US-based girl group Katseye have revealed that they have received numerous online death threats and racist abuse since their debut last year.
The six-member group, recently nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards, told BBC News that the threats have also extended to their families.
“I try to calm myself down, but it’s disturbing to have 1,000 death threats,” said singer Lara Raj, a US citizen of Tamil-Indian heritage who has also been subjected to racist comments.
Raj said she deleted her X (formerly Twitter) account to avoid seeing the negative remarks. She has also reportedly been falsely accused of “working and residing in the US without legal permission.”
Katseye did not disclose specific details of the threats, but members described the experience as deeply distressing.
Another member, Chapel Rhone, spoke out last year after facing criticism and online harassment involving her family and friends. Fellow pop group Muna has since condemned fans who spread false information about artists’ loved ones, while singer Doja Cat has called such online behavior “horrifying.”
“Our career is still really short, but I feel like we’ve already said a lot to ourselves and our families,” said Sofia LaFortezza, another member of Katseye. “We know we’re going to be famous. We know these things come with fame. But we’re human too.”
Raj also drew attention to the sexualized nature of comments directed at the group. “People see us as women to be ranked — by beauty, by singing ability, by dancing ability — and then they add it up and give us a percentage. It’s very flawed,” she said.
Bandmate Manon Bannerman added, “I think it’s very dangerous for the mind.”
Despite facing online abuse, Katseye have had a remarkably successful year. Their second album debuted at number two on the US charts, and their Gap advertisement went viral in August. Last month, they also won the Best Performance Award at the MTV Awards.
The members of Katseye, aged 17 to 22, represent a diverse mix of nationalities:
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Daniela Avanzini – Venezuelan-Cuban American from Atlanta
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Lara Raj – Indian-Sri Lankan American from New York
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Manon Bannerman – Ghanaian-Italian from Zurich
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Megan Scheindiel – Chinese-Singaporean American from Honolulu
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Sofia LaFortezza – from Manila, Philippines
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Yunche Jeong – from South Korea
The band continues to rise in global popularity, balancing newfound fame with the challenges of online harassment and the pressures of public life.
