Lara Raj of the girl group KATSEYE has revealed that she and her bandmates have received multiple death threats, with Raj specifically facing racist abuse and even being falsely reported to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Since making their debut in 2024, KATSEYE has gained a loyal following, but they have also encountered significant adversity. The group was recently nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards, yet their rise to fame has been marred by harmful and threatening messages, which have also targeted their families.
Lara spoke to BBC News about the impact of these attacks, describing how overwhelming it can feel: “I try to tell myself it doesn’t matter, but if 1,000 people are sending you death threats, it’s jarring. Even if it’s not going to happen, it’s heavy.”
Raj, who is of Tamil Indian heritage, has also been the target of racist remarks and was falsely reported to ICE for “working and residing in the United States without legal authorisation,” despite being a US citizen.
In an effort to shield herself from the negativity, the 20-year-old has taken steps to protect her mental health, including deleting her X (formerly Twitter) account. “I realised I am not the audience for other people’s opinions,” she said.
Lara also spoke out about the sexist nature of some of the abuse, highlighting how women in the public eye are often subjected to a different standard than their male counterparts.
This revelation has sparked a wider conversation about the darker side of fame and the toxic online behaviour that can accompany it, particularly for women and people of colour in the entertainment industry.