KATSEYE have shared a new video for ‘Mean Girls’, reflecting on their time competing in the Dream Academy competition.
- READ MORE: KATSEYE: “If you don’t get it, then it’s not for you – and that’s OK”
In 2023, 20 hopefuls from around the world competed in the Dream Academy competition. Organised by HYBE and Geffen, the six winners would go on to form a global girl group known as KATSEYE.
A Netflix documentary capturing the gruelling journey, titled Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE premiered a year ago, revealing the final six members and the heartbreak faced by eliminated finalists Samara, Emily, Ezrela and Marquise. KATSEYE comprises members Sophia, Manon, Daniella, Lara, Megan and Yoonchae.
Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE premiered on August 21, 2024. To celebrate its one-year anniversary, the group have shared a new visualiser for ‘Mean Girls’, dubbed the ‘Dream Academy Version’. It takes a look back at the group’s trainee days, and includes the other contestants who participated in the Dream Academy competition.
Check it out below.
In other news, the HYBE x Geffen group in July announced the details of their first-ever tour, which is due to kick off later this year. The ‘Beautiful Chaos’ tour will launch in November and will continue through December, with stops in Toronto, New York, Boston, Washington, Texas, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Mexico City among others.
The group spoke to NME about their new EP ‘Beautiful Chaos’. Speaking on where they see themselves going next, Lara said: “Oh my god, I see a lot of evolution. I feel like soon we’re going to tap into more different genres, maybe like R&B, maybe even more dance-heavy. We’re gonna try a lot of different things. We’re all very inspired by Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and 2000s pop, so we’d love to experiment with that.”
Dani added: “I feel like it’s all [about] keeping the KATSEYE vibe within exploring different genres, which is really exciting, and then also bringing in the cultural elements, different languages maybe, instruments and choreography. We are really, really musical as people so I think we’re very open to trying anything. So we will be doing that!”
KATSEYE were also selected as one of the emerging essential artists to watch in 2025 for the NME 100. NME also named ‘Touch’ as one of the 50 best songs of 2024: “It’s one thing to make an earworm, and another to transform a pop song into something akin to muscle memory. That’s what K-pop does best [and] KATSEYE proved that they’re scholars of K-pop’s most important lessons.”
Since being eliminated from the Dream Academy programme, contestant ADÉLA has launched a solo career – she’s also spoken to NME about her journey. Check it out here.
