In 2024, global girl group KATSEYE made their first mark on the music industry with their single “Debut” and later released their first trending single “Touch” in August, after participating and being selected through the survival show Dream Academy in 2023. The girls received a huge wave of popularity due to their striking visuals, relatable personalities, vocals, and fun choreography. During the summer, the group released their biggest hit, “Gnarly”, which immediately caught many people’s attention for its catchy lyrics and new, distinct sound. Thanks to their newfound fame and supportive fandom, the group would be nominated for two Grammys and perform “Gnarly” on the show.Â
On Feb. 20, HYBE X Geffen Records abruptly announced that KATSEYE member Manon Bannerman would be taking a temporary hiatus, effective immediately, and would return when she is ready. This took the world by storm, as many couldn’t believe that she would be gone for a long period of time and would miss out on such big events. However, Manon sent out a message herself stating she is doing perfectly fine and that some situations are completely out of one’s control, and even liked a post on Instagram regarding being a Black female and experiencing racism in the industry. This sparked even more debate as people began speculating that she was being kicked out of the group without a proper reason, and reasoned that she was being mistreated by her company. Fans were able to find various moments where Manon wasn’t getting the same treatment as her members, with situations such as being hidden in choreography, left out with big collaborations, and repeatedly having little to no lines in songs.Â
The news regarding her hiatus and mistreatment reached far past niche Twitter conversations and even caught the attention of other celebrities. Artists such as Lizzo, Normani, Leigh-Anne from Little Mix, SZA, and many others came to her defense and sent words of comfort and encouragement. Although Manon was receiving such huge waves of support, backlash was also evident as many felt that this hiatus was a long time coming and a long time overdue, as she had previously gone on shorter hiatuses due to being sick or injured throughout her career.Â
As of now, there has been no word on when and whether or not she will be returning to the group. KATSEYE has since performed in South America for Lollapalooza on March 13 and 14 and is at Coachella on April 10 and 17. Despite rumors that Manon would be a part of the performance and new single “Pinky Up” that released April 9, fans were disappointed by her absence. Manon has been seen continuing her hobbies and hanging out with friends, but has recently taken out the group’s name from her Instagram bio, causing another wave of whispers.Â
Although both parties seem content with the current state of things, the media is still outraged by the blatant mistreatment that continues to happen with Black female artists in the industry. For example, in 2004, Janet Jackson experienced a major costume malfunction when performing with Justin Timberlake. Although it was apparent she was not at fault, she still received the punishment of being disinvited from the Grammys and recieved tons of disgusting comments about her. Normani from Fifth Harmony has received similar mistreatment during her time in the group, as she was the primary target of racism by the public.Â
It hurts seeing how people react so negatively to Black female artists who are only trying to share their passion and love for music. For years, we have received so much hate for non-existent situations or little things, but that has not stopped us from continuing to spread our musical desire and allowing others to enjoy the feeling as well. No amount of hate can stop the rise of Black women in the industry, and will only fuel us to continue to fight for our equality through music.