KATSEYE are a global phenomenon. After forming via a 2023 talent competition that was presented on YouTube, and chronicled in the 2024 Netflix series Pop Star Academy, the international girl group is selling out arenas worldwide.
My 11-year-old daughter is one of the millions of fans (aka EYEKONS) the group has amassed in such a short time, and when their Fall 2026 North American “Wildworld Tour” was announced back in May, I knew she couldn’t miss a chance to see KATSEYE when they hit the New York area. Thankfully, I was able to score a couple tickets to the first of their two sold-out shows at the UBS Arena this past weekend.
As a Gen X dad and the Managing Editor of Heavy Consequence, my musical tastes tend to lean a little heavier. The last three shows I saw prior to Saturday night were AC/DC, Mastodon, and Social Distortion. And while I was psyched to see all of those bands, I was far more excited for my daughter to see KATSEYE, as it was her first official concert.
When we got to the arena at roughly 6:15 p.m., the lines at the outdoor merch stands were ridiculously long, as were the lines to get into the venue itself. Apparently, the doors weren’t opening until 6:45 p.m., leaving little time before the expected 8 p.m. showtime.
While in line to get in, we heard several shrieks and screams as a rush of young girls crowded a lanky blond teenager who I couldn’t identify if my life depended on it. My daughter knew right away it was Ian Lex — a YouTuber and TikToker who has a whopping 2.5 million followers thanks to his viral videos about KATSEYE — and she was able to get a picture with him, starting her night off with a thrilling surprise.
Once inside the arena and at our seats, my daughter had another brush with fame. She saw KATSEYE member Megan’s mother Sylvia sitting in the same section, and approached her to say hi. “How did she know that’s Megan’s mom?,” I wondered, before learning that she recognized her from the Netflix series. As it turns out, Sylvia was the absolute sweetest, gifting my daughter a little goodie bag filled with a bracelet, a couple of Megan trading cards, and a thank-you note for attending the show.
Then I witnessed something I’d never seen at a concert before, and I’ve been to hundreds of shows in my life. With no opening act, the giant video screens onstage began playing KATSEYE’s full music videos, and the screams of excitement were ear-piercing as each video came on, as if the group had already taken the stage. I thought, “This is odd… why would an artist present the songs they are about to perform right before they started their set?” Yet, in this case, it fired up the crowd like no support act could have.
After about a half-hour of music videos, the lights went out, and KATSEYE appeared onstage in silhouette. The group, which started out with six members, is currently down to four — Megan, Daniela, Yoonchae, and Lara — with Sophia and Manon taking time away to focus on their health and wellbeing.
Once they were fully unveiled to the audience, KATSEYE kicked off the set with “Hootie Frutti,” followed by “Internet Girl” and “That Way.” Next up were “Touch” and “Mean Girls.” My daughter knew just about every word to each song, and surprisingly I had a sense of familiarity with the music, as well, not only from hearing it in the house or in the car on a regular basis, but also because the tunes are catchy as hell.
What was quickly apparent from the start is the young women in KATSEYE are multitalented. In addition to being strong vocalists, they are incredible dancers, as evidenced by “Gabriela,” which featured a mesmerizing extended dance number.
Other highlights included favorites like “Pinky Up,” “Animal,” and “Gameboy,” while “M.I.A.” ended with a dramatic search scene played out by the tour’s backup dancers. Meanwhile, Lara was given a spotlight on “Unloveu,” a song she co-wrote, showing off her impressive vocal range.
There was also a sweet moment during the song “Time Lapse,” when the four members of KATSEYE made their way down to the crowd and interacted with the audience, allowing them to take selfies and give them hugs. It showed the deep connection they have with their fans despite only forming a couple of years ago.
The evening wrapped up with KATSEYE’s first-ever single, “Debut,” followed by “ICONIC BY MISTAKE,” and the set-closing “Gnarly,” complete with confetti raining down on the crowd.
I left the arena thoroughly entertained, and perhaps a little hard of hearing from the Beatles-level screaming from KATSEYE’s adoring fans. But more importantly, my daughter had an absolute blast — a wonderful memory for her first concert ever.
See photos and fan-filmed video of KATSEYE’s Saturday night show at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, as well as the setlist, below. The North American leg of “The Wildworld Tour” runs through late November, with tickets to the remaining dates available here.
Setlist:
Act I:
Hootie Frutti
Internet Girl
That Way
Touch
Mean Girls
Gabriela
PINKY UP
Act II:
Animal
Tonight I Might
I’m Pretty
Time Lapse
Gameboy
Unloveu
My Way
Bel Air
M.I.A
Act III:
Debut
ICONIC BY MISTAKE
Gnarly
