All eyes on KATSEYE as member takes indefinite hiatus

From Grammy nominations, to a hit Netflix show, to a US tour, KATSEYE has taken the world by storm. So why did a member of the uber-successful girl group just take an indefinite hiatus?

HxG message on Weverse

On February 20, HYBE x Geffen shared a message informing fans of Manon Bannerman’s hiatus: “Hello. After open and thoughtful conversations together, we are sharing that Manon will be taking a temporary hiatus from group activities to focus on her health and wellbeing. We fully support this decision. KATSEYE remains committed to showing up for one another and for the fans who mean everything to us. The group will continue scheduled activities during this time, and we look forward to being together again when the time is right. Thank you to our EYEKONS for your continued love, patience, and understanding.” 

Shortly after, Manon issued her own message on Weverse, a fan community app for HYBE popstar groups, “Hi friends. 🤍 I want you to hear this from me, I’m healthy, I’m okay, and I’m taking care of myself. Thank u for checking in! 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.”

To back up a little, KATSEYE is a global girl group that was formed on the hit Netflix docu-series Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE. After months of training and development, 20 contestants entered a survival show documenting their journey to becoming worldwide stars.

Manon joined Pop Star Academy in episode two titled ‘Level Up’, being scouted around 2022, while production had already started back in 2021. Out of the 27 original trainees, she was one of the few who did not audition for their spot. Throughout her time on Pop Star Academy, she faced a lot of scrutiny from fans. She received special accommodations, including being allowed to move out of the dorms that all trainees were staying in, and as noted in the documentary, took time off when rehearsals and practices were in session. Within the show, Missy Paramo, Talent and Development Manager, worked with Manon to facilitate a conversation surrounding her absences. Apologizing, she said, “I will hold myself accountable, and I’m sorry for missing classes. I want this. I'm trying really hard. And I hope that reads, and I’m sorry.” The girls seemed to put it behind them, but some fans weren’t convinced. 

KATSEYE on Popstar Academy

Even after debuting with KATSEYE, Manon was singled out. In ‘Debut’, the first song on their EP, SIS (Soft is Strong), their choreography for the chorus features the girls lined up in an arrow, with Manon in the back barely visible. Other instances include being excluded from the ‘Gabriela’ music video, as well as instagram posts or billboards. Manon explains how Dream Academy has affected her public image.

“Being called lazy, especially as a Black girl, is not fair. Now I feel like I always need to put in extra work to prove something, even though I really don’t.” - Manon Bannerman in a CUT interview.

Leigh-Anne Pinnock, of Little Mix, shared her support of Manon in a comment on X, “We need to protect each other.” This came after a post pointing out that Pinnock, Bannerman, and Normani (from Fifth Harmony) all followed each other on Instagram. What do the three have in common? They’re all the only Black girls in their enormously successful girl groups. In an interview with the BBC, Pinnock spoke on feeling overlooked because of her race: "The last tour, I remember coming off stage and crying most nights… and just being like, 'Why do I feel like this? Why do I feel like no one likes me? I might as well not be on the stage.'" It’s old news by now that the music industry (as well as many other industries in the US) has always been incredibly racist, and while the landscape continues to change and evolve, we still have a long way to go. 

Fans of KATSEYE from the very beginning are concerned about this announcement. With all of Manon’s past controversies, fans are worried that Manon’s hiatus is a precursor to the idol being kicked out or even worse, disbandment of KATSEYE. While these concerns are plausible, it’s important to remember that KATSEYE, while being a global girl group based in the US, works under a K-POP label. In the K-POP industry, hiatuses among idol groups are very common, in order to take care of the idol's health and personal lives. While some hiatuses being extended for up to 12-14 months with a lack of communication surrounding the group is cause for concern, it seems like with KATSEYE’s popularity and active socials, that a breakup is off the table.