KATSEYE hit the Sahara Stage at Coachella on Friday night like they’d been waiting their whole careers for it, and in a lot of ways, they had.
The global girl group, fresh off dropping their latest single just the day before, made their festival debut on April 10, 2026. The set kicked off right at 8 p.m. PT with the live premiere of “Pinky Up,” the track that had dropped hours earlier without a trace of sixth member Manon Bannerman.
Member Manon Bannerman has been on an announced hiatus from the group since February to focus on her health and well-being. Ahead of Coachella 2026, HYBE confirmed to Korea Herald she “remains on hiatus”. While she was reportedly at the festival grounds as an attendee, she was not on that stage. The group didn’t address her hiatus and absence onstage. There are growing rumors that he had a falling out with the management and may leave KATSEYE.
The remaining members, Sophia Laforteza, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel, Daniela Avanzini, and Yoonchae Jeong, had to rework their entire choreography to fit a five-member piece. The stage was a miniature cityscape they dubbed “Katseye City.” It had rooftop dance scenes and glowing buildings named after their songs.
They opened with “Pinky Up,” their brand-new single that had been released just a day earlier. The crowd screamed the lyrics back at them like they’d known the song for months. From there, they rolled straight into “Debut.” Then, they performed “Mean Girls” and “Touch.”
The highlight of their set was the performance of the song “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters. EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, the actual voices behind the fictional girl group HUNTR/X, joined five KATSEYE members.
The eight performers harmonized on the historic track (which, let’s not forget, was the first K-pop song to win both a Grammy and an Oscar). It was rearranged at a slightly slower tempo to let the melody breathe.
Their set continued with “Game Boy,” “Internet Girl,” “Gabriela” (another dance-break moment), “My Way,” and then “M.I.A.”, that’s where things got, well, steamy. During the remix outro, Lara and Megan pulled each other into a tight hug under shifting pink lights. Lara Raj leaned in and playfully licked Megan Skiendiel’s face mid-performance. It was one of those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments that, in the age of fancams, you absolutely will not miss because it’s been clipped, looped, and dissected across every social platform known to man.
Some fans found it hilarious and totally on-brand for a group known for their chaotic, touchy-feely chemistry. Others, however, were less amused. They accused them of queerbaiting, and some fans pointed out that Lara has a boyfriend, and the bit felt “predatory”. Notably, both Lara and Megan are openly bi.
Lara told the crowd, “Coachella has been our number one dream since we became a group. I’m so happy you guys got to witness that.”
They closed with “Gnarly,” and will perform for the second time on Friday, April 17. Lara had told Nylon before the show that Coachella had been the group’s number-one dream since day one, she shouted out brown girls and South Asians in the crowd. They drew inspirations like Beyoncé’s 2018 set and Blackpink’s past appearances.
KATSEYE has released two EPs, 2024’s SIS (Soft Is Strong) and last year’s Beautiful Chaos. Their pre-release single “Gnarly” became their first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, followed by “Gabriela,” “Gameboy,” and “Internet Girl,” the latter debuting at No. 29.
Meanwhile, BIGBANG (G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesang) and Taemin will also perform at Coachella 2026.
