Billboard’s 21 Under 21: See Who Made the 2025 List
Written by djfrosty on May 16, 2025
Names Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia, Yoonchae
Ages 20, 19, 22, 19, 22, 17
Label HYBE x Geffen
Publisher HYBE x Geffen
Management HYBE x Geffen
Last year, when KATSEYE gave its first live performance at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena for the annual K-pop festival KCON, the group’s Megan remembers it as “chaotic but so much fun.” It was the first test of the members’ bond, with the girl group now saying strong communication is the key to navigating music industry madness. “We had to learn to be there for each other,” Sophia says. “We’re able to just come up to one another, good or bad, and say, ‘Hey, I feel this way.’ ” The HYBE x Geffen act will showcase that growth this spring with its second EP, Beautiful Chaos, which follows 2024’s SIS (Soft Is Strong) that spawned the Mainstream Top 40 hit “Touch.” As Manon teases: “This next era is really authentic to who we are.”
What are you most proud of when you look back at this past year?
Lara The MAMA Awards. That was our first time doing a big dance break as a group with dancers; there were cheerleaders and a full-on production. Every time I look back on that, I’m like, “Oh, my God. We did that.”
What has been the key to success in your first year as a group?
Sophia The biggest thing that we really learned together is communication. We care so deeply about each other, and this is something that we’re all so passionate about — this isn’t just our job. We’re so lucky to do something that we all grew up obsessed with. We’ve learned that it’s something we can connect through and that we have to be honest with each other all the time. At the end of the day, it’s the six of us against the world.
Megan We really found our flow with each other and how each of us works in different scenarios. When we do performances [now], we’re like, “OK, Megan needs to prepare in the corner, Yoonchae needs her own time, Sophia needs to warm up,” and then we all come together. So thanks to that communication, we all know each other so well and so deeply.
What can you share about what inspired your upcoming Beautiful Chaos EP?
Manon I always say this, but I feel like [fan army] the EYEKONS and [us] are the same people. We think the same; what they like, we like, and what we like, they like.
Sophia We are always on Weverse; we’re lurking through Instagram and Twitter. We literally see everything that the fans post and hear them, so hopefully, they’ll like what we’re coming out with.
What’s the best advice you would give aspiring young musicians?
Yoonchae To believe in yourself and do whatever you want.
Daniela It’s important to not let others decide your path.