Katseye’s Manon to Take Temporary Hiatus From the Group to ‘Focus on Her Health and Wellbeing’

Katseye, the global pop group formed through the Hybe and Geffen Records collaboration "Dream Academy," has announced that member Manon Bannerman will be stepping back from activities temporarily to prioritize her health. The decision was made mutually, with the full support of her fellow members: Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza, and Yoonchae Jeung. All scheduled group commitments will continue as planned with this lineup.

The timing underscores the intense pressures of modern pop stardom. Katseye is currently navigating a breakout period highlighted by a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist—a remarkable achievement for a group that debuted just over a year ago. This nomination, a rarity for such a new act, caps a year defined by a popular Netflix documentary and a series of successful musical releases. Industry commentator Dr. Elena Vance noted, "The accelerated cycle of content creation, promotion, and touring, especially for groups launched via high-stakes reality formats, can be unsustainable without built-in recovery periods. This move by Katseye's management may set a precedent for prioritizing artist health over relentless output."

Despite their brief time together, Katseye has built a formidable commercial footprint. Their catalog includes two EPs—2023's "Beautiful Chaos" and this year's "SIS (Soft Is Strong)"—and several charting singles. Their commercial breakthrough came with "Gnarly," a collaboration with avant-pop figure Alice Longyu Gao that secured their first Billboard Hot 100 entry. They have maintained that momentum with subsequent tracks like "Gameboy," the Grammy-nominated "Gabriela," and last month's "Internet Girl," which debuted at No. 29 on the same chart.

The group's recent performance of "Gnarly" on the Grammy stage was a testament to their rapid ascent. In their statement, Katseye expressed optimism for Bannerman's return, writing, "We look forward to being together again when the time is right." The announcement has been met with an outpouring of support from their fanbase, known as KATS, who have widely praised the group's transparent and health-first approach on social media.