One week KATSEYE are chanting 'Hootie Frutti' over a baile funk beat. The next, they're standing in white gowns at the Disney Legends ceremony, harmonising through a Hercules classic so beautifully it left a room full of industry veterans stunned.
KATSEYE's fanbase, known as EYEKONs, are furious over this and the whiplash is understandable. Just hours after the group's cover of 'I Won't Say I'm in Love' going online, social media turned from praise into pointed frustration at HYBE x Geffen, the label accused of burying elite vocal talent under gimmicky, meme-baiting singles.
Why KATSEYE Fans Are Rejecting 'Internet Girl'
Four of KATSEYE's members, Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel and Yoonchae Jeung, performed at the D23 Disney Legends ceremony on 16 August. They delivered 'I Won't Say I'm in Love' from Hercules in honour of Susan Egan, the film's original Megara, as she was inducted as a Disney Legend.
Sophia Laforteza is currently on hiatus to focus on her mental health, while Manon Bannerman remains on a separate hiatus, so the performance came from the group's active lineup rather than a full six.
Two days earlier, the same label released WILD, KATSEYE's third EP, led by singles built around meme logic. Releasing a viral TikTok hit and a Disney showcase in the same week reveals a label's strategic gamble on what drives a girl group's success, and fans have clocked the identity crisis.
Is HYBE x Geffen Mismanaging Elite Vocal Talent?
The same mouths chanting 'eat zucchini' over a baile funk beat are, days later, threading complex Alan Menken harmonies in front of the woman who originated them, and making it look effortless.
'Hootie Frutti' goes further still, built on a repetitive, juvenile chorus over a Britney Spears-referencing music video, contrasting with the theatrical control seen at D23.
These gimmicks have a strong business rationale. Concepts like 'Internet girl' are designed to thrive on TikTok, where a single viral sound can generate millions of streams overnight, unlike a beautifully sung ballad.
Streaming's power and the exposure it provides enable a group like KATSEYE to secure prestigious bookings, such as induction into the Disney Legends. HYBE x Geffen is strategically engaging with the algorithm because it generates revenue, even if some fans believe this approach may not be sustainable long-term.
'Management Genuinely Hates Them': What Fans Are Saying
The comments under the Disney clip highlight a clear division. 'Same people that got Hootie Frutti and Eat Zucchini,' wrote one fan, amazed that the label behind those tracks could pivot so completely.
Another put it more bluntly: 'And here is Hybe/Geffen confusing the marketing again. You release Hootie Frutti and then put them on a Disney stage? Make it make sense.' A third cut straight to the accusation spreading fastest: 'They can sing like nobody's business, their management genuinely hates them for giving them the songs they get.'
Others simply want more of what they just saw, writing that 'the people yearn to see KATSEYE with this style' and that the group 'look absolutely ethereal like this'.
Viral hooks may keep the streaming numbers ticking over for now, but EYEKONs have just been shown exactly what their favourites are capable of, and they're not going to quietly forget it. HYBE x Geffen can play the algorithm for only so long. Eventually, they'll have to decide whether KATSEYE is a temporary viral brand or a lasting vocal powerhouse.
