KATSEYE Won Three AMAs on Monday. In Their Speech, They Thanked BTS.
Five members walked on stage. One was missing. And still, KATSEYE swept every category they were nominated in at the 52nd American Music Awards.
New Artist of the Year. Breakthrough Pop Artist. Best Music Video for "Gnarly." Three nominations, three wins - KATSEYE's first American Music Awards, and they went home with the full hand. Manon Bannerman, on hiatus from the group since February for health reasons, was not at MGM Grand Garden Arena. The remaining five - Yoonchae, Lara Raj, Sophia Laforteza, Megan Skiendiel, and Janice Joostema - accepted together.
In the New Artist of the Year speech, Sophia thanked HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and Geffen Records CEO John Janick before adding: "We want to give a special shout-out to BTS tonight for inspiring us to represent our culture at a global scale." Yoonchae, the group's sole Korean member, spoke in Korean: "I feel so thankful for being able to celebrate this moment with the members." Lara closed the group's portion: "We've always been on a mission to celebrate diversity and represent our people and our cultures."
The performance came first. KATSEYE emerged from a giant pink teddy bear to perform "Pinky Up," their current single, which debuted at No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 when it dropped April 9. The number - full pink stage, costumes with miniature bear faces, EDM drop - was their first televised performance as a five-member act, following Manon's hiatus announcement in February. They last appeared on a major US broadcast stage at the Grammy Awards in January, performing in the Best New Artist nominee medley.
KATSEYE was formed through HYBE America and Geffen Records via a global audition process, Dream Academy, that drew 120,000 participants across more than 100 countries. The group debuted in 2024 and built its mainstream profile on a combination of viral choreography videos, the Netflix documentary Pop Star Academy, and the single "Gnarly," which brought them their Grammy nomination in Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Gabriela." Their WILD EP is scheduled for August 14, followed by the WILDWORLD Tour - 28 dates across the UK, Europe, and North America through November.
The AMA night put two HYBE-connected groups at the top of the same ceremony. BTS won Artist of the Year, Song of the Summer, and Best Male K-Pop Artist - also three wins. TWICE claimed Best Female K-Pop Artist. Four of the night's major K-pop-connected awards went to three separate acts, with HUNTR/X - the fictional group from the Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters, voiced by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami - winning Song of the Year for "Golden."
KATSEYE's next confirmed US appearance is Governors Ball in New York City on June 5.
