KATSEYE publicly addressed Sophia Laforteza’s ongoing hiatus for the first time during the group’s headline performance at Head In The Clouds Festival on August 8. With Sophia and Manon absent from the stage, Daniela, Lara, Megan and Yoonchae delivered the set before taking a heartfelt moment to send love to their fellow member.
Just before introducing the next song, Lara paused the performance to speak directly to the audience, prompting an emotional response from thousands of fans.
“And before we jump into our next song, our sister Sophia cannot be here with us tonight,” Lara said. “But I ask, can you guys please send Sophia your love?” The crowd immediately erupted into cheers and applause, offering support to the singer as the remaining members smiled on stage.
The brief message marked the first time KATSEYE had publicly acknowledged Sophia’s hiatus during a live performance since HYBE x Geffen confirmed she would temporarily step away from promotional activities to focus on her mental health.
The announcement came on August 7, just one week before the release of the group’s third EP, WILD, scheduled for August 14. In an official statement, the label explained that Sophia had been advised by medical professionals to take extended time to rest and recover, emphasizing that her long-term health remains the company’s highest priority.
“We are very sorry to share that Sophia will be temporarily unable to participate in upcoming promotional activities,” the statement read. “Sophia has been receiving the utmost support, and following thorough consultations with medical professionals, it has been advised that she take dedicated time for extended rest and ongoing care to ensure a full recovery.”
The company also revealed that Sophia’s condition will be reassessed in September, when another update regarding her activities is expected.
Friday’s performance also continued the group’s recent run as a four-member lineup. Sophia previously missed KATSEYE’s appearance at Hinterland Music Festival on July 30 due to illness, while Manon also remained absent from the Head In The Clouds set. Despite the lineup changes, the quartet maintained the high-energy choreography and polished stage presence that has defined the “Animal” era.
The performance arrives during one of KATSEYE’s biggest commercial moments to date. Their new song, “Animal,” debuted at No. 9 on Spotify’s Daily Global Chart with 3.346 million streams before climbing to No. 5, becoming the group’s highest-charting song on the platform. The track also entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 24, marking KATSEYE’s strongest U.S. chart debut ahead of the release of WILD.
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