Global pop breakout sensation Katseye turned London’s O2 Arena into a sea of screaming fans this week, delivering a high-energy sold-out performance that cemented their status as one of pop music’s most exciting new acts – even with two founding members absent on health-related hiatus. Only four of the group’s six original members – Megan Skiendiel, Yoonchae Jeong, Lara Raj and Daniela Avanzini – made it to the UK capital, but the missing personnel did nothing to dampen the crowd’s roaring enthusiasm.
Long before the four women stepped into the spotlight under a cascade of laser lights to open their set with the Brazilian funk-infused hit *Hootie Frutti*, fans filled the arena and erupted into deafening screams as the group’s music videos played on the venue’s giant screens. That electric energy barely dipped over the three-hour performance, marking Katseye’s first full UK concert and only the second stop on their debut headline Wildworld world tour. With chart-topping streams that have made them the most listened-to act on YouTube UK right now, the O2 show proved that the multinational group’s star power remains undimmed despite the temporary departures of singers Manon Bannerman and Sophia Laforteza.
While the stage did feel noticeably emptier without the two missing members, the remaining four worked tirelessly to cover the gaps, whipping the crowd into a frenzy with a string of bass-driven pop anthems intercut with jaw-dropping choreographed dance breaks. After launching into their opening number, Yoonchae, the band’s youngest member, asked the crowd: “Are you happy to see us?” – a question that had already been answered by the non-stop cheers that greeted the group’s entrance. “I think you guys are our loudest crowd ever, literally,” marveled Megan Skiendiel mid-set, with Lara Raj adding, “This crowd is unbelievable.”
The depth of the band’s connection with fans was on full display throughout the night. Even though the tour is only two dates old, every lyric, dance step and stage moment was already familiar to the audience, thanks to pre-show teases and content shared across social media. The crowd even erupted in a cheer of relief when Daniela Avanzini nailed a difficult lift during the choreography for *Gabriela* – a moment that carried extra weight after her dance partner dropped her during the tour’s opening night in Dublin. Daniela walked away from the Dublin incident without any injuries, and her flawless execution in London was met with celebration from fans.
For Katseye, this rapid rise to global adoration and intense public scrutiny has come in an extraordinarily short timeframe. Formed in Los Angeles in 2023 through the online reality competition *The Debut: Dream Academy*, a joint project between South Korean entertainment giant Hybe – the company behind global supergroups BTS and Le Sserafim – and U.S. label Geffen Records, home to Olivia Rodrigo and The Rolling Stones, the group was selected from more than 120,000 initial applicants, with just six contestants making the final line-up. Trained under the rigorous, performance-focused K-pop system, the group broke through in 2025, first with their high-energy electro hit *Gnarly*, then following it up with the smooth, soulful ballad *Gabriela* that showcased Daniela’s Cuban-Venezuelan heritage.
London’s O2 audience skewed heavily young, with lines for candy concessions stretching longer than those for the bar, and dozens of fans screaming when Megan asked how many were attending their very first live concert. Fans waved branded lightsticks in unison, mirrored every one of the group’s choreographed moves, and many even dressed up to show their dedication to the band. Many attendees wore bindis, a nod to Lara’s intentional celebration of her South Asian heritage through her public aesthetic, while one fan dressed as a courgette – a playful reference to a viral offbeat line from the group’s track *Internet Girl*, “Eat zucchini.” The contagious energy of the crowd extended even to the parents accompanying their children, with many grown-up fans just as engaged in the performance as the teen and young adult audience. Even pop legend Melanie C of the Spice Girls is an open fan, having hosted a Q&A with the group during their first UK visit last October, and praising them to the BBC earlier this summer: “They’re incredible girls. They’ve got great music, they’ve got a great work ethic, and they’re really beautiful, you know? Obviously, they’ve had a little drama, as happens with all bands, but they work so goddamn hard.”
That “drama” of course refers to the back-to-back hiatus announcements that sidelined two of the group’s founding members this year. The turbulence began in February, when Swiss-Ghanaian singer Manon announced she would step back from the group to “focus on her health and wellbeing.” The announcement came after Manon revealed to BBC News that the group had been targeted with racist abuse and death threats, while many fans also pointed to the group’s grueling touring and recording schedule, raising concerns that the members were being overworked. Manon shared an update with fans in April saying she was having “positive conversations” with the group’s management, though not before removing all references to Katseye from her Instagram biography.
Just a few months after Manon stepped back, group leader Sophia Laforteza announced her own hiatus to protect her “mental health and wellness.” “You can’t pour from an empty cup,” she shared in a social media post. “It’s important to care for yourself.” While fans had hoped Sophia would be able to return in time for the European leg of the Wildworld tour, that did not come to fruition. Her mother has publicly reassured fans that the break is only temporary: “Don’t worry, this is for her own good,” she told ABS-CBN News. “This is what I love about her management. They realise when the girls are tired. It’s a good thing that she is resting so that she’s stronger when she comes back.”
Temporary health-related hiatuses for K-pop idol groups are not without precedent, as the intense training and non-stop performance schedule of the industry often takes a toll on member well-being. In 2023 and 2024, Lia of popular girl group Itzy took more than a year off to receive treatment for extreme anxiety, while Moka of Hybe labelmates Illit is currently on an extended break for the same reason. In a nod to both members and K-pop tradition, Katseye retained Manon and Sophia’s place in the London performance: Sophia’s pre-recorded vocals were kept in tracks including *Mean Girls* and *Pinky Up*, while Manon’s lyrics were split among the remaining four performing members, as her pre-dates the current tour’s production and rehearsal cycle.
The opening night in Dublin also brought controversy, after fans accused the entire group of lip-syncing the entire set. But the London performance put those rumors to rest: all four members performed with live microphones throughout the entire show, with a backing track to reinforce vocals during high-energy dance numbers, a standard practice for large-scale pop shows. On slower, more stripped-back tracks like *Tonight I Might* and *My Way*, the group proved they hold their own as live vocalists. Lara’s solo performance of *unloveu* – introduced proudly as the first Katseye track written by a member of the group – balanced raw power and emotional vulnerability, hinting that the group has far more artistic range than their signature catchy, accessible pop hits.
Other standout moments of the set included Daniela’s gravity-defying aerial split dance break leading into *Gabriela*, and Megan’s high-energy techno-inspired closer for *Pinky Up*. For Yoonchae, the night’s highlight was *Time Lapse*, which gave her the chance to sing in her native Korean while interacting with fans in the pit – a moment that was only slightly interrupted by Lara’s quick safety warning: “Keep your hands to yourselves and don’t throw any gifts on the stage for our safety.”
The show closed on a defiant, high-energy note, with *Iconic By Mistake* – the group’s response to a widespread online hate campaign – followed by an extended, reimagined leather-studded rock remix of their breakout hit *Gnarly*. All in all, the performance was a stunning display of confidence and poise from a group that could have easily been thrown off course by two unexpected member departures. As the group waved goodbye to the London crowd, Yoonchae promised fans: “This is not a goodbye. We’ll come back.” After a performance like this, the iconic Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival would be a more than fitting next stop for the rising pop stars.
Following their second London show, Katseye will continue the Wildworld tour across the UK, stopping in Manchester before moving on to mainland European dates, currently scheduled to run through the end of 2026. The group was also nominated for Best New Artist at the 2026 Grammy Awards, capping off their rapid rise to global stardom.