Global girl-group KATSEYE’s newest single, “Animal” — released on July 24 — is becoming a quick viral hit. Co-written by Ed Sheeran, “Animal” takes a different approach than the group’s last few singles, like “Internet Girl,” and “Pinky Up,” which leaned more into the hyperpop and experimental elements of one of their biggest hits, “Gnarly.” These dance-pop-leaning singles had garnered criticism for, according to fans, not showing off some of the skilled vocalists in the group, like Lara Raj and Sophia Laforteza. The Sheeran-written “Animal,” however, sounds more like a classic pop song that wider audiences can appreciate, and something fans have been craving from KATSEYE for a while.Â
KATSEYE is no stranger to online discourse, with one of their six members, Manon Bannerman, having been on hiatus since February, and rumors circulating that the Swiss singer may not be returning to the group. (KATSEYE has maintained that Bannerman is on hiatus for health reasons, and has not publicly stated that she won’t be returning to the group.) With so much talk, a lot was riding on this song, which marks their second lead single of the WILD EP, which will be released on Aug. 14.
Fans of the group, aka EYEKONS, have been waiting for a song that really shows off the members’ vocals, and they agree “Animal” is the first single in a while that lets the girls’ singing really shine.
Many fans are glad that the new song is more focused on vocals than heavy, hard-hitting choreography. The song is also doing very well on streaming, with over 2.7 million Spotify streams just one weekend after the release. Fans really have been waiting for a vocal-heavy song since “Gabriela,” and “Animal” delivers.
However, not all fans are happy. What made KATSEYE burst into superstardom this past year was their top-tier, dynamic choreography, for all their tracks from “Gnarly” to “Gabriela.” Even when the group has received intense criticism, no one has been able to deny their dance skills or their eye-catching choreography — but for this song, fans are not as moved by the dance.
Some are claiming that the girls in the group are not pulling off the dance correctly, after watching the choreographer execute the dance with more movement.
“Why is the dance the same moves for like 30 seconds,” a TikTok user commented, as many point out that the claw hands never change throughout most of the dance.
Additionally, fans are calling out this song for being generic — and extremely similar to a variety of other pop songs — with someone writing under a KATSEYE TikTok, “The dance is giving monster high,” a reference to the group’s past collaboration with Monster High, a Mattel doll and media franchise.
People have called out the fact that no matter what KATSEYE does, people aren’t going to like it, with the major hate train that’s been directed their way. “It’s giving i’m in love with a monster by fifth harmony 2.0,” one Instagram user stated, as many have drawn comparisons between the two songs by the girl groups.
Whether or not the “Animal” choreo is a win with fans, the song definitely is. Maybe they just need a TikTok creator to take the dance and run with it.