KATSEYE Performs on Saturday Night Live Season 52 Premiere

Musical Performance and Member Lineup

During the season 52 premiere, KATSEYE delivered two live performances from their latest EP, Wild. The group, which performs in the Pop genre, took the stage to sing "Animal" and "Hootie Frutti." Both tracks are featured on the five-track EP released in August, which also includes the songs "Pinky Up," "Bel Air," and "That Way." Notably, the lead single "Animal" was co-written by singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran.

For the Saturday Night Live debut, four of the group's six members were present on stage. Members Manon Bannerman and Sophia Laforteza did not perform as they are currently on hiatus. Both singers stepped back from group activities citing their mental health as the reason for their absence. This mainstream television milestone follows the group's previous high-profile appearances in August, which included a performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and a set for the Today summer concert series.

The "Dream Academy" Sketch Appearance

In addition to their role as musical guests, the members of KATSEYE participated in a comedy sketch titled "Dream Academy." the sketch served as a spoof of the reality competition series that originally formed the group. Four members appeared as judges overseeing a fictional second season of the show, which featured a "much more chaotic" journey to stardom for the new contestants.

The sketch featured SNL host and New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson as Dorian Flynt, a demanding choreographer. The crop of teenage contestants was portrayed by SNL cast members and newcomers, including Saidah Belo-Osagie as Neelsa Boyce, Veronika Slowikowska as Isla, Sarah Sherman as Jamie, Jane Wickline as Duff, and Grace Reiter as Margle. After witnessing a series of messy auditions, the KATSEYE members praised the contestants for their "athleticism" and "talent" before premiering a fictional music video titled "Guardians of the Mist."

Chart Success and Global Ascent

The appearance on SNL caps a period of significant commercial growth for the group. Their latest EP, Wild, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 170,000 first-week units, marking their first chart-topping release and the highest sales week for an all-female group in several years. The single "Animal" debuted at No. 24 on the Hot 100, which is currently a career high for the group.

KATSEYE's previous success includes their 2025 EP Beautiful Chaos, which reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and spent more than a year on the chart. That project featured the single "Gnarly," their first Hot 100 entry, and the Latin-pop track "Gabriela," which climbed to No. 21. These achievements led to nominations for Best New Artist and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 68th annual Grammy Awards. The group has reached more than 30 million monthly listeners on Spotify during the past year.

Group Origins and Wildworld Tour

Formed in 2023 through the Dream Academy reality competition—a joint venture between HYBE and Universal Music Group’s Geffen Records—the group released their debut EP, SIS (Soft Is Strong), in 2024. Earlier this year, they made appearances at Coachella in April and the American Music Awards in May.

The group is currently in the midst of their 31-date Wildworld Tour, which launched in Europe earlier this month. The tour is scheduled to arrive in North America in October, starting in Miami and moving through the East Coast and Canada before heading west. The tour will conclude in Mexico City in late November. Regarding the pressures of the group's rapid rise, Kelly Rowland of Destiny’s Child recently offered advice to the members through Rolling Stone:

"In an industry as fast-paced as music, where there are constantly eyes on you and pressure to keep rising, your health is one of the most sacred things you have. I learned during my time in Destiny’s Child that you can show up for your fans and your group while still honoring what you need as an individual."

— Kelly Rowland

Rowland emphasized the importance of self-care and mutual support for the group members:

"My advice to the Katseye girls would be to listen to themselves, be kind to themselves, and continue supporting one another through every season. Especially on tour, it’s so important to intentionally carve out time to rest and reset in their daily routines. Taking care of your mind and body is what allows you to bounce back, stay resilient, and keep doing what you love."

— Kelly Rowland