The Debut of Katseye at Coachella: A Bittersweet Moment
As the pop girl group Katseye makes its debut at Coachella this weekend, the milestone is tinged with a sense of bittersweetness for fans. This is because one of the band’s members, Manon Bannerman, is notably absent from the performance. She has been on an extended hiatus, which has left many fans concerned and questioning the group’s future.
The six-member group was founded by music executives from the K-pop giant Hybe and Geffen Records through the 2023 survival competition Dream Academy: The Debut. However, the group is currently facing a boycott from its fanbase, known as Eyekons. These fans are demanding more transparency regarding Bannerman’s abrupt hiatus, which was announced in February.
Katseye consists of Bannerman, Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza, and Yoonchae Jeung. The group was conceptualized by the same team behind the K-pop megagroup BTS, considered one of the most successful boy bands of all time. Their goal was to create a “global, diverse, and multitalented girl pop group.”
On February 20, Bannerman, who is 23 years old, announced that she would be taking a “temporary hiatus from group activities to focus on her health and wellbeing.” HxG, the acronym representing the joint venture between HYBE and Geffen Records, stated they fully supported her decision.
However, fans grew increasingly concerned as Bannerman’s absence stretched longer than expected. She did not appear in promotional materials for the group’s new single “Pinky Up,” released on April 2, and has since removed all references to Katseye from her Instagram bio. Additionally, she did not feature in the single’s music video released on April 9.
This omission sparked backlash online. Fans expressed their disappointment, with one writing, “We want Manon.” Another criticized the promotional strategy, stating, “No one thought the hiatus would apply to their music and videos. Not acknowledging Manon’s absence here is actually deranged.” Another fan added, “KATSEYE WILL ALWAYS BE SIX, I AM NOT GONNA SHUT UP ABOUT IT!”
Soon after, Bannerman addressed her absence on the South Korean app Weverse, which fans use to communicate with artists. She wrote, “I’m healthy, I’m okay, and I’m taking care of myself,” followed by a cryptic message: “Sometimes things unfold in ways we don’t fully control, but I’m trusting the bigger picture.”
In a separate post, Bannerman mentioned that “HxG and I are having positive conversations and I feel supported.” She continued, “I’m happy and I’m healthy. I’ll share more soon. Thank you for always being there for me.”
Even before her hiatus, some fans speculated that Bannerman was being treated differently from her bandmates. A Netflix documentary chronicling the Dream Academy selection process showed tensions during training, including moments when Bannerman missed rehearsals and other group members expressed resentment for her lack of prior dance and singing training, having initially been scouted for her social media presence.
Fans and music industry commentators have also speculated that Bannerman, who is the only Black member of the girl group, exited the group due to the music industry’s treatment of Black women. Through the boycott, fans have been using social media to demand answers from Katseye’s representatives using the hashtags #JusticeForManon and #BoycottForManon.
Since she stepped back from Katseye, Bannerman has been publicly supported by other Black members of girl groups, including Leigh-Anne Pinnock from Britain’s Little Mix and Melody Thornton from The Pussycat Dolls.
In an op-ed for Elle, writer DeAsia Paige called Bannerman’s exit a “consequence of the music industry’s failure to fully see and support Black women in pop,” while Rolling Stone writer Larish Paul said the mainstream music industry was a “perpetual test” designed to make Black women fail.
In a February 2026 interview with The Cut, published days before her temporary exit announcement, Bannerman criticized the work-life balance culture in America and addressed the scrutiny she faced for being sick during rehearsals at the Dream Academy.
“Being called lazy, especially as a Black girl, is not fair,” Bannerman said at the time. “Now I feel like I always need to put in extra work to prove something, even though I really don’t.”
When the band was formed on The Debut: Dream Academy, fan voting determined the final six-person lineup, which was unveiled in a pageant-style live show in November 2023.
A 2024 Netflix documentary about the process, called Pop Star Academy: Katseye, captured the physical toll of training and the stress of public scrutiny.
Since their debut, the group has had chart success with singles “Gnarly” and “Gabriela.” The latter song saw the group nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at this year’s Grammys. They were also nominated in the Best New Artist category, which ultimately went to British singer Olivia Dean.
Katseye will perform at Coachella on April 10 and April 17 on the Sahara stage.
