KATSEYE is a six-member global girl group based in Los Angeles, created through a partnership between HYBE and Geffen Records. The members are Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia and Yoonchae, and the group combines K-pop-style training with an international pop sound.
How KATSEYE formed
The group was created through The Debut: Dream Academy , a global audition and competition project developed by HYBE and Geffen Records. Contestants from different countries trained and competed for a place in the final lineup, which was announced during a live finale in Los Angeles in November 2023.
KATSEYE officially debuted in June 2024. Unlike a traditional K-pop group, it was designed from the beginning as a global act, with members from a range of cultural backgrounds and music aimed at an international audience.
Who are the members?
The group’s six members are:
- Daniela Avanzini , from Atlanta, United States.
- Lara Raj , from Los Angeles, United States.
- Manon Bannerman , from Lucerne, Switzerland.
- Megan Skiendiel , from Honolulu, United States.
- Sophia Laforteza , from Manila, Philippines, and the group’s leader.
- Yoonchae Jeung , from Seoul, South Korea.
Their different backgrounds are central to KATSEYE’s identity. The group performs primarily in the global pop market while using elements associated with K-pop, including intensive choreography, coordinated visual concepts and a highly structured training system.
Music and style
KATSEYE’s music is generally described as pop, with dance-focused performances and polished production. Their approach sits between Western girl-group pop and the performance-driven model associated with K-pop. The group’s origin story was later explored in the Netflix documentary series Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE , which follows the training and competition process that led to the final six-member lineup.
KATSEYE is often described as a “global girl group” rather than strictly a K-pop group. That distinction matters: the members and business structure are multinational, while the group’s training and presentation borrow heavily from the Korean idol system.