KATSEYE Hits No. 1 With WILD as Member Hiatuses and Injury Raise Questions About the Girl Group’s Future

The global girl group is experiencing its biggest career moment yet, but Manon Bannerman and Sophia Laforteza are on hiatus, while Megan Skiendiel’s recent injury has added another setback

August 28, 2026: KATSEYE is experiencing the kind of success most new girl groups can only dream about. The global pop group has just scored its first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with WILD, marking a major milestone less than three years after the group was formed through The Debut: Dream Academy.

But behind the chart success, KATSEYE is navigating an increasingly complicated moment. Two of its six members, Manon Bannerman and Sophia Laforteza, are currently on hiatus, while Megan Skiendiel recently suffered an ankle injury that forced the group to cancel its scheduled performance at Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival.

The contrast has become one of the defining stories surrounding KATSEYE right now: the group is reaching new heights commercially while simultaneously facing questions about health, pressure, lineup stability and what comes next.

KATSEYE Just Reached Its Biggest Career Milestone

KATSEYE’s latest achievement is significant.

The group’s third EP, WILD, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, giving the six-member act its first chart-topping album and its biggest sales week to date. The release moved approximately 145,000 equivalent album units, according to Vulture’s report on the chart result.

The accomplishment makes KATSEYE the fourth all-girl group to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 during the 2020s. It also makes them the first non-K-pop girl group to achieve the milestone since Danity Kane in 2008.

That success comes remarkably quickly for a group that was only created in 2023.

How KATSEYE Became a Global Girl Group

KATSEYE was created through HYBE and Geffen Records’ The Debut: Dream Academy, a competition designed to create a global girl group using elements of the K-pop trainee system.

The final lineup included Manon, Sophia, Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel and Yoonchae Jeung.

The group’s international makeup was central to its identity from the beginning. Rather than positioning KATSEYE as a traditional Korean girl group, HYBE and Geffen built the act around performers from different cultural backgrounds while incorporating highly choreographed pop performance.

That formula has helped KATSEYE connect with a young, heavily online audience.

Their songs “Gnarly,” “Gabriela,” “Pinky Up” and “Animal” have helped establish the group’s increasingly recognizable sound and visual identity, while social media has played a major role in expanding their reach.

The Group’s Success Has Come With Intense Online Scrutiny

KATSEYE’s rapid rise has not happened without criticism.

The group has faced intense discussion around its music, fashion, choreography, personalities and online behavior. Their 2025 livestream, in which members were caught swearing while apparently unaware they were being recorded, initially led them to fear they might be “cancelled.” Instead, many fans responded positively to their more unfiltered personalities.

That experience became part of KATSEYE’s appeal.

As Dazed reported, the members have increasingly embraced the idea that their imperfections and “messiness” can make them more relatable in an industry built around carefully controlled images.

But that same online environment can also create enormous pressure, particularly for young performers whose lives are constantly being discussed by millions of people.

Manon Bannerman Was the First Member to Step Back

The group’s current instability began earlier this year when Manon Bannerman announced a temporary hiatus to focus on her health and wellbeing.

Her absence quickly became a major topic among fans, particularly because she did not appear in some subsequent KATSEYE releases and performances.

The uncertainty surrounding her return has also fueled speculation within the fandom. However, the group has repeatedly emphasized that Manon’s wellbeing should come first and that fans should not rush her return.

The documentary KATSEYE: Wild Hearts includes Manon in archival footage, with Lara Raj previously confirming that she remains an important part of the group’s story.

Sophia Laforteza Then Announced a Mental Health Hiatus

Six months after Manon’s hiatus began, KATSEYE faced another major change.

On August 7, Sophia Laforteza announced that she would temporarily step away from group activities to prioritize her mental health and wellness.

“I’m realising that if I don’t take care of my mind and body now, I won’t be able to keep doing what I love the most for so long,” Sophia said in her statement.

HYBE and Geffen confirmed the hiatus, leaving KATSEYE to continue promotional activities as a four-member group consisting of Daniela, Lara, Megan and Yoonchae. Sophia is expected to be reassessed in September.

The timing was particularly significant because the announcement came just before the release of WILD and during an important period of promotion for the group.

Now Megan Skiendiel Has Suffered an Injury

The situation became even more complicated this week.

On August 27, KATSEYE announced that Megan Skiendiel had sprained her ankle during tour rehearsals. After being evaluated by doctors, she was advised to rest and stay off the injury.

As a result, KATSEYE withdrew from Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival, which was scheduled for August 29.

Megan described herself as “heartbroken” over missing the event, particularly because of the festival’s focus on women in music and community.

The group has emphasized that the decision was made so Megan can recover properly ahead of KATSEYE’s upcoming tour.

KATSEYE Is Currently Down to Four Active Members

With Manon and Sophia on hiatus and Megan temporarily sidelined by injury, KATSEYE’s current situation is unusually complicated for a group that is simultaneously enjoying its biggest commercial success.

The four active members have continued promoting WILD and preparing for the group’s upcoming world tour.

Reuters recently reported that KATSEYE was promoting the EP and preparing for its September tour while operating temporarily without two members. At the time of that report, Sophia’s condition was scheduled to be reassessed in September.

Megan’s new injury adds another layer of uncertainty, although the group has said her absence from Daisy Chain Fields is intended to give her time to recover before touring.

Wild Hearts Shows the Reality Behind the Rise

KATSEYE’s new documentary, KATSEYE: Wild Hearts, provides another perspective on the group’s rapid rise.

The film follows the members as they work toward major career milestones and offers behind-the-scenes footage of their lives, performances and creative process.

It also reveals the physical and emotional pressures that can accompany sudden fame. The documentary includes discussion of injuries, mental health and the impact of constant online scrutiny.

That context has become even more striking following Sophia’s hiatus and Megan’s injury.

The documentary was intended to show audiences a more authentic side of KATSEYE. Now, the group’s real-life circumstances have made that message even more relevant.

Is KATSEYE Falling Apart?

That is the question increasingly being asked online, but the available information does not establish that the group is breaking up.

KATSEYE remains an active group, has just achieved its first No. 1 album and is preparing for its first headline world tour.

Both Manon and Sophia’s absences have been described as temporary, while Megan’s latest setback is an injury for which she has been advised to rest.

At the same time, it would be unrealistic to ignore the pressure surrounding the group.

KATSEYE has risen from a reality competition to global fame in a remarkably short period. Its members are young, the online scrutiny is intense, and the demands of performing, recording, rehearsing and touring can take a physical and emotional toll.

The group’s ability to navigate that pressure may ultimately be just as important as its chart success.

KATSEYE’s Biggest Challenge May Be Maintaining Its Momentum

For now, the numbers suggest that KATSEYE is stronger than ever.

WILD reaching No. 1 demonstrates that the group’s fanbase continues to grow despite the lineup changes. Its recent success also shows that KATSEYE has moved beyond being simply a promising project created through Dream Academy.

But maintaining that momentum while protecting the wellbeing of its members will be the real challenge.

The group’s story is no longer simply about how quickly six young performers became global stars. It is also about what happens when that success arrives faster than anyone expected.

KATSEYE may be at the peak of its commercial rise, but the next chapter could determine whether that success becomes sustainable.

HOLR has the latest news on KATSEYE, including the group’s upcoming tour, member updates and the future of the six-member act.

FAQs

How did KATSEYE become famous?

KATSEYE was formed through HYBE and Geffen Records’ 2023 competition series The Debut: Dream Academy. The group was created as an international girl group combining global pop with elements of the K-pop training and performance system.

How many members are in KATSEYE?

KATSEYE originally has six members: Manon Bannerman, Sophia Laforteza, Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel and Yoonchae Jeung. Two members, Manon and Sophia, are currently on hiatus, while Megan is recovering from an ankle injury.

Why is Manon Bannerman on hiatus from KATSEYE?

Manon announced a temporary hiatus in February 2026 to focus on her health and wellbeing. Her return date has not been confirmed.

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