Multicultural girl group KATSEYE — hailing from Los Angeles with roots in the Philippines, Switzerland, South Korea, and the US — might not cover the whole globe yet, but their pop ambition already does. “We looooooove Troye Sivan,” Sophia said during a Zoom call with Rolling Stone AU/NZ, the six members huddled together. “And we cannot wait to perform in Australia one day.”
Just over a year into their career, KATSEYE are already hitting milestones that make that dream feel inevitable.
Formed by HYBE Corporation and Geffen Records (the teams behind K-pop juggernaut BTS) through Netflix’s Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE, Manon, Sophia, Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae trained under the rigorous K-pop system before proving their star power to a global audience. Their debut EP, SIS (Soft is Strong), delivered “Touch”, the TikTok-fueled hit that turned casual listeners into a devoted fandom, the EYECONS.
That following surged again this month at Lollapalooza, where KATSEYE played to an estimated 85,000, the largest early-day crowd in the festival’s history. “We were joking, like, ‘Maybe 20 people will show up,’” Daniela laughed, still in disbelief. Instead, the group delivered a set packed with debut performances of “Game Boy” and “Gabriella”, plus an immaculately rehearsed new dance break. “We had so much adrenaline we wanted to do it five more times,” Sophia said. “On stage, it felt like home. It was a dream come true.”
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Now comes their second EP, BEAUTIFUL CHAOS, a bold statement that makes it clear KATSEYE are more than a K-pop offshoot (a fact reinforced by their new Gap denim campaign, already going viral).
Its lead single, “Gnarly”, is a messy, thrilling clash of rhythms and moods meant to challenge listeners. “It’s about making a daring shift in our sound and identity,” Lara explained. “We wanted to do something cool that would make people uncomfortable and be polarising in a way. It reminds us of artists like Kesha, Sophie, and Charli XCX — artists unafraid to be authentically themselves.”
The follow-up, “Gabriella”, moves in the opposite direction, a sensual, Latin-inflected dub-pop track featuring Daniela singing in Spanish on the bridge. Elsewhere, “Mean Girls” stands out as a trans-affirming anthem, closing with the declaration: “God bless the T girls, and all the in-between girls.”
Taken together, BEAUTIFUL CHAOS shows a group still defining its sound, unafraid to experiment. Ballads, hyperpop, R&B, and dance tracks sit side by side, each connecting back to their shared identity. “All the songs on BEAUTIFUL CHAOS tie to who we are individually and as a group,” Sophia explained. “They tell new listeners who we are and where we’re at, while connecting to our story and our experiences.”
What sets KATSEYE apart isn’t just the music, but their bond. They finish each other’s sentences, nod in agreement, and lean on one another when the pace of fame feels overwhelming. “Even on stage, if someone’s out of it, a look at a friend grounds you instantly,” Sophia added. “There are so many moments when I just look at the girls and I’m back.”
That solidarity will soon be tested on the road. A tour is coming, with stops in the US and — if Sophia has her way — Australia. “We’ll get to see and meet fans everywhere, travel with our best friends, and perform live,” Megan added.
KATSEYE’s BEAUTIFUL CHAOS EP is out now.
