u/Time_Minute_6036

I think many people on this subreddit pride themselves on the fact that they are “neutrals” and thus only casual fans of the group—not obsessive and borderline parasocial (K-Pop level) about it. But I think we forget that our definition of “casual fan” is completely wrong in the context of KATSEYE’s massive fanbase. Did you see the amount of the hourly doomposting the day after Manon’s hiatus was announced? People here still care about the group VERY deeply, much more than they’d like to admit, and don’t realize how niche this interest is. Most of KATSEYE’s millions of listeners DO NOT CARE (at least, not to the same degree) about the lyrics or the drama. They stream because they simply like the music and girls and that’s the end of the story. I really don’t know why everyone was so worried when KATSEYE announced the WILDWORLD tour…I guarantee you that outside of the absolute most invested fans, NO ONE CARES (at least not to the point where they’re going to stop streaming, apparently) about the Manon drama, the lyrics, the choreography, etc. They literally stream because the music is cool, easy to vibe to, and the girls have personalities. It seems like EVERY TIME KATSEYE releases new content, everyone here thinks they’re doomed, but their popularity is somehow being sustained at an unprecedented level. That popularity is not going away anytime soon. If you were shocked that BEAUTIFUL CHAOS debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 even after the “mess” that was “Gnarly,” then be prepared to go crazy when WILD debuts at #1 (maybe #2). This group selling out the PRESALE of an arena tour just two years into their career and despite TONS of factors working against them is proof enough that they are coming for that #1. Their next EP is likely going to yield a Top 10 or Top 20 hit. So be prepared, I guess.

Just leave this up long enough mods for people to go to this sub r/saintsatineneutral for discussion about Saint Satine. Because Saint Satine posts are clogging up this community. I’m not trying to advertise like this sub is getting filled with Saint Satine stuff so you need some way to get them to go to r/saintsatineneutral.

for snarkers neutrals and positives

r/saintsatineneutral

I love Emily, Samara, Lexie, and Sakura individually but the group has no chemistry and Sakura was the wrong choice. I hope each of the girls in Saint Satine (the name of the group) get to shine on their own. Everyone who said this group was going to be HYBExGeffen’s replacement for KATSEYE…nah. I think KATSEYE is safe. REALLY safe…I mean, Saint Satine is cooked.

Daniela, not Manon, puts the 'global' in 'KATSEYE - global group'...after all, she's Cuban, Venezuelan, SUPER German, Italian, Swiss, Ghanian, Indian, Filipina, Korean, Chinese, Swedish, Mongolian, Mexican, Moroccan, Nigerian, Dominican, American, Canadian, Brazilian, Russian, Kazakh, Hawaiian, etc. Therefore, if Manon leaves we're still getting most ethnicities/nationalities covered. So don't disrespect my Cuban, Venezuelan, SUPER German, Italian, Swiss, Ghanian, Indian, Filipina, Korean, Chinese, Swedish, Mongolian, Mexican, Moroccan, Nigerian, Dominican, American, Canadian, Brazilian, Russian, Kazakh, Hawaiian, etc. mami!

If it wasn't obvious, this is a joke. I am normally a neutral/fan but Daniela's code-switching/ethnicity/nationality thing is so funny to me.

Daniela, not Manon, puts the 'global' in 'KATSEYE - global group'...after all, she's Cuban, Venezuelan, SUPER German, Italian, Swiss, Ghanian, Indian, Filipina, Korean, Chinese, Swedish, Mongolian, Mexican, Moroccan, Nigerian, Dominican, American, Canadian, Brazilian, Russian, Kazakh, Hawaiian, etc. Therefore, if Manon leaves we're still getting most ethnicities/nationalities covered. So don't disrespect my Cuban, Venezuelan, SUPER German, Italian, Swiss, Ghanian, Indian, Filipina, Korean, Chinese, Swedish, Mongolian, Mexican, Moroccan, Nigerian, Dominican, American, Canadian, Brazilian, Russian, Kazakh, Hawaiian, etc. mami!

Who is KATSEYE? It’s complicated. After all, their last EP was titled “BEAUTIFUL CHAOS.” But how beautiful is chaos really?

Through new music, milestone GRAMMYs and Coachella performances, and a member’s hiatus that sent waves through the fandom, KATSEYE continues to expand the heights of its fame, despite the many obstacles they face. The group’s latest release, “PINKY UP”, garnered immense criticism from fans and critics alike. But this isn’t the first time people have been divided over KATSEYE’s music. Its 2025 release “Gnarly”, an abrasive hyperpop anthem written by Alice Longyu Gao, marked a jarring change from the softer, albeit more derivative, sound on the group’s 2024 EP, “SIS (Soft is Strong).” But after energetic live performances, massive social media traction, and the song’s sheer “shock factor”, KATSEYE emerged significantly larger. “Gnarly” became the group’s first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, as its experimental nature suddenly made it palatable.

“PINKY UP”, KATSEYE’s latest release, comes a year after “Gnarly”, and has faced many of the same criticisms as its predecessor. Many have winced at its nonsensical lyrics and peculiar production choices. The lyrics in “PINKY UP” cycle through a variety of themes without fully exploring any of them. The opening two verses talk about living life to the fullest, and on their own are probably some of KATSEYE’s best writing to date. Lines like “One day soon the world’s gonna end…I wanna live large right before it all burns down” cement a concrete and relatable idea. But this potential is wasted after a metaphor about the Mona Lisa and robbing the Louvre in Paris, which is glossed over quickly and feels more like a justification for using the French words “oui, oui” later in the song. The aforementioned theme also seems to be discarded in the following verses, creating a lack of cohesion. The lyrics “Fancy is a frequency, A mind of delusion, philosophy” follow a different theme of image and etiquette, contextualized in the “PINKY UP” music video, where the KATSEYE members are at a tea party in fancy attire and blonde wigs. But this feels underdeveloped, especially given the vague language. There are some promising moments, like the self-realization that “fancy” is a “delusion,” but it isn’t expanded upon, since the verse is so short. The song also transitions into a rapping section after the first chorus. Daniela sings, “Us against the world, shaking ass in the parking lot…We batshit, oui oui.” The writing here feels like filler. The energy is strong, but the language feels like a failed attempt at sounding cool, because it isn’t earned by the rest of the song.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Maybe. There is potential in “PINKY UP”, but it’s never utilized because the song can’t catch up with itself. It never takes the time to slow down and figure out who it really is. Thus, no one is left with a clear answer. We still don’t know what the gesture of putting your pinky up means, and apparently, neither does KATSEYE. It raises a greater question about the group as a whole—does KATSEYE even know who they are?

My score for the song: 48/100

Edit: I am happy to answer any questions about my review in the comments. Also, this isn’t AI 😭, it’s entirely human-written…I just like em dashes.

I was on an uptown local 6 train amid all the chaos on Lexington Avenue this morning, and after a bunch of delays, the conductor said 96 St would be the last stop and the train would turn back around for Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall-bound service there. I don’t get how this is possible. 96 St is just a normal local station along the way in between two express stations; are there switches or tracks I don’t know of that they use to turn trains around here? Or were they going to reverse the train and use the northbound track for southbound service?