Katseye Have A ‘Gnarly’ Time At The Grammy Museum Spotlight Event

Katseye at the Grammy Museum Spotlight Event

L. Sirikul

On Thursday evening at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, the girl group Katseye spoke with Billboard’s Tetris about their latest EP, “Beautiful Chaos,” their creative process behind it, their experience at the MTV Video Music Awards, new music, and more.

Formed through the HYBE-Geffen Records global audition project in 2023, “The Debut Dream Academy,” Katseye was created using the K-pop training system for the Western market. The group – which consists of Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia, and Yoonchae – has been busy since their debut in 2024. They have released two EPs/mini-albums, performed at multiple festivals and conventions, including Lollapalooza, Summer Sonic, and KCON, and become brand ambassadors for Glossier, Coach, Fendi, Lush, Pandora, Jolibee, and GAP. They recently won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Push Performance for their single, “Touch.”

“It was absolutely insane,” Megan exclaimed. “We had no idea that we were going to win. That’s why our reaction was so delayed. We literally were coming off that stage. I started to cry because it was such a milestone for us. Wow, we actually did it. Even just being at the VMAs and winning, it was crazy. Insane.”

Sophia agrees, as they were all going crazy being in the same room as artists they grew up idolizing, including Ariana Grande.

“The VMAs were definitely a huge “pinch me” [moment], especially meeting Ariana Grande. She’s truly the sweetest person you could ever meet. Right after meeting her, I started to cry. [There were] moments where we had to hold each other down because we’re constantly meeting people to look up to that we’re so inspired by, and it’s just an honor to be in that room.”

Their busy streak isn’t over just yet. Like many idols, they’re working on music for their next comeback and will be going on their first world tour in December. They were also recently announced as performers at next year’s Coachella.

“That’s been my dream,” says Daniela. “That’s been all of our dreams ever since we were little. We went to Coachella last year, and the fact that we’re not performing there is kind of insane. It’s a huge milestone. It’s a dream come true. We get to be in the same area as Justin Bieber and Sabrina Carpenter. We’re performing the stage next to them.”

They hinted they’re going to release more songs between now and Coachella, as they cannot perform a full concert with just 10 songs.

“We’re cooking,” Lara shouts.

The girls have been amazed with the reception they’ve received from the fans since their debut, especially regarding their second EP’s title track, “Gnarly.” Manon was initially wary of the song before its release because they were new artists and felt the pressure to drop a hit song. The song was the first of their songs to hit the Billboard 100 chart, and made major music news outlets’ summer songs list.

“I was a bit worried because you guys remembered when “Gnarly” dropped, right?” Manon explains. “People were talking a lot, and it was a bit scary. Day One was scary, but then everyone switched and started loving it, feeling it, and vibing to it. That was pleasant to see.”

The single propelled them even more into fame, releasing a second successful single, “Gabriella,” which features Spanish, in which Daniela is fluent. Telenovelas also inspired the music video. She was honored to be able to record it, and even more excited that the choreography consisted of Latin-inspired dances. She was finally able to represent her culture and heritage through her music.

“There was a lot of Latin,” Daniela says with pride. “A little bit og ballroom. A little bit of Flamingo. A little bit of salsa. I was able to help the girls out a little bit with that Latin movement. I also involved my mother because she was my dance teacher and the reason why I love dance. She helped us with it.”

With the group being so global, each member hopes to be able to represent their cultures through their music. Lara expressed her interest in incorporating a bit more of her Indian heritage into her music.

“We’re all very interested and are involved with the richness of each other’s culture,” Lara shares. “We cannot wait to put that into our music, whether it be languages or sounds. We had a little taste of that with “M.I.A.” [that had] a little bit of Indian, but I think we can go more and have more in the production, lyrics, and everything.”

Their popular song, “Mean Girls,” which mentions transgender women as “T girls,” was brought up. Manon let it be known that Katseye believes in “Trans Rights Forever.” The crowd, which included trans people, cheered.

“We really want to have everyone represented,” says Manon. We want to have everyone accepted for [who they are]. We’re Gen Z. Let’s be inclusive.”

The girls were recently inducted as members into the Recording Academy, which allows them to vote for the Grammy Awards. The Grammy Museum said in a press statement about the event, “[Katseye are] not just breaking the mold, it’s creating its own frame. They’re a girl group created through high standards and thorough training in the K-pop system, but they have a clear goal of breaking cultural and creative boundaries.”

The girls don’t take their membership lightly and are honored to be inducted so early in their careers. They hope one day to receive the coveted award. Daniela would immediately call her mother and family in tears if they ever won a Grammy.

Manon joked, “If we ever won a Grammy, I would take it everywhere I go – like walking to 7-Eleven with it.”

Sophia dreamed even bigger for the group, imagining if they all got EGOTs (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony), prompting the topic of musical theater. Daniela, Lara, Sophia, and Megan all come from musical theater backgrounds, telling Manon and Yoonchae they’ll help them with it.

Yoonchae surprised everyone by revealing her mother was in musical theater in Korea – so it’s in her blood. Though it was adorable when everyone listed Broadway musicals, and showing her age, she listed La La Land and High School Musical. The crowd yelled, “It counts!”

As they prepare for their World Tour in December, they are looking forward to meeting more of their EYEKONS – the name of their fandom. Daniela is especially excited to return to her home city of Atlanta, while Yoonchae is looking forward to celebrating her 18th birthday on tour at the San Francisco show.

“I’m so excited,” Yoonchae says. “It’s a special one!”

After the Q&A, Katseye performed three of their songs, “Touch,” “Gabriella,” and “Gnarly.” The crowd went wild as the group performed, completely impressive and in sync. For fans planning to go to their concert, it was a great preview of what’s to come and look forward to.