The Rise of Katseye
Pop girl group Katseye is set to make its Coachella performance debut this weekend, but there has been much discussion surrounding the confirmed absence of member Manon Bannerman. This has sparked a wave of curiosity and concern among fans and observers alike.
Katseye was created by Hybe and Geffen Records, where each of the six members was put through an intense K-pop style training program and competed in the 2023 survival competition Dream Academy: The Debut. The show aimed to form a “global, diverse and multitalented girl pop group” where Bannerman, Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza and Yoonchae Jeung all earned their spot in the final line-up.
Since their debut in 2024, they’ve had chart success with their hits ‘Gnarly’ and ‘Gabriela,’ and the latter song earned the group a Best Pop Duo/Group Performance nomination at this year’s Grammys, along with being nominated in the Best New Artist category.
Manon’s Temporary Hiatus
Back in February, it was announced that Bannerman would be taking a “temporary hiatus from group activities to focus on her health and wellbeing,” a decision they said they “fully support.” The group will continue scheduled activities during this time, and they look forward to being together again when the time is right.
At the time, Manon took to Weverse to share a message, “I’m healthy, I’m okay, and I’m taking care of myself. Sometimes things unfold in ways we don’t fully control, but I’m trusting the bigger picture. Thank you for standing by me. I love you endlessly and can’t wait to see you again.”
But as time has gone on since this was announced, the band’s fans – known as Eyekons – have been questioning the duration and reason behind the sudden hiatus and when exactly Bannerman will be brought back into the fold, with some even threatening to boycott the band, declaring that “Katseye is six” and protest trucks with this message have also been spotted.
Concerns and Speculation
Furthermore, Bannerman is notably absent from promotional materials and the music video for the group’s new single ‘Pinky Up’, which dropped on April 2, combined with Bannerman removing references to Katseye from her Instagram bio.
Bannerman provided a new update via Weverse on April 2, appearing to reassure fans, “HxG and I are having positive conversations and I feel supported. I’m happy and I’m healthy. I’ll share more soon. Thank you for always being there for me.”
All of this has reignited conversations about the treatment of Bannerman before her hiatus, as fans point to the Dream Academy Netflix documentary, which shows friction with fellow trainees over her lack of prior dance and singing training and her missed rehearsals during the rigorous K-pop trainee-style program.
“Being called lazy, especially as a Black girl, is not fair,” Bannerman told The Cut in February before her hiatus. “Now I feel like I always need to put in extra work to prove something, even though I really don’t.”
Support from Celebrities
As the only Black member of the girl group, it has also highlighted the wider concern of her Black women are treated in the music industry, with fellow celebrities like SZA, Chloe Bailey, Tiffany Haddish, along with other Black members of girl groups such as former Pussycat Dolls member Melody Thornton and former Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne all showing their support on social media when Bannerman’s hiatus was announced.
Katseye also addressed Bannerman’s absence in a recent interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe ahead of their Coachella debut.
“Manon has been on hiatus, and we love her so much! We know she’s doing well, and she got to talk to the fans about it. We’re just really excited and rooting for all of us and each other,” they said, as per Cosmopolitan.
“I think we also want to say like she’s our sister forever. You know what I mean? Like we love her so much and we built this together. So we just want to give her all the space and love she needs right now.”
Upcoming Performances
Katseye are set to perform on the Sahara stage at Coachella on April 10 and April 17.
Elsewhere from, All the celebrities who’ve backed KATSEYE’s Manon following shock announcement, and Coachella 2026: 5 performances you can’t miss this weekend.
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