KATSEYE

The global ensemble KATSEYE produces catchy pop that merges dance grooves with R&B textures, taking cues from K-pop acts Le Sserafim and BlackPink plus longstanding pop groups such as Pussycat Dolls and Spice Girls. After winning the 2023 reality contest Dream Academy, the six members issued their first project in 2024, the SIS (Soft Is Strong) EP.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, KATSEYE assembled in 2023 when Sophia Laforteza, Lara Raj, Yoonchae Jeong, Megan Skiendiel, Daniela Avanzini, and Manon Bannerman competed as participants on the web-based reality series The Debut: Dream Academy. Created through a partnership between Hybe and Geffen Records, the program debuted in August 2023 and concluded in November, gathering aspiring performers from South Korea, the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom for a Korean idol trainee-style contest designed to launch a new group. Beyond their Dream Academy experience, KATSEYE were later profiled in the Netflix documentary Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE. The act unveiled their debut EP, SIS (Soft Is Strong), in August 2024 after collaborating with multiple songwriter/producers including Ryan Tedder, Blake Slatkin, Cashmere Cat, and additional contributors. Led by the singles "Debut" and "Touch," the EP entered the Billboard 200 and placed inside the Top 50 in both the U.K. and South Korea.