KATSEYE
Since their introductory documentary aired in August 2024, KATSEYE has taken the world by storm as a rising premier girl group. The band consists of six girls from various nationalities, including the U.S., South Korea, Switzerland, the Philippines, and more.
Current members underwent a two-year selection process, documented in the Netflix show Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE. Twenty participants, selected from an initial pool of over 120,000 applicants, underwent a training series to assess their talent. Organizers modeled the training off of the intensive “Korean idol training method,” consisting of dance practice, vocal tutoring, and media training. Entertainment companies Hybe and Geffen Records collaborated to form the group. Hybe is responsible for K-pop sensations like BTS, Seventeen, ENHYPEN, ILLIT, and LE SERAFIM, whereas Geffen Records is an American label associated with Aerosmith and Blink-182. The project’s intended mission is to build a new “global girl group” through the K-pop training system. The group’s name originates from the gemstone “cat’s eye,” a stone that reflects different colors depending on different angles, highlighting the diversity of the girls.
With an upbeat pop style, KATSEYE performs a variety of songs with not only catchy vocals but also flawless dance routines. They released their first two singles in June and July of 2024, hitting the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart and going viral on TikTok. Their first full EP, SIS (Soft Is Strong), contains five songs, all with a poppy vibe and inspiring messages built on self-confidence and sisterhood. Since these releases, KATSEYE has reached global success, reaching eight million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Part of their success has been due to how visually entertaining the performers are, from their eye-catching fashion to the intricate dances themselves, but also from their relatable personalities. The girls all participate in the latest social media trends and present as a singular unit, bonded by their friendship. Additionally, the diversity of ethnicities and use of English expanded their appeal globally to listeners who may be unfamiliar with the K-pop model. Their music is a perfect addition to the 2024 pop girl resurgence and a great introduction to those unfamiliar with the enchanting K-pop model. If you catch yourself in search of some new pop-girl sounds beyond just Sabrina Carpenter or Olivia Rodrigo, give a listen to the tracks “Touch” or “Debut” by KATSEYE.
Minhal Nazeer is a freshman in the SFS studying Culture & Politics and how to survive a day without napping.
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