immense influence of TWICE, BLACKPINK, Red Velvet, LE SSERAFIM, and NewJeans left on the scene, it was evident that a new girl group was soon to be on the way –– becoming an amalgamation of sorts to the very best aspects that made all these musical acts pioneers in their own right. Yet with HYBE and Geffen Records’ recent joint venture, the newly debuted KATSEYE, it seems as if the group is bound to do things differently and in their own way.

Comprised of Sophia, Manon, Lara, Daniela, Megan, and Yoonchae, this multinational girl group reflects several corners of the world — bringing together a rich heritage of cultural and musical influences to redefine the confines of the pop genre. Their debut extended play, titled SIS (Soft Is Strong) serves its purpose of engaging audiences with a whole set of stellar, catchy tunes, though it is merely the launching point of what else is to come from one of the international music industry’s most promising acts.

As I meet with the group, they’re all coming off a performance high following their first-ever fan event celebrating the release of the EP at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles. Amidst their giddy, gleeful excitement, I ask them about how it felt to perform the tracks off the record right in front of their loyal and devoted fanbase, the EYEKONS.

“We were honestly so excited to have it out in the world because it’s our first EP as KATSEYE, which meant it was how we formally introduced ourselves to the public,” says Yoonchae.

The five-track record encompasses a variety of sounds, ranging from energetic, TikTok-friendly bops to softer, slowed-down ballads that lead one to ponder contemplative reflections on the themes of youth and friendship. But with how the group has managed to execute their efforts — it blends strength and sensitivity with seamless precision. 

“Working on the record was a very special process for all of us because haven’t really heard all of our six voices all together, up until we heard the finished product,” shares Sophia, the group’s leader. “The first song that we recorded was “Debut” and we got to do that with Ryan Tedder and it was just such a surreal opportunity to work with him on the track.”

Sophia shares how despite the nerves, working with Tedder resulted in such a core memory for the girls — even describing it as a career milestone for them. Despite his reputation as one of this generation’s most prolific music producers, she credits his warm nature for allowing them to feel at ease in the studio. “We all got these little pep talks from Ryan when we were recording, and it became such a special moment for all of us.”

In crafting SIS (Soft Is Strong), the members of the group note how the whole concept and the title of the EP reflect their identity as female musicians on the scene. “Having the theme ‘Soft is Strong’ really shows our duality – both as artists and as a group. Because strangely enough, we realized that to even be vulnerable takes a pretty big amount of strength to do so. So that kind of plays with the title and we have this whole concept of the porcelain dolls and the charms, which I believe ties together so beautifully. We wanted our fans to feel both sides of us that make us who we are,” Sophia elaborates.

Adding to that thought, Lara adds, “Even with the whole porcelain doll thing, it symbolized that we wanted to break the boundaries of pop music and do something different. So when you see those porcelain dolls shattering — it’s as if we’re shattering stereotypes which allows us to bring something fresh to the table.”

While all the girls have their own pick for their favorite song on the record, they all collectively agree that the track “My Way” is what holds a strong emotional resonance to each of them. “I think we all really love and resonate with ‘My Way,’ but for me I really got to resonate with my part on the second verse,” says Daniela. “It talks about how before, I never embraced my natural curls and how I didn’t fit in yet I still tried to. I feel like it just immediately touches my heart, and that we all have a line on that song that we really do relate to.”

“It’s the song that makes us cry,” Lara states before the group starts laughing in agreement.

“The song has a lot of inspiration coming from us, and we got to talk with the entire team about everything, such as the lyrics and the particular lines that were included from our experiences. I remember making eye contact with Dani as we were listening to the song for the first time, and we both started bawling. It really hit hard for all of us,” mentions Sophia.

Though the record is finally out in the world, the group recalls the moments that have led them to this point in their lives and careers. Talking about their time on the online survival show, The Dream Academy, they all note how different the experiences were from their lives now as KATSEYE, sharing how different their mindset and work ethic were at the time.

“Because [the show] was a competition, we were mostly in a very different headspace and in a very different place from where we are now. But I feel like the biggest thing that Dream Academy taught us was that hard work and dedication are what will take us where we want to go,” Lara states.

“I feel like we have taken the skills that we learned from the dancing and singing classes along with all the training we had to undergo into our work ethic today. All those intense experiences, like the eliminations and the like — those were stuff that we went through together. So luckily, we were able to have each other, and I feel like that is what makes our bond as KATSEYE unmatched. All the discipline, the support, and the love that we have for each other it comes above everything for us now,” she continues. 

Manon mentions how for each of them, what allowed them to overcome all the challenges along the way was their dedication to making their shared dream a reality. “It was the shared dream that we have of being little pop stars that kept us going. All of us wanted to be what we are now ever since we were little, so being able to pursue that dream is an amazing opportunity — so we were all extremely dedicated and this debut is the goal that we have been looking forward to all these years.”

Such moments of adversity and the challenges that came along the way have become the new subject of Netflix’s recently released documentary series, titled Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE. The eight-episode series chronicles the group’s training period of nearly two years, and their time at The Dream Academy in great detail and with a surprising amount of honesty that portrays the inner workings of the music industry.

“If there’s something I want viewers to take away from the show, it would be for them to see each of our individual stories and what we are capable of doing as a team. I hope that they can be able to connect with our experiences — to witness how much of the hard work and dedication each of us put into this — and to see how it was something we really wanted and loved,” Daniela mentions.

“Our training was very intense and it was very rigorous. Honestly, during the whole two years even before we were picked as KATSEYE, it has always been a lot of intense training every single day, seven days a week, for how many hours. But it’s something that we wanted to put in that hard work for. Even now as KATSEYE, we want to make our EYEKONS, our fans, and our people absolutely proud. So we have fun doing it, but it is intense,” she adds before getting a good laugh out of everyone.

Adding further, Manon continues; “I hope that it’s something that audiences can become inspired by because it’s really raw and it shows the process of what went on behind the scenes. But at the end of the day, it also shows how we all came together.”

As this unstoppable six-piece pop unit, the members of KATSEYE all look towards the future with big aspirations and an unshakeable amount of hope for what lies ahead in their relatively young careers. Some of the moments on their joint bucket list have already come to life, including their appearance at KCON LA 2024, wherein the group performed alongside recognized industry names like ENHYPEN and BINI.

“It was so insane. It was like our first major performance ever, and it happened in the Crypto Arena which was just wild. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that would happen, so after that we all agreed that it was absolutely insane. But even after, we were craving that feeling of being on stage as soon as we could so bad,” Manon recalls.

“Being on stage for a tour, maybe even an international tour, is something that I’d love to do. Getting to travel and perform around with these girls across the world would be a dream come true,” Daniela mentions, to which Sophia adds: “I want all of us to perform in like the biggest like arenas and the biggest stadiums in each of our countries.”

With aspirations for a Grammy win, a VMA Award, and a Coachella performance all on the horizon, there seem to be no signs of stopping KATSEYE as they continue to fight for their dreams. Yet, for now, there only lies one hope for what they hope to accomplish not merely for their fans, the EYEKONS, but as to what impact they wish to leave on the people tuning in on their journey.

“As KATSEYE, I feel like what we have been saying is that we want to break stereotypes and we want to push the boundaries of what we can contribute to the global music scene. I think that we want girls around the world and just about everyone to be able to look at us and see themselves in us and feel inspired by what we’re doing. Ultimately, one of our biggest messages as KATSEYE is all about confidence, just being true to yourself, and being unapologetically yourself,” Lara states.

As the music industry continues to evolve, KATSEYE stand poised to be at the forefront of this new era of the 2020s. By blending diverse cultural influences with innovative musical styles, Sophia, Manon, Lara, Daniela, Megan, and Yoonchae are setting the stage for what promises to be a unique and dynamic contribution to the rich history of pop music. Their formation under the auspices of HYBE and Geffen Records is not merely a new addition to the genre, but a potential game-changer that could redefine the boundaries of girl groups. 

Their debut serves as more than a mere new entry into the pop scene; it represents a powerful convergence of diverse voices and experiences — resonating on a scale that is both far-reaching and deeply personal. With such an immense platform and international reach, KATSEYE is not just showcasing their exceptional talent but also redefining what it means to connect with audiences around the world — proving that the most compelling music often comes from the most diverse and genuine of sources.

Listen to KATSEYE’s debut EP, SIS (Soft Is Strong) below: