SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Swiss singer Manon Bannerman is taking a hiatus from Katseye to focus on her health and well-being, the global girl group announced on Feb 20.
The decision was made following “open and thoughtful conversations together”, the Los Angeles-based sextet said in a statement shared by their labels, HYBE and Geffen Records, on global fan platform Weverse.
“We fully support this decision. Katseye remain committed to showing up for one another and for the fans who mean everything to us,” they said. “The group will continue scheduled activities during this time and we look forward to being together again when the time is right.”
Bannerman, 23, said she was “healthy” and “taking care of myself” in a direct message on Weverse to reassure fans.
“Sometimes things unfold in ways we don’t fully control, but I’m trusting the bigger picture,” she wrote. “Thank you for standing by me. I love you endlessly and can’t wait to see you again.”
The messages did not mention when Bannerman will return.
The announcement comes weeks after Katseye performed on Feb 1 at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, where they were nominated for best new artist and best pop duo/group performance for their song Gabriela (2025). The group also performed Gnarly (2025) as part of the best new artist nominees medley.
This is not the first time Bannerman has stepped back from group activities due to health concerns. In August 2025, she missed Katseye’s performance at music festival Summer Sonic in Tokyo after her condition declined upon arrival in Japan. She also sat out the group’s Seattle concert in December that year after battling illness.
“After sound check today and after consulting a doctor, it became clear that my body just isn’t ready yet,” she wrote on Instagram about the Seattle show at the time. “As much as I wanted to push through, I have to listen to my health.”
Formed in 2023 through reality competition series The Debut: Dream Academy, Katseye comprise Bannerman, Daniela Avanzini, 21, Lara Raj, 20, Megan Skiendiel (a half-Singaporean), 20, Sophia Laforteza, 23, and Yoonchae Jeung, 18. They released their debut single Debut in 2024. They have since released two EPs, SIS (Soft Is Strong, 2024) and Beautiful Chaos (2025).
The group have previously spoken about the pressures and intense online scrutiny that came with rapid fame. In 2025, they revealed that they had received thousands of death threats since their formation.
“If 1,000 people are sending you death threats, it’s jarring,” Raj told BBC News. In the same interview, Bannerman said: “I feel like it’s very terrorising on the mind.” -- The Straits Times/Asia News Network
