Photos by Deborah Rodriguez ; Written by Bella Lee
The global girl group Katseye came to Head In The Clouds L.A. to make a mark on the festival, and they succeeded. Hundreds of people from all ages and walks of life came to the festival to see these women perform. At the last stage of the night, they audience waited with baited breath to see Katseye grace the stage.
Katseye is a group created by Hybe and Geffen Records. The group is composed of six members: Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Manon Bannerman, Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza, and Yoonchae Jeung. With members from the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United States, Katseye is often described as a “global girl group.” The group was formed through the 2023 reality competition series Dream Academy, and later chronicled in the Netflix docuseries Pop Star Academy: Katseye, which recounted the audition process, intensive training, and formation of the group. They have made waves in the music industry through their music. Bringing home awards such as the American Music Awards’ “New Artist of the Year” (2026), Japan Golden Disc Awards’ “New Artist of the Year (Western)” (2026), and MTV Video Music Awards’ “Push Performance of the Year” (2025). These women have gone on to appear at Lollapalooza, Coachella, and now Head In The Clouds L.A.
After the heat of the day disappeared with the sunset, the audience waited for Katseye to appear. The crowd was a surprising mix of ages, from veteran festival goers to young children under the age of ten. Katseye was not scheduled to appear until 9:50 PM, and the younger members of the crowd were noticeably tired. However as soon as the festival lights went down and the stage lights went up, those who were tired became renewed.
The first notes of “Pinky Up” started the set. The whole festival was chanting the chorus, giving energy to the four members on stage. “What’s up, Head In The Clouds!” shouted Jeung. “I wanna hear you sing with us.” Thus beginning “Debut,” Katseye’s first single released as a group. The live performance version (complete with the iconic dance break) got the crowd to their feet. Some members of the audience were also dancing with the members. Raj’s mic was dialed to eleven, her voice rising above the backing tracks and the crowd’s roar.
The girls addressed the crowd, loving every second of the cheers. Raj asked the audience to send love to Laforteza, who is on hiatus and could not be with the group during this performance. Bannerman has also been on a break since February of this year, and the group has not had a performance with her since then. However, even with the absence of two of the members, the remaining women stood strong and put on an unforgettable performance.
Katseye showed off their live performance skills with “Gameboy,” “Animal,” and “Internet Girl.” Their formations were crisp, their dancing polished, and their stage presence was strong. Katseye were able to finally perform “Animal” in front of a crowd as large as Head In The Clouds L.A. The latest single was an instant crowd favorite, and Katseye took a minute to teach the audience the point move of the choreography. They lead everyone in a tutorial of the “Animal” hand formation, bringing joy and community to the festival area.
The night would not be complete without performing songs to show off the girls’ vocal skills. “I’m Pretty,” “Mean Girls,” and “My Way” demonstrated Katseye’s strength as vocalists. Raj was free to riff to her heart’s desire during “I’m Pretty.” For the performance of “Mean Girls,” the girls turned their mics to the audience to help them sing. The crowd willingly obliged and sang along with the members as they led the night in beautiful melody. And the harmonies in “My Way” were gorgeous in a live setting.
As the night drew to a close, Katseye saved their best performing song for last. “Gnarly” was the final song of the day. This song had an energy unlike the others in the set. It was as if the stage was transformed into a music video. Katseye performed as if it was their last song ever, and the crowd was on their feet jumping to the infectious beat. As a surprise, they included the dance break in “Gnarly.” Katseye’s dance breaks are unlike any other. The performances are eye-catching and ear-itching. No one can look away when they dance, it is a sight to behold.
The girls said goodbye and expressed their appreciation for the audience. “I’m loving this crowd tonight,” said Skiendiel. They went out with a bang, and promised to return for the next tour. Katseye has continued to show that they are the next generation of music, combining gorgeous vocals with energetic performances. It would be a crime not to see them live during their next tour.
