Sophia Laforteza announces KATSEYE hiatus

Sophia’s Gone MIA 

By Mikii B

Many EYEKONS have been on edge since interviews and public appearances with the KATSEYE girls have featured less and less members of the group within the last 6 months. Unfortunately, it has been announced that the group’s fearless leader, Sophia Laforteza will now be officially on hiatus. This announcement hit IG, August 7th, as Sophia took to her story to let fans know of the saddening news and how she will be missing the Hinterland Music Festival. The KATSEYE official account would later go on to release a statement on IG and Weverse, apologizing to fans and wishing Sophia a speedy recovery. 

KATSEYE, a group that originally started at 6, is now currently made up of 4 talented women: Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel and Yoonchae Jeung. Back in February, Manon Bannerman, the group's visual main, also announced her hiatus and has yet to return. It was stated that both women will be taking a break to focus on their mental health and will be stepping back from public appearances. This announcement has left many fans wondering what could be happening behind the scenes

Fan Theories

At the moment, there are many fans who are in mourning as both Sophia and Manon are now on hiatus and have been left bias-less. On the other hand there are others who are mourning the group as a whole as they see this as a sign that this is the end of KATSEYE, with comments on TikTok saying, “ATP its not KATSEYE, its KATSBYE.” or a photo of an empty stage and someone writing to the likes of, “This is KATSEYE by the end of the year.” While there are many others speculating, researching and dissecting. 

EYEKONS will never miss an opportunity to investigate, as many have taken to the internet to compare the two hiatus statuses shared to Instagram and Weverse by Hybe x Geffen. Internet pop culture journalist, @Andrewramdat, took to TikTok to dive into both statements. He noted that when it came to Sophia, they mentioned September. HxG, mentioned that they are planning to reevaluate Sophia next month and will be discussing her return to the group. This struck many fans as strange, because when it came to Manon’s post, there was no date mentioned or an idea of a return alluded to. They also noticed that for Sophia, they said her hiatus had been advised to ensure a full recovery. However, when compared to Manon, it was claimed that they all had an open conversation and had agreed to take this break. It just left many fans feeling like HxG do have a clear plan for Sophia’s reunion, while Manon is most likely never to return to the group due to potential racism or preference.

Thank You for the Comments 

Then there is that bunch of fans that still remain traumatized by the first hiatus announcement, and who are now on the edge of their seats waiting to see what Daniela’s father's response will be. Back in February when Manon’s hiatus was originally published, Daniela’s father took to the internet and had a rather jarring reaction to her departure’s announcement. He commented under one post, “The show must go on! With or without a member. KATSEYE is bigger than one girl” and then said in another post, “KATSEYE does not run based off of Manon. The girls will be fine.” After shocking, not only EYEKONS everywhere, but also innocent bystanders and netizens, he retracted his statements in a public apology. He stated that he was only trying to look out for his daughter, Daniela, who had been receiving much of the blame for Manon’s absences from the group. This moment from KATSEYE’s history is still very fresh in fan’s minds, as it has resulted in many comments about Daniela and her father, referencing this specific instance.

This Is Why I Hate The Internet

This whole fiasco, alongside the release of the group’s newest single, Animal, has caused the conversation about the group’s overall identity to resurface. This has been a point of discussion for many fans and casual listeners for some time now. Though it has recently escalated due to these newest updates and happenings. The consensus is that many have been left feeling confused on who is in the group and what the group is trying to portray, soundwise and visually. As songs like Pinky Up and Animal, which both came out this year, are drastically different when it comes to sound, vibes and overall look. 

Despite all the drama, many EYEKONS just want these girls to be a group again. Especially since it is a fact that they were brought together by fans who had hand selected the group during Dream Academy days. Fans have a special bond and connection with these 6 young women, and are just hoping to see all of them reunited for the upcoming world tour.