KATSEYE made their Saturday Night Live debut on September 26, bringing songs from their Billboard 200-topping EP Wild to Studio 8H for the Season 52 premiere. The group performed “Animal” and “Hottie Frutti” as a four-member lineup.
Hosted by New York Knicks star and 2026 NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, the episode gave KATSEYE two performance slots during a particularly significant period for the group. Lara Raj, Yoonchae Jeung, Daniela Avanzini and Megan Skiendiel took the stage, while Manon Bannerman and Sophia Laforteza remained away from the group’s current activities during their announced mental-health hiatuses.
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“Animal” opened KATSEYE’s SNL performances, with the group delivering the track’s high-energy choreography and polished vocals in front of the live Studio 8H audience. The song, co-written by Ed Sheeran, has become one of the standout tracks from Wild and recently reached a new peak of No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The quartet followed with “Hottie Frutti,” one of Wild’s more playful and divisive songs. Its colorful energy translated the EP’s lighter side to the SNL stage, giving the members an opportunity to lean further into choreography and performance personality after the more vocal-focused “Animal.”
KATSEYE also appeared in a pre-taped sketch alongside Brunson, spoofing the Dream Academy competition format that originally brought the group together. The appearance gave SNL a chance to play with KATSEYE’s unusual origin story while introducing the group to viewers who may have encountered them primarily through their chart success.
The booking arrives shortly after Wild made history as KATSEYE’s first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200. The EP opened with 170,000 equivalent album units, giving the group one of the biggest opening weeks for an all-female group in recent years.
“Animal” and “Hottie Frutti” also arrive as KATSEYE continue their Wildworld Tour. The group has been moving through a 31-date arena run while balancing international promotion, with the SNL appearance following recent television spots on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and the Today concert series.
Watch KATSEYE perform “Animal” and “Hottie Frutti” on Saturday Night Live below.
Photo: SNL/YouTube
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