Girl group KATSEYE is reflecting on the excitement of receiving their first Grammy nominations.
The six-member ensemble, consisting of Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia and Yoonchae, has earned a coveted nomination for Best New Artist, one of the Grammy’s six general field categories, as well as a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their single, Gabriela.
“What an absolute honour it is to be nominated for our first-ever Grammy Awards,” the group told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement. “We grew up watching and dreaming about moments like this, and seeing it become real feels surreal.”
The group added, “We’re so thankful to the Recording Academy for this recognition and to all the incredible artists nominated alongside us. We can’t believe this; it’s so inspiring to be in such amazing company. Most of all, thank you to our fans, our Eyekons, for supporting us every step of the way.”
KATSEYE, a standout in the category, will compete against Olivia Dean, The Marías, Addison Rae, Sombr, Leon Thomas, Alex Warren and Lola Young for the Best New Artist award. Last year’s winner, Chappell Roan, introduced the category during the Grammy nomination announcement stream on Friday morning.
It has been a year of significant growth for the group, who first gained recognition through the Netflix documentary Popstar Academy, which chronicled their journey from hopeful pop stars to global sensations. The group was formed through the YouTube-based competition series Dream Academy, which brought together contestants aiming to create the first global girl group through a project by K-pop giant Hybe and Geffen Records.
KATSEYE’s mainstream profile has soared over the past year, largely thanks to their viral single, Gnarly, which took social media by storm after fans shared videos of the group’s energetic and captivating performances. Their follow-up single, Gabriela, which earned them their second Grammy nomination, has cemented their success. Both tracks also marked the group’s debut entries on the Billboard Hot 100. Gabriela has spent 11 weeks on the chart and continues to climb, currently sitting at No. 37.