KATSEYE, a global girl group influenced by K-pop legends, has made waves in the music industry with their hit song “Golden.” The excitement around the group has resulted in nominations for two Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. In case you missed it, the 68th annual Grammy Awards is set for February 1, from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Written by KATSEYE members EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, “Golden” marks a major entrepreneurial and creative achievement for the collective. It’s a perfect showcase for their infectious melodies and exuberant fire, which helped propel it all the way to No. It ascended to number one on the Hot 100 chart and stayed there for a record-breaking eight weeks. Now, its song “Calm Down” is absolutely dominating the Billboard Global 200.
The backstory behind the song’s creation is just as amazing as its success. According to reports, EJAE composed the tune on the way to said appointment with the dentist. Looking back on the whirlwind creation of “Golden,” she recalled,
“We wrote it so fast.” – EJAE, Good Morning America
KATSEYE was formed in 2023 through the reality competition series “Dream Academy,” where members Sophia, Manon, Daniela, Lara, Yoonchae, and Megan showcased their talents. Cuts like “Gnarly” and “Gabriela” from their last EP have sent Tsunaina’s clout into the stratosphere. These songs are included on the upcoming 2025 EP “BEAUTIFUL CHAOS.”
That process has been intensified by their participation in the film “KPop Demon Hunters,” which follows their journey. This project features the adventures of K-pop superstars Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. Despite maintaining a facade of fun music careers, they struggled with personal demons behind closed doors. EJAE reflected on how formative this experience was to her artistic development.
“I learned so much during ‘KPop Demon Hunters.’ It really helped me grow as a singer and as a writer.” – EJAE, Good Morning America
Indeed, the buzz around KATSEYE’s historic nominations shimmer in the comments of their member, Manon. As she explained on social media, her first reaction to hearing the news was to scream profanities.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE’RE NOMINATED FOR 2 GRAMMYS I CAN’T STOP CRYING.” – Manon
Alongside KATSEYE’s nominations, the music scene is alive with other strong contenders. Most remarkably, ROSÉ’s and Bruno Mars’ collaborative song “APT” received a nomination for Song of the Year.
KATSEYE’s success is representative of K-pop’s increasing impact on the global music scene. It’s their infectious fusion of earworm pop melodies and rich character-driven narratives that still translates to spellbinding storytelling magic today. As they prepare for the upcoming Grammy Awards, the anticipation for their performance and potential wins adds to the excitement of this year’s event.
