Latest news with #Katseye
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Katseye on the Timely Meaning Behind New ‘Beautiful Chaos' EP: ‘A Big Transitional Part of Us'
Katseye is ready to cause some chaos. The global girl group comprised of members Sophia, Daniela, Megan, Lara, Manon and Yoonchae were strangers only four years ago, climbing up the ranks as K pop trainees in the reality competition series 'The Debut: Dream Academy.' In the wake of the show's finale, and the release of Netflix's accompanying 'Pop Star Academy' docuseries, Katseye became breakout performers with the pastel-painted visuals and sugary sweet pop in their debut EP 'SIS (Soft is Strong),' and era-defining single 'Touch.' But while Katseye may have started out soft, the group's loud and unapologetic personalities quickly overtook the carefully-manicured aesthetic that had been preselected for them on 'Dream Academy.' Frequently going viral in K pop spheres for their foul-mouthed, high-energy WeVerse live streams, Katseye's honest intensity has helped shape the sound of their sophomore EP, 'Beautiful Chaos.' ''Beautiful Chaos' is the season we're all in,' Sophia tells Variety. 'It's very much us, but it's also us constantly evolving and finding ourselves. It's a big transitional part of Katseye, in discovering who we are and the different sides of us.' Described by the group as a 'celebration of confusion' the five-track EP has no shortage of earworms, including lead single 'Gnarly,' a hyperpop track penned by Alice Longyu Gao and Madison Love (Lady Gaga, Katy Perry) and produced by Pink Slip. Other tracks include the Latin pop-inspired 'Gabriela,' and the bass-heavy 'M.I.A,' an electronic track that Manon is eager to perform live. Katseye leader Sophia agrees that 'M.I.A' will be a crowd-pleaser, especially at gigs like their upcoming Lollapalooza set on Aug. 3. '[M.I.A] is meant to be performed in a stadium… to be performed at Lolla,' says Sophia. 'I blast 'M.I.A' in my car all the time, literally all the time,' emphasizes Lara. 'I roll my windows down, and I envision what our Lolla performance will look like.' Though Katseye is no stranger to intensive choreography in their performances, Megan says mastering the steps for 'Gabriela,' was a particular challenge. Featuring acoustic guitar and a Spanish-language bridge from Daniela, 'Gabriela' has the members singing — more like pleading with — the titular temptress not to take their lover(s): ('You could have anyone else you wanted to/I'm begging you/Back off of my fella, Gabriela'). The music video for 'Gabriela' is equally as drama-infused, observing a telenovela-inspired affair that includes a wedding, a finger amputation, and a 'Succession' style clash as the members vie to succeed Jessica Alba as CEO of Gabriela Enterprises. Megan and the other Katseye members turned to Daniela for pointers on mastering the ballroom-inspired choreography in the video. 'My mom taught me how to dance, she's a ballroom dancer,' says Daniela. 'The choreography for this song ['Gabriella'] is definitely more ballroom-y, a little flamenco inspired. There's a lot of hip movements in there, so I was able to help the girls out a little bit with the moves.' ''Gabriela' was the hardest for me,' adds Megan. 'It's a little different than what we've done before, a little bit sexier, which I love. But we practiced a lot in heels for 'Gabriela.' For Katseye, discovering different sides of themselves also means supporting each other. In May, Lara was honored with The Los Angeles LGBT Center's Blooming Impact award, which acknowledges her advocacy for the community as a queer public figure. Few K-pop idols are out and proud members of the LGBTQ+ community but Lara says the support of her fellow Katseye members – who presented Lara with the award – has been invaluable. Megan also recently came out as bisexual. 'It was so unexpected and such an honor to have my girls there for me,' says Lara. 'They gave a speech before, and having them hand the ward to be, and be on stage with me, that was so beautiful. I could not have traded that experience for the world. I touched on it in my speech, but growing up there were a lot of troublesome experiences trying to understand who I am and my sexuality.' 'To think that now I'm 19,' she continues, 'And getting an award for it, with my parents in the audience? And I'm talking about it in front of them? My whole family was there, my family in India saw it. So much stuff that little Lara was so deeply afraid of… I overcame that fear. So many people came up to me that night — or have DM'd me since — saying they came out because I did. Or that they came out as trans, and saying I inspired them to do that, which is… unreal.' Though queer visibility in K-pop remains at a minimum, Lara says she's determined to continue to use her newfound platform as an idol. 'It was such a moment of 'Wow. There is a genuine influence and impact that we can make,'' she says. 'Our voice can actually inspire and help people do things, and feel more comfortable within themselves, which is a big responsibility, but I'm honored.' While Katseye's fans — affectionately known as Eyekons — flocked to show Lara their support, wider reactions to Lara's coming out were mixed, with the Korea Herald describing her announcement as 'shocking.' As an international group whose place in K-pop has been challenged since their debut, Katseye are no strangers to being anomalies in the industry, and Sophia says the group continues to lean on each other for support. 'I'm somebody who grew up in a house with a lot of people in it – my whole family, even my grandparents. I got used to having people at home, so coming here all the way from the Philippines, and not going home the entire time I was training and for the first half of Katseye…if I didn't have this [the group], I don't know how far I would've made it,' says Sophia. 'Being in this group and all living together, It's forced us to learn to truly work with each other in different parts of our lives,' she admits. 'This career is not just something we can clock in and clock out of. This is a lifestyle, this is something we have to learn how to implement into every single part of our lives. It's really built our dynamic, and that bleeds into our work — when we make music, when we're in rehearsals and when we're performing.' 'We never have to cry in a room alone, ever. We always are going to have somebody there to support us, and that's what's really keeping us going.' 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GMA Network
a day ago
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Katseye drops 'Beautiful Chaos' EP, disco-inspired music video for 'Gameboy'
Katseye is here with some new bangers! The girl group dropped their new 'Beautiful Chaos' EP on Friday, which includes the previously released tracks 'Gnarly' and 'Gabriela.' More tracks include 'Gameboy,' 'Mean Girls,' and 'MIA.' Following the release, Katseye took to Instagram to thank their fans 'for all of the love and support you've shown us." "Thank you for being here from the beginning. these songs are extremely meaningful to us and it's been SO hard to keep them from you," they added. 'Welcome to the world of 'Beautiful Chaos,' we can't wait for you to be a part of it.' On Friday, Manon, Sophia, Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae also released the music video for 'Gameboy,' where the ladies danced the choreography on top of a lit-up disco dancefloor. The Katseye craze took over Manila in 2024 when the girl group visited the country for a fan showcase, various appearances including 'It's Showtime,' and collaborations with Filipino content creators like Niana Guerrero. Filipina member Sophia was also able to reunite with her family, and Lara and Megan were able to try balut. The girls are best known for their viral song, 'Touch.' — Nika Roque/LA, GMA Integrated News
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Watch: Katseye shares 'Beautiful Chaos' highlight medley
June 23 (UPI) -- Girl group Katseye is teasing their upcoming EP, Beautiful Chaos, ahead of its Friday release. A preview, released Monday, gives viewers a glimpse of the five songs featured on the EP, including the previously released "...Gnarly" and "Gabriela." The upcoming EP will also include the tracks "Gameboy," "Mean Girls" and "M.I.A." Beautiful Chaos is the second EP from the group, which consists of Daniela, Manon, Lara, Megan, Sophia and Yoonchae. They also previously released music videos for "...Gnarly" and "Gabriela." The "Gabriela" video featured actress Jessica Alba as the CEO of the fictional Gabriela Enterprises.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Life Listens: New music from Sabrina Carpenter, Turnstile, Katseye and more
Sabrina Carpenter, seen here at the Met Gala in May, gets cheeky in new single Manchild. PHOTO: REUTERS Life Listens: New music from Sabrina Carpenter, Turnstile, Katseye and more SINGAPORE – In this monthly column, The Straits Times curates the most buzz-worthy music you need to know about that was released in the past month. Stream This Song: Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild Sabrina Carpenter's Manchild is the lead single from her upcoming seventh album, Man's Best Friend. PHOTO: ISLAND RECORDS Trust Sabrina Carpenter to come up with a break-up song that is as sassy as it is fun. A cheeky takedown of an emotionally immature ex, Manchild is the first single off the American singer's upcoming seventh album, Man's Best Friend, set to be released on Aug 29. 'Said he needed space, now he's posting thirst traps, and quoting Freud like he knows where his hurt's at,' she croons on the song's bridge, taking aim at a former lover. Co-written by Carpenter and her two frequent collaborators – songwriter Amy Allen and pop savant Jack Antonoff – the immensely catchy tune deftly melds synth-pop and disco beats with country music-style fiddles and banjos. Like the ultra-catchy singles off her critically and commercially successful previous album Short n' Sweet (2024), Manchild is shaping up to be a global hit. It made its debut at the top of the United States and British singles charts, and at No. 7 on the local Recording Industry Association Singapore (Rias) charts. With its playful and upbeat vibes, this is one tune that is definitely in the running for this year's Song of the Summer. Ace Album: Turnstile – Never Enough Never Enough is the fourth album by American hardcore band Turnstile. PHOTO: ROADRUNNER American band Turnstile's new album Never Enough is a watershed moment for hardcore music, an aggressive offshoot of punk music that first emerged in the late 1970s. While purists might decry the distillation of the genre, the Baltimore quintet's Technicolor amalgamation of blistering intensity with pop and electronic music elements has widened hardcore's mass appeal. The songs on Never Enough are more experimental and accessible than those on their previous album Glow On (2021), a breakthrough release. I Care, for example, is a straight-up indie-pop track with 1980s-style rhythms and jangly guitars, while the cinematic title track is bookended by ambient synthesizers. American hardcore band Turnstile expand their sound by incorporating ambient synthesizers and jazz elements. PHOTO: ATIBA JEFFERSON Dreaming melds heavy riffs with Latin-inspired syncopated grooves and a horn section that includes saxophones by Leland Whitty of Canadian post-bop/nu jazz outfit BadBadNotGood. Another track with jazz flourishes is Sunshower, which features flutes by British jazz/avant-garde musician Shabaka Hutchings. Chock-full of hummable melodies by Turnstile frontman Brendan Yates, the album has become the former underground band's most commercially successful to date, and is their first to crack the Top 10 of Billboard's album charts. Never Enough is also the first album to feature guitarist Meg Mills, who replaced founding member Brady Ebert, who left in 2022. Must-see MV: Katseye – Gabriela Global girl group Katseye, whose line-up includes half-Singaporean member Megan, have enlisted a bit of Hollywood star power in the riotous new music video for the single Gabriela. The video stars American actress Jessica Alba, who plays the chief executive of a fictional company called Gabriela Enterprises. It starts off at a boardroom meeting where Alba announces that she is looking for a successor among the members of Katseye. American actress Jessica Alba (in red) stars in the new music video by US-based girl group Katseye. PHOTO: UNIVERSAL MUSIC The video then cuts into several frenzied scenes as each of the sextet – which also comprise Daniela, Lara, Manon, Sophia and Yoonchae – fight with one another to clinch the top job. Styled like an over-the-top, overdramatic telenovela, the campy video features daytime soap opera-like drama and retro-television aesthetics. Gabriela, by US-based girl group Katseye, is the second single from their upcoming EP, Beautiful Chaos. PHOTO: HYBE A wedding scene devolves into chaos and the members slug it out on the set of a trashy talk show. Watch out for the twist at the end when Alba reveals who replaces her as CEO. The Latin pop/K-pop hybrid tune is the second single from the group's upcoming EP, Beautiful Chaos, set to be released on June 27. Chart Champ: Enhypen – Desire : Unleash Desire : Unleash is the sixth EP by South Korean boy band Enhypen. PHOTO: BELIFT LAB K-pop boy band Enhypen scored their third No. 1 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart with their sixth EP, Desire : Unleash. The South Korean outfit also hit pole position with their last two EPs – Romance : Untold in 2024 and Manifesto : Day 1 (EP) in 2022. The Top Album Sales chart tracks top-selling albums of the week based on traditional album and EP sales. Desire : Unleash features songs that explore the darker and more complicated aspects of love. Sonically, the songs are multifaceted. Opening track Flashover, with its modulated synths and crashing drops, flirts with future bass; Outside is a punchy hip-hop track; while Helium is driven by pop-rock rhythms. Enhypen scored their third No. 1 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart with Desire : Unleash. PHOTO: BELIFT LAB Bad Desire (With Or Without You), an R&B/synth-pop hybrid, and funk number Loose come in two versions, one sung in English and the other in Korean. Singapore Scene: Music Lab podcast – Evan Low Award-winning Singaporean musician Evan Low is the latest guest on The Straits Times' Music Lab podcast. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE The latest episode of The Straits Times' Music Lab podcast features an interview with award-winning Singaporean musician and composer Evan Low. A recipient of the National Arts Council's Young Artist Award in 2024, Low has worked on more than 200 songs, including National Day Parade (NDP) themes We Are Singapore (2018), The Road Ahead (2021) and Not Alone (2024). In recent years, he has also supported Mandopop superstar A-mei as one of her live musicians on her world tour, a jaunt that has seen him perform in major venues such as Beijing's National Stadium. Low, who also makes music under the stage name Evanturetime, discusses how he handles the pressure of taking on high-profile projects. He also talks about how his emotional connection to music at a young age led him to a career path as a full-time musician. This podcast is the first Music Lab episode to be recorded live in front of an audience. Held at Raffles Place hangout Rasa on June 3, the event was part of the ST Podcast Live! Sessions celebrating 180 years of The Straits Times in 2025. Listen to the Music Lab podcast at Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Katseye Cat-Fight Over Jessica Alba's ‘Gabriela' in Telenovela-Inspired Video
The girls of Katseye are leaning into the fake drama fans often pit them in for their new 'Gabriela' music video. On Friday, the six-piece group released the visual for their new single, which sees them fiercely competing to become the successor to a company CEO, played by Jessica Alba. 'It was the most fun we've ever had shooting a music video. We might all have scars from the fighting scenes, but it was so worth it,' Manon tells Rolling Stone. 'We were able to fully step into a new character and not be ourselves and just play on this little narrative that some people have of us, that we all hate each other. It was fun to make fun of that a little bit.' More from Rolling Stone Kesha Gets Wild and NSFW in Outrageous 'Boy Crazy' Video The Weeknd Is Stuck in Purgatory in 'Baptized in Fear' Video Feid and Tony Hawk Play PS2 and Share Cereal in Nostalgic 'Ando XXIL' Video 'We were rehearsing those fighting scenes. We didn't even have to, but every day, in the middle of rehearsal, we would be like, 'Megan, come over here, I'm going to punch you,'' adds Sophia. 'We couldn't stop laughing.' 'We're fighting for our lives to not laugh,' continues Lara. The video follows the members of Katseye as chaos unfolds, as the girls fight over who should become the next CEO of Alba's company. 'We were like, 'Wow, we're such good actresses.' And then Jessica Alba came in and this is a real actress,' says Sophia. 'This is her life, and when she came in, we were like, 'Shit, we all suck. That's acting.' We were all like, 'Period!'' After battling for the CEO position, the video spirals into a fever-dream-like sequence, with the group members fighting over a mannequin, throwing vases and food at each other in true telenovela fashion. 'I feel like the song is about paying homage to telenovelas and Latin culture and for me, it's honestly such a big opportunity,' says Daniela, who's Cuban, and sings the song's chorus en español. 'I feel very honored to be able to sing in my native language and just connect with our Latino fans and that community a little bit more.' The video for 'Gabriela' comes a week before the group — comprising Lara, Sophia, Manon, Daniela, Yoonchae, and Megan — is set to release their sophomore EP, Beautiful Chaos, next Friday. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
