Homecoming for their Pinoy leader Sophia
THE SIX-MEMBER global pop group KATSEYE arrived in a cute assemblage of black and denim streetwear for their first engagement just a few hours after arriving in Manila on Sept. 17.
It was the group’s very first time in Manila — except for Sophia Laforteza, the leader, who was born and raised here. Known for its diverse lineup, KATSEYE’s other members are Lara Rajagopalan, Jeong Yoonchae, Daniela Avanzini, Manon Bannerman, and Megan Meiyok Skiendiel.
They flew in for the KATSEYE: Touchdown in Manila Official Fan Showcase, held at Ayala Malls Market! Market! in Taguig. The appearance comes a month following the release of their debut EP, SIS (Soft Is Strong).
BLEND OF CULTURES
KATSEYE was formed using K-Pop artist development methodologies, under South Korean entertainment company HYBE and American record label Geffen. All members took part in the talent competition survival show The Debut: Dream Academy, released in August 2023, prevailing over 20 candidates who were selected out of 120,000 submissions worldwide.
Their debut EP includes hits like “Debut” and “Touch,” which sparked viral dance trends globally and in the Philippines.
As the first-ever global girl group, KATSEYE came out with SIS (Soft Is Strong) to convey the strength of their sisterhood despite coming from a wide variety of backgrounds, according to Ms. Laforteza.
“I think one of the biggest things that I learned is that you have to stay open-minded as things come your way and make you grow and learn,” she said at a press conference at the Conrad Manila in Pasay City. “It allowed us to work with each other and reach the goal of connecting with the world.”
She added that “mutual respect and care” among the members made her job as a leader a lot easier than she anticipated.
Ms. Skiendiel, for her part, explained that her favorite song on the EP, “My Way,” reflects the vulnerability they feel with each other. “It feels so nice to be able to share that with others. It’s amazing,” she said.
For Ms. Avanzini, KATSEYE being a global group means they have to prepare to reach out across markets.
“We always learn key words. In Korea, Yoonchae taught us to say gamsahamnida (thank you) and other simple phrases, while Sophia taught me to say salamat,” she said.
SUPPORT SYSTEM
The six young women, whose ages range from 16 to 22, became popular after their training and time at the competition reality show was immortalized in the docuseries Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE, which is now streaming on Netflix.
Carla Guevara-Laforteza, the Filipino musical theater performer and mother of Sophia, said that the fame, and sometimes notoriety, with being such public figures “all come with the job,” but that a support system is vital.
“The six of us KATSEYE mamas are so proud of our daughters. We made a pact to always be there for them, and that whichever country they go to, there should at least be one mom that comes along,” she told BusinessWorld.
Despite her own accomplishments in the theater world, she said that her daughter’s success is entirely her own. “While she did take singing lessons and dance classes, one day she just told us ‘I’m going to be in a global girl group; I’m going to be a star’ and I said go for it.”
It is the younger Ms. Laforteza’s first time in the Philippines in three years, since the training and work with KATSEYE is all based in Los Angeles.
For her homecoming, Ms. Guevara-Laforteza said that they prepared a feast for the group, with her daughter’s favorites like sinigang and lechon.
“Sophia is the best leader ever. She takes care of us, makes sure that we’re doing okay, and whenever we’re upset or frustrated, we always go to her,” said Ms. Rajagopalan at the press conference. She added that it was exciting for the group to “finally see where Sophia is from.”
When asked about KATSEYE’s goals for the next five years, the girls erupted in excitement. “One common goal for all of us would be headlining Coachella,” Ms. Bannerman said. “Probably perform at a stadium here in the Philippines, since something we’d love to do is perform in each of our countries.”
KATSEYE performed to a full mall at Ayala Malls Market! Market! on Sept. 18, right after they sang their hit song “Touch” on Wish 107.5’s Wish Bus and appeared on the popular variety noontime show It’s Showtime!. — Brontë H. Lacsamana