Pop Star vs. Artist: A study of KATSEYE's identity "problem"

(Written April 21, 2026)

In 2021, when K-pop entertainment company HYBE announced a merger with Universal Music Group’s Geffen Records, many foresaw the monumental acts that would come from this. HybexGeffen announced in 2023 that a new training show would be streaming, showing the journey of 20 young women, who had already undergone a grueling audition process, as they attempt to compete with one another to debut in HYBExGeffen’s new “global” girl group.

This show was massive, and ultimately produced the group KATSEYE with members Daniela, Lara, Manon, Meghan, Sophia, and Yoonchae. Each member showed incredible promise. And though I didn’t tune into The Debut: Dream Academy, I did ultimately watch the Netflix docuseries Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE, which retold the story of the original show.

With the debut of KATSEYE, many fans expected the music to reflect the cultural diversity that the members themselves represent. At the very least, it was expected that their music would be a reinvention of what the pop music industry had come to expect from female artists and girl groups in the past.

Their first 2 singles proved that the group was going to be big. Both “Debut” and “Touch” became internet sensations upon release. The songs were sonically different yet cohesive. While “Debut” was reminiscent of girl groups like Fifth Harmony, with heavy K-pop influence from groups like BlackPink and Aespa, “Touch” felt more reminiscent of Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande’s dreamy vocals, and New Jeans' Y2K theme.

Yet, in my opinion, both songs held little singularity. Sure, they were good, but they still felt very similar to the sounds we were hearing from other artists at the time. Since they had just debuted, however, I thought little of it and assumed it was simply a safe strategy put in place to ensure the group's success from the beginning. Still, I had assumed as time continued that the group would explore a more identifiable voice.

Their first EP, SIS (Soft is Strong), proved to be similar. Though the songs were good, the 5 song EP was only about 11 minutes long. It was a missed opportunity to use an extended project to tell their story. But again, it was reconciled with the appropriate use of each member's talents. “My Way” was vocally strong, and both “I’m Pretty” and “Tonight I might” held relatively more emotional depth, though still addressing topics like self-confidence and “dream-chasing” at a very surface level.

Their third single release was the first red flag I truly sensed. “Gnarly” was the cause of an incredible online debate over the group's future. Rather than explore individuality, it seemed the group was chasing the online popularity they didn’t receive from SIS. “Gnarly” was sonically chaotic and almost childish. With lyrics like:

“Hottie, hottie, like a bag of Takis

I'm the shit, I'm the shit (gnarly).”

Or:

“Don't talk to me, you're gnarly

I'm not, shit is (gnarly)

Je-je-jealous of my mansion?

Yeah, the view is fucking gnarly (gnarly).”

Or even the opening few lines:

Boba tea (gnarly)

Tesla (gnarly)

Fried chicken (gnarly)

Partyin' in the Hollywood Hills (uh)

Though occasionally catchy, the song lacked any real depth. It felt like it was produced with the intention of gaining attention and not with any actual artistry in mind. Still, it was only their 3rd single; there was no chance this was all that KATSEYE could produce.

And all seemed to turn around with the release of their 4th single, “Gabriela.” This song felt like a breath of fresh air from the group. It took Latin American influence and meshed perfectly with a mellow pop melody. It was a clear exploration of member Daniela’s culture. Even allowing her to sing an entire verse in Spanish.

This was exciting, and in a perfect world, this was the path the group would have followed. It would have been incredible to see a deeper exploration of each member's international identities and, in turn, really lean in to the “global” in “global girl group.” However, had this occurred, I would have never felt the need to write this article.

Their second EP was, somehow, worse than the first one. Though about 2 minutes longer, it felt like wasted time. “Gabriela” featured on the EP Beautiful Chaos and was arguably the only “beautiful” part of the “chaos” that was this EP. “Gnarly” was already indicative of the route this EP would take.

Though “Gameboy” was almost a redeeming point, it once again tells us nothing about the direction this group is trying to take. And while “Mean Girls” is obviously a nod at the criticism they’ve received, they didn’t sonically or lyrically do anything extraordinary to prove why the criticism was misplaced. “M.I.A.” is essentially 2 minutes and 9 seconds of “I’m a bad bitch and better than you,” which in itself discredits any of the (even though shallow) sincerity they attempted to show in “Mean Girls.”

Their next single essentially turned any modicum of progress nonexistent. “Internet Girl” was, to me, a point of no return. While I could ignore the childishness of “Gnarly” and independently enjoy some of the songs from the previous EPs, “Internet Girl” was nothing short of mediocre. The song was overproduced with electronic synths and equalizers placed on the members' voices. Rather than show us the strength of each member, the song single-handedly curated an image of the group that they will very likely struggle to separate themselves from.

“Internet Girl” wasn’t just childish; it was emotionally absent in its entirety. The song's chorus sings:

Eat zucchini, eat zucchini

Eat zucchini, eat zucchini

Do you need me, like the emoji?

Oh, won't you, oh, won't you, oh, won't you?

It is essentially 2 minutes and 43 seconds of nonsense.

The song showed no growth from any of their previous work and instead was in line with what is now being called “TikTok music.” This is a term currently being used by music critics to describe music created with the intent of short-term virality on short-form platforms like TikTok. The issue with this stems from the fact that such virality comes at the hands of ridicule, which I will explain later.

Finally, on April 9th, the group released their most recent single, “Pinky Up.” And just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, KATSEYE found a way to prove you wrong. The verses might have been redeemed if not for the atrocious chorus. Even then, the song is reminiscent of a soundtrack to an old 90’s retro arcade game with no real clear melody and unnecessarily strong bass elements. Once again, the group is catering to “TikTok music” in hopes of popularity.

The release of songs like “Gnarly,” “Internet Girl,” and “Pinky Up” has now created a certain sound that is associated with this group. And while I have stressed that the group is yet to create any identifying media, the truth is that the lack of personality and honesty has turned them into the poster children for conformity. Conformity itself becomes their brand.

Many now associate music with little depth or with ridiculous lyrics as “something KATSEYE would sing about.” So while yes, these songs have garnered attention and streams, the truth is it's a short-term solution. Most artists who have passed the test of time have gone far beyond surface-level emotion and instead, opened up to tell their individual stories in ways that are unique to their artistry.

Some of the most enduring artists prove that longevity comes from carving out a sound and perspective that cannot easily be replicated. Artists like BTS have remained globally relevant not simply because of catchy releases, but because of their willingness to center their music around themes of identity, growth, and personal struggle that evolve with their audience. Similarly, Taylor Swift has sustained her career by continually reshaping her sound while maintaining a deeply personal and narrative-driven approach to songwriting.

This same pattern can be traced back even further with The Beatles, whose constant experimentation redefined what popular music could be, and Prince, whose artistry was marked by a level of originality and creative control that set him apart from his peers. In each case, their success was not built on following trends but on creating something distinct, allowing their music to resonate beyond a single moment and instead remain influential across generations.

And here we arrive at what I believe to be the fundamental problem. KATSEYE has become so focused on becoming “pop stars” that they have lost their titles as artists. Rather than focusing on creating artistic products, they are focused on the capitalist attributes of fame. They’ve arguably done more brand deals than they have released songs. They are “pop stars” in that they are famous and associated with the pop music genre, but they have no real artistic expression. They’re great performers, but any other group of great performers could perform their songs, and there would be nothing lost from their music. There is nothing about the music that makes it distinctly theirs or that can clearly be identified as their voices.

Now, I want to clarify. Up until now, I’ve referred to KATSEYE as the group of singers themselves, but ultimately, the fault lies not with them alone. It’s important to recognize the influence of their label on their music. HYBExGeffen has almost entire creative control over what the group does or does not release. They pick the songs, the concepts, the producers, etc. None of the members of KATSEYE has any production or writing credits under any of their songs. So, obviously, the music isn't a reflection of who they are. How could it be? They haven't made any of it.

And while, yes, the company is to blame, I also find it hard to believe that the same company that's produced BTS, who were so heavily encouraged to take part in their own writing and production processes and continue to fully control each of their projects, or who produced Tomorrow x Together who also famously take heavy part in their artistic process, or SEVENTEEN who internally write and produce every single one of their own songs, would turn around and remove all artistic liberty from one of their biggest projects yet.

It would be far too inconsistent with HYBE’s “We Believe in Music” motto to not allow a group of international women, with such diverse and distinct stories, to share their experiences and capitalize on personality as they have with most of the other acts HYBE has produced.

And while I considered drawing a comparison between KATSEYE and BTS, the comparison between a 3-year-old group and a group that has been active for 13 years seems unfair. So instead, I want to draw focus to another international group under HYBE with around the same lifespan as KATSEYE.

In July of 2025, HYBE announced a new endeavor. A project they called “HYBE Latin America,” in which they planned to produce a global, Latin American boy group. Very similar to KATSEYE, the show would follow 16 boys from multiple Latin American and Spanish-speaking countries on their journey to debut in HYBE’s new boy group, “SANTOS BRAVOS.”

The group debuted on October 21, 2025, with the song “0%,” which immediately set them apart sonically. The song very distinctly set the tone for what the audience should expect from SANTOS BRAVOS as a Latin American group. And even though most of the members are from Latin America, it's important to recognize the cultural diversity they still hold.

Though they are only on their first EP, SANTOS BRAVOS has already embraced more cultural diversity than KATSEYE has with 2 EPs and 4 singles. In their first EP, DUAL, the boy group included a fully Portuguese song, “Velocidade,” in recognition of their Brazilian member, Kauê. “KAWASAKI” pays homage to member Drew’s roots in the Los Angeles hip-hop scene. The bachata and “champeta” influence on “MHM” and “WOW” pay homage to the coastal regions of Alejandro’s home in Peru and Gabi’s home in Puerto Rico. And finally, “FE” is a clear draw from traditional Mexican ballads, which is Kenneth’s home country.

What KATSEYE was unable to do in almost 3 years of activity, SANTOS BRAVOS did in the 6 tracks of their very first EP. All of this, while being under the same exact company. So while I do believe the company has made poor management and creative choices for KATSEYE, and while I definitely have criticism over their management of SANTOS BRAVOS, it's clear that HYBE is fully capable of creating personable and diverse music for an international group.

There is far too little knowledge about what artist contracts look like for HYBE, and while it is important to recognize that KATSEYE may very well be operating under a contract and thus cannot participate in their creative process, as I mentioned before, I find this highly unlikely. I find that the contracts are probably not to blame, at least not to the extent that defenders of KATSEYE’s music seem to hold them. It is likely, however, that the members of KATSEYE have little to no desire to participate in the vulnerability of creating music out of fear of alienating their current fanbase.

And all of this is hard to address without touching on the current issue with member Manon. On February 20, 2026, HYBE released a statement that Manon would be undergoing a “short” hiatus. Shortly after the statement was released, Manon took to personal social media to announce that she was “healthy” and “taking care” of herself. On April 2, Manon removed the team name from her bio on Instagram and released another statement saying she “would share more soon” regarding her hiatus.

In the meantime, KATSEYE has performed and promoted “Pinky Up” without her presence. Their first-ever Coachella performance was done without Manon. But what's odd is that Manon was present at Coachella; she simply was not on stage. So how is this relevant to KATSEYE’s identity crisis?

Ever since the group members were simply trainees, there have been difficulties in the dynamic they all have with each other. During PopStar Academy, many arguments and deep-rooted conflicts arose between the members. Some claimed an unequal work ethic from their peers, some claimed unequal treatment from the company, and others failed to sympathize when a member was sick or going through emotional distress. All of this shows a lack of cohesiveness amongst themselves.

While some fans were shocked that Manon was on hiatus or blamed the company for “forcing” her to leave, the reality is that there were never true bonds created amongst the girls. And now, with Manon’s potential departure from the group, the members lose even more credibility. Up until now, they assured fans that any disagreements were entirely in the past and they felt like a group of sisters.

How, though, is an audience supposed to believe this when part of the group was comfortable performing on one of the nation's biggest stages without their “sister”? How is the audience supposed to trust the bond among the members when one of them seems to be completely ostracized or, at the very least, so distant from the others? And how is the audience supposed to react when the remaining members refuse to address any of the questions surrounding Manon’s sudden hiatus?

So, not only has the group not begun to establish themselves as artists, we are already seeing uncertainty regarding the longevity of their lives as “pop stars.” While I never wish ill intent on the girls of KATSEYE, and even though I originally considered myself a fan upon their debut, they have failed to prove their artistry in the 3 years they’ve been active.

It's impossible to predict exactly where KATSEYE’s future is leading; however, it's almost certain that without personability and without any identifying features to their music, their careers will pass as a fad of the time. They’ve conflated the idea of being “pop-stars” with being “artists” and have never actually engaged in a genuine creative process. In the future, the group should adopt more honest and sincerely written music about their identities and cultures. Maybe then, KATSEYE’s brand will shift from basic fame-driven “pop stars” to relatable, musically driven artists.