Decade Wars, KATSEYE'S Manon, Pinky Up, and More...

Apr 11
6 min read

KATSEYE for NYLON Magazine 2026 Music Issue

Introduction

At the beginning of January, social media was flooded with "Turning 2026 into 2016," Highlighting the golden year. Why? Issy Phillips from ABC Australia investigates and finds that, "...the nostalgia is not for the aesthetic, it is for a feeling. For a lot of young people, 2016 felt like the last time that mass culture was actually shared before everything splintered into aggressive algorithms. and our hyper-curated online selves." I liked the 2016 trend because it was an opportunity for Millennials and Gen Z Americans to pause and really take in what a ‘perfect’ world used to look like before its most threatening times. It still leaves me to wonder if going to the past to find contentment is the best way to live in the 2020's.

Gen-Z Anemoia

I don’t want past eras to rule our current lifestyles. Every Era was appropriate for its time, which can never be replicated. For example, the 2008 Recession. While the economy was crashing in the States, music during this time encouraged people to have a to live life to the fullest regardless of having enough money. Other eras like the 90’s, 80’s, 70’s... they had their own styles of making music that stood out for them.

Gen-Z, a generation that lived in the digital development era, so their music would probably be more attentive to a different type of genre: Charlie XCX, KATSEYE, SOPHIE, Bad Bunny, ILLIT, KiiKii, Cortis, Billie Eilish, Adéla, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Tate McRae, etc. These artists share a similarity that best fits the 2020’s.

I'd like to think this is the case because “The world has been such a mess, and because of the internet being more of a vocal space, Gen-Z is the loudest generation to exist.” That’s why vocal music that stimulates makes us most tuned in. I still think it’s okay for artists to bring back retro feels. Some examples being PinkPanthress, theAfterBand, Doja Cat’s “Vie” Album, and Zara Larsson’s Rebrand around her single “Midnight Sun”. At the same time, if we continue to use nostalgia as a way to brand music, we ourselves won’t have an era to look forward to when the time comes.

KATSEYE: Manon's Recent Hiatus and "Pinky Up!"

Katseye got popular in many stages of their career, but right now is probably their hardest time, following Manon’s hiatus. For further context, Manon Meret is (hopefully still) a Member of KATSEYE, along with Daniella, Lara, Yoonchae, Sophia, and Megan, who have all been selected after competing in a Global Girl Group, Netflix Documentary: Pop Star Academy. The girls, since then, have been selling out all over the world, their last album titled "Beautiful Chaos".

On February 20th, Manon sends out an announcement that she will be temporarily stepping down from Katseye after having a conversation with HxG (Hybe & Geffen Records). Since then, (as of April 8th), she has still been on hiatus.

All over the internet, fans are digging for clues as to why this may be the case. One rumor is of the company's mistreatment. Some examples: Manon's time spent on the Netflix Documentary, one of her accomplishments, labeling her as "Lazy". Recently, in the [Mod&Mad:Katseye 2026 Season's Greetings], Manon's Q&A says, "Manon: What does Manon think is her best feature? There is 'Her sense of Humor', 'Her selfishness', 'Her laziness', 'Her Quiet Nature" Lastly, Manon has liked a reel on Instagram about mistreatment in her work environment:

There is no official statement that confirms these behaviors are being enforced on purpose. I personally find it hard to believe this doesn't play a role in the hiatus. Especially noticing how they've treated Manon. Personally, from what I've seen, Hybe has not been good at handling her sick days as well as the other girls. Look at Lara in the "Gameboy" music video and Megan in the "My Way" music video, along with their Glossier and Monster High Collab Instagram posts. All these instances are flexible for delay, but with Manon, for some odd reason, there's no effort in including her. There is much more evidence on the internet to back these claims. (More about this Hiatus timeline, check out TeenVogue and other sources I listed below.)

Transitioning to the girls again and this new era for KATSEYE, I believe the audience is dismissing their new style as they shift further from their soft “Sis” brand. When I watch the teaser trailers and sneak peeks of the corogrophy and song itself, I can tell they are feeding off their controversial successful single, “Gnarly”, which split fans from its bitter-sweet, electric, unique sound. It also reminds me of their more recent song “Internet Girl,” which followed the same foundation with more of a gentler, pop star feel. The new single, Pinky Up, resumes the active tempo recipe while showing more of the girl's talents with harmonious moments that stick. It’s a perfect mix in my opinion. (I just wish people weren’t so fast to judge.)

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Wardrobe

I like Katseye's Wardrobe. It’s messy pieces puzzled together. Leather and feathers, colorful wigs, Late-night, Tea Parties, glitch and glam... It represents Gen-Z music and style. Experimenting with vibrant color and texture in a world full of grey, bland, and minimalism. It’s like a protest for energy.

I know they're getting scrambled on the internet, but I think it’s just another one of those “It’s for the girls who get it” moments.

(April 9th) Quick Update: As of Today, April 9th, The Music Video just came out. Here's what I have to say...

I watched The Music Video a couple of times- the song's not bad, now that I’m letting it marinate...

Something positive, the vocals are taken more seriously compared to their recent releases. But to me, their instrumentals haven’t been performing well, compared to Gabriella or Gameboy. I felt like there could be more with the beat. It's like a cheese pizza with no toppings. The base sounds good, but there's potential for better. Since they were going for hyperpop, I think they should’ve framed around their song M.I.A. The lyrics could be better, I just want to add.

citimatically speaking, it fits the song so I don't have any negatives for it. The girls look good as always. Downside, Manon isn't there :(

Last thing I wanted to address before I move on, KATSEYE, after losing Manon, lost a lot of fans. Seeing comments on anything relevant to the group, it’s always, “No Manon No Katseye” bias stand, Boycotters. To an extent, these feelings are valid. Yeah, I love Manon too and miss her dearly, but this is also a hiatus. Under no control are the girls capable of reviving Manon. It is the company’s responsibility. To the fans, as much as we love Manon, we don’t know the full story for this break.

I know there's a lot more behind the scenes and evidence of some mistreatment, but until there are more official statements, all the group needs more than ever is support. Not only Manon, but all the girls.

So shifting Gears Back...

Looking at all this fashion and music, art in general, it’s definitely a reflection of where the world is. If you're Gen-Z, you probably remember what life was like when you were younger... It felt just right. And just like how the other teens and adults you watched grow up, you would imagine how your mature stage would flourish. Unfortunately, life changed for the worse. Weird [childish] things that used to make you happy? Do these ideas influence your style? Do they bring out that same feeling?

I think there is more to the retro obsession in how we live today. This is our generation's way of crying for a difference. Retro or Modern Chaos of mix-matching, Gen Z is desperate to escape a black and white, Untrusting world that dismisses their existence. Expressing ourselves forever had been a way of exposing the society's current state. Now that it's our turn, we are proving our purpose starting from the shoes we wear.

Conclusion

So, should we move to retro things to make 2020’s as iconic as any other? For one, exploring the past and adding a modern twist is always cool. Second, it’s sort of unavoidable since Gen-Z has a current fascination with it anyway. (You can’t really blame them. I still want us to find our song. Something that can remind us of why we stand out from every decade. We are out there, and I hope we continue to do so as the future unfolds.