Over the summer, the international girl group Katseye told Rolling Stone they had hired a group therapist to help them cope with the challenges of modern stardom. They may need that assistance now: In a new interview with the BBC, the six members of the group allege they have received a barrage of death threats and other online harassment since making their debut last year — including one that, they say, involved Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
While discussing the unspecified threats and online hate directed their way, singer Lara Raj told the outlet, “I try to tell myself it doesn’t matter, but if 1,000 people are sending you death threats … even if it’s not going to happen … it’s heavy, and it’s jarring.” Singer Manon Bannerman said it was “very terrorizing on the mind.”
Raj in particular, who is of Tamil Indian background but is an American citizen, says she was reported to ICE for “working and residing in the United States without legal authorization.” (Rolling Stone has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.)
Until now, Katseye were on something of a pop roll. The group was assembled by way of Geffen Records and HYBE’s survival show, The Debut: Dream Academy. The competing finalists — including the six members who would ultimately be chosen — were documented in the Netflix reality show Pop Star Academy: Katseye. In 2023, the final lineup — which also includes Daniela Avanzini, Megan Skiendiel, and Yoonchae Jeung — was announced and Katseye officially launched. What followed was everything a pop group could hope for: a TikTok hit (“Touch”), a Lollapalooza slot, an MTV Video Music Award, and a Gap ad this fall (set to Kelis’ “Milkshake”) that went heavily viral. The group is currently on its first tour and is up for a Best New Artist Grammy next year.
But the online world became part of their experience, too. “People see us as women to rank,” Raj told the BBC. “They’ll grade us based on how pretty we are, our singing skill, dancing skill, and then add it up and give us a percentage.”
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As Sophia Laforteza said, “We know that we signed up for being so public. We know it’s a part of fame. But it doesn’t change the fact that we are human.”
The group, whose members hail from the U.S., South Korea, the Philippines, and Switzerland, has prided itself on its diverse lineup. “People want to see diversity,” Manon told the Associated Press. “People want to see themselves represented on the TV, on billboards. And I really hope that people high up see that and see that it works, and implement that.”
