From being formed as a six-girl group with the name KATSEYE in 2023 through a competitive survival show titled The Debut: Dream Academy created by South Korean label HYBE and American subsidiary Geffen Records (who would soon become the band’s main management agencies) to becoming one of the most indomitable global girl groups of this generation with several hit songs and two Grammy nominations, the astonishing group has proven themselves to be capable of anything.
Their time wasn’t 100% simple, though: they have undergone a few trials and tribulations, such as allegations of racism and label mistreatment, the high-pressure setting of the reality show they were banded in, thousands of death threats targeted at the six, and, recently, Manon Bannerman’s temporary hiatus from the star-studded group.
After the heartbreaking announcement of Bannerman’s hiatus, what happens during this unprecedented time? How does KATSEYE operate without her? What are the reactions and allegations brought up in support of the Swiss artist? Read the timeline to find out.
February 20th: Manon’s Hiatus Announcement
In February 2026, HYBE x Geffen Records announced that Bannerman had decided to take a temporary hiatus from the group to focus on her personal health and well-being.
“After open and thoughtful conversations together, we are sharing that Manon will be taking a temporary hiatus from group activities to focus on her health and wellbeing,” HxG said in a statement. “KATSEYE remains committed to showing up for one another and for the fans who mean everything to us. The group will continue scheduled activities during this time, and we look forward to being together again when the time is right.”
Shortly after the announcement, the 23-year-old KATSEYE member (with the handle “peanutbutterlover02” on Weverse DMs) released her own statement, writing, “Hi friends 🤍. I want you to hear this from me: I’m healthy, I’m okay, and I’m taking care of myself. Thank u for checking in! Sometimes things unfold in ways we don’t fully control, but I’m trusting the bigger picture. Thank you for standing by me. I love you endlessly and can’t wait to see you again.”
February 20th and onward: Fan reactions and speculations to Manon’s hiatus
EYEKONS (the fandom name for KATSEYE) expressed major support for Manon across all social media platforms, using the hashtags #ForeverWithManon, #EYEKONSLoveManon, #WEWANTMANON, etc. Following the hiatus, the pop star has gained over 1 million followers on her Instagram.
Several high-profile celebrities, including SZA, Kehlani, Halle Bailey, Normani, and Tiffany Haddish, have all voiced their love for the singer.
While many people have given grace and respect to Bannerman, some have resorted to falsely speculating that the musician was “kicked out” of the group due to her open support for Palestine and her fearless “FREE PALESTINE” proclamation that she made before leaving the Artists for Aid concert in Los Angeles on January 10th, 2026, which raised $5.5 million for Palestine and Sudan. Neither Bannerman nor HYBE confirmed this.
February 22nd: Manon liked an Instagram reel critiquing the label’s discrimination of Black girl group members
A few weeks after the hiatus, Bannerman liked an Instagram reel by Simone Umba (handle: thesimplysimone) that drew parallels between Bannerman’s experience as a lone Black girl in a global girl group and Normani’s (Fifth Harmony) and Leigh-Anne’s (Little Mix) experiences with facing prejudice as the sole Black women in their respective groups.
“Why is it that whenever we have a sole Black girl in a girl group, she is the victim and the most suffered,” says Umba. “Imagine you are the only Black girl in your girl group: you’ve got half of the internet berating you, calling you lazy, calling you difficult, and saying that you’re not giving your equal way to the group. And then, you got the other half trying to dictate whether or not you are part of the community that you were born into.”
Before the hiatus, Bannerman spoke out against the speculations that she was “lazy” during Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE in an interview with The Cut, saying, “Being called lazy, especially as a Black girl, is not fair. Now I feel like I always need to put in extra work to prove something, even though I really don’t.” In a stereotypical manner, the word “lazy” was used to dehumanize Black people during slavery and Jim Crow.
Six days later, Leigh-Anne revealed she wants to collab with Manon and Normani
After coincidentally releasing her debut solo album, My Ego Told Me To, on February 20th, the same day Manon’s hiatus was announced, Leigh-Anne announced that she wants to partner with Bannerman and Normani.
“Me, Manon, and Normani, yeah? Fire,” the 34-year-old singer wrote on social media.
Additionally, it was reported by a KATSEYE fan on Twitter/X that the Little Mix member also followed both the KATSEYE and Fifth Harmony members on Instagram. Pinnock, being one of the Black girls who get unfairly pigeonholed by a harsh industry and digital landscape, responded with, “We need to protect each other ❤️.”
During a Billboard interview, in which Pinnock was asked about Bannerman’s hiatus and the experience of watching Black women be overlooked, she said:
“It does feel like a vicious cycle. The more I think about it, the more I want to go into a dark hole. It’s exhausting. We have to look out for each other. I remember when I was in Little Mix feeling less than, feeling like I didn’t have as many fans as the other girls, and feeling like I had to work 10 times harder. I still do. But I can’t let that fester, for the sake of my mental health. I did reach out to Manon—how could I not? It’s like seeing history repeat itself again and again. When is it going to stop?”
May the three women find peace in this world.
February 26th: Manon posted an Instagram story with a heartwarming statement
Six days after the hiatus announcement, Manon posted an Instagram story with a touching message thanking her fans for the overwhelming love and support they have given her and giving them an update on her well-being.
“I love you all more than words could describe 🕊️,” wrote Bannerman.
March 13-14th: KATSEYE performed at Lollapalooza Argentina and Chile 2026 without Manon
On March 13th and 14th, KATSEYE made an appearance at Lollapalooza Argentina and Chile, with attendance of 100k+ people. However, due to the ongoing hiatus, Bannerman skipped out on both festivals, leaving fans heartbroken. But Sophia Laforteza, the group’s leader, made a cheerful six-word statement at the Argentina festival in honor of their fellow member.
“Let’s give it up for Manon!” she said before the crowd erupted.
April 2nd: Manon removed “KATSEYE” from her Instagram bio
A minor detail that left fans doubtful and shocked was when Manon removed “KATSEYE” from her Instagram bio. The removal led to thousands of fan discourses on social media and left Bannerman’s future with KATSEYE uncertain, though she did say that she was having “positive conversations” with HxG.
“Thank you so much for all the love and support you’ve been sending my way,” the singer said in a statement on Weverse DMs. “I’m really grateful for the patience and kindness everyone has shown during this time. HxG and I are having positive conversations, and I feel supported. I’m happy, and I’m healthy. I’ll share more soon. Thank you for always being there for me.”
Although Bannerman didn’t explicitly say why she removed her group’s name from her bio, that statement alone was enough to make fans flock to her side.
April 8th: KATSEYE starred in Vogue Beauty with only five members
Almost a week after the whole Instagram bio situation, KATSEYE made the cover of Vogue Beauty—without Bannerman’s appearance. Though the star did make an appearance on Glamour Mexico on March 12th with her fellow members (excluding Megan for some reason), she was not present for Vogue’s cover.
“What’s in store for Katseye for their third era?” Vogue wrote. “Vogue knows and sat down with the band to discuss the new single, Coachella, and going blonde with Matrix.”
The next day, HYBE confirmed that Manon will not perform at Coachella 2026 with her peers
The day before California’s biggest music festival rolls out, HYBE confirmed that Bannerman would not perform at Coachella with the group for their April 10th and 17th dates; the other five KATSEYE members performed without her instead.
According to the Korea Herald, they inquired about the member’s participation at Coachella to HYBE, and they responded with, “Manon remains on hiatus,” making the sixth artist’s return to KATSEYE unclear.
However, reports have speculated that Bannerman may have been on the Coachella grounds enjoying headliner Sabrina Carpenter’s performance with Grammy-winning pop star Chappell Roan and renowned drill rapper Ice Spice on April 10th.
She also released an Instagram story on the same day as the festival, writing, “6milli of u, sending warm hugs and kisses to all of u. Thank you.”
Later on, it was confirmed that Bannerman was actually at Coachella, spotted with Lizzo at Justin and Hailey Bieber’s afterparty at the Red Bull Mirage on April 11th. She was also featured in an Instagram post by the official Coach account, wearing the Tabby Shoulder Bag 26 at the festival two days later.
The same day, KATSEYE released the long-awaited single “Pinky Up.”
In response to the high anticipation, KATSEYE, with now only five members, released their new single, “Pinky Up,” with a music video that garnered over 7-8 million views in its first day on YouTube. The video consists of the five members doing a whirlwind of crazy things while putting up their pinkies.
While it was highly speculated that Manon would appear in the MV, it showed that she wasn’t present due to her ongoing hiatus. It is still unclear if Bannerman will reunite with the girls in the near future or not.
April 14th: KATSEYE speaks on Manon’s hiatus and Coachella during Zane Lowe’s interview
In an Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe, the five members of KATSEYE broke their silence on Manon’s hiatus after Lowe asked them a question about how the band feels about Bannerman’s hiatus and heading to Coachella for the first time.
“I’d say that we’ve been very, very focused on Coachella. You know, we also just came back from our Latin America tour, and so, just like anything, we just want to work as hard as we can for the fans and to keep showing up for them, no matter what situation we’re in,” Sophia said during the interview.
“Manon has been on hiatus, and we love her so much, and we know that she’s doing well. You know, she got to talk to the fans about it, and we’re just really excited, and we’re really just rooting for all of us, like each other. We’ve gone through so much.”
Lara Raj also added, “We also want to say, like, she’s our sister forever, you know what I mean? Like, we love her so much, and we’ve built this together, so we just want to give her all the space.”
April 15th: The five KATSEYE members announced a new EP, “WILD.”
Almost a week after dropping their new single and performing at Coachella, KATSEYE announces their new EP, “WILD,” in an Instagram post that shows the group (excluding Manon) saying in unison, “They don’t know we’re about to announce our new EP ‘WILD’.”
The EP is slated to drop on August 14th and is available to pre-save on Spotify, Apple Music, etc., and is available to pre-order on their official website, Weverse, and Target.
There are tons of physical copies, including five “member version” CDs, with each one being a solo version of Sophia, Lara, Daniela, Megan, and Yoonchae. When purchased from the KATSEYE website or Weverse, only one will be shipped randomly. If you wish to choose any one of the five yourself, you must pre-order the CD from Target.
Surprisingly, there was no designated CD for Bannerman, who is currently on hiatus. As of April 15th, KATSEYE or HxG has not released a statement on when Bannerman will return to the group and continue normal activities, or if there will be a solo CD for her.
Currently, her hiatus remains indefinite.
April 18th: Manon was seen performing at Coachella during PinkPantheress’s set
During PinkPantheress’s Coachella performance on April 18th, the second Saturday of the festival, Bannerman (second person on the left) was seen on stage dancing with other performers. She joined a list of guest celebrities who were also invited, including “Reminders of Him” star Tyriq Withers, “One Battle After Another” breakout Chase Infiniti, Grammy-nominated singer Janelle Monáe, rising rapper Slayyyter, and pop vocalist Zara Larsson.
