Career Peak, Members Taking Turns on Leave — KATSEYE Still Can't Find Its Voice on "Wild"

By all rights, 2026 should be the biggest year of KATSEYE's career yet: a first Grammy nomination, live performances already being called career-defining, and a ticketed tour about to kick off. But this same year, member Manon has been on an extended, much-discussed hiatus since February, and just last week, leader Sophia announced she's stepping back from activities for her mental health. The career trajectory is pointing up, but things inside the group feel unsettled — and their third EP, "Wild," sounds like the sonic equivalent of that contradiction.

"Wild" was supposed to be the record that finally defines this HYBE x Geffen global girl group, giving listeners a clear sense of where they're headed next. Instead, it plays like an album afraid to commit to anything. The April single "Pinky Up" continues in the deliberately internet-brained, brain-melting electronic-beat lane of last year's "Gnarly," but without "Gnarly"'s recklessness — Sophia sings "I love you, you love me / We batshit, oui, oui," yet it barely lands with any real impact. By contrast, "Hootie Fruitti" is the EP's most memorable track — over a Brazilian phonk-meets-hyperpop beat, the five members trade off lines like "$20 smoothies in LA" and "mochi drenched in chocolata," with Portuguese lyrics woven in, an obvious attempt to expand KATSEYE's global cultural footprint. More importantly, though, the song is genuinely catchy and just plain good.

On the other hand, the EP also feels like it's deliberately retreating into safe territory to avoid straying too far. "Animal," co-written with "king of safe pop" Ed Sheeran, is a pretty but forgettable slice of retro pop that barely leaves an impression once it's over. "That Way" fares a little better, with KATSEYE drawing a line over a slow, sliding groove — "If you wanna dance, you better get your hands, and put them in the right spot" — one of the few moments on the EP with any real attitude. "Bel Air" is a light, breezy ballad, a humming bassline paired with a slow-marching drum beat, about finding the strength to walk away from a relationship you already know is over. It's not exactly unforgettable, but it works fine as a palate cleanser.

By the end of the EP, where KATSEYE is actually headed remains just as unclear. No one knows how far off their true debut album is, but if "Wild" is a midpoint check-in on that journey, the report card reads: a little "safe," a little "ambitious," but nothing that scores particularly high in either category.

"Wild" was released by HYBE x Geffen on August 14, 2026.