Two members of Katseye are absent from the London lineup, yet the Wildworld tour pressed on and won a rapturous reception at the O2 Arena.
The show, the group's first full UK concert and only the second date of the tour, opened with music videos on the arena’s big screens and sustained a near-constant roar for three hours. The scale of the reception underscored Katseye’s rapid rise, they are currently the most-streamed act on YouTube UK.
Manon Bannerman and Sophia Laforteza are both on health-related hiatus, but the four members who appeared leaned into huge production numbers and tight choreography to fill the stage. The band launched into the Brazilian-funk workout Hootie Frutti amid laser lights, and the remaining singers worked through a succession of bass-driven pop anthems and dance breaks to keep the crowd alight.
“Are you happy to see us?” asked Yoonchae Jeong as the band arrived, and the answer was immediate. “I think you guys are our loudest crowd ever, literally,” said Megan Skiendiel. “This crowd is unbelievable,” added Lara Raj. The audience skewed young, with fans echoing moves, waving lightsticks and, at moments, breaking into tears.
Daniela Avanzini’s complicated lift drew a cheer of relief after she completed it safely, a sharper moment following a fall on the opening night in Dublin from which she recovered with no injuries. Fans wore elements of the band’s aesthetic, including bindis inspired by Lara, and some leaned into the group’s online lore, such as a fan who turned up dressed as a courgette in reference to Internet Girl’s refrain, “Eat zucchini.”
Katseye were formed in 2023 on the reality competition The Debut: Dream Academy, a collaboration between Hybe and Geffen that whittled 120,000 applicants down to six members. The group enjoyed a breakout year in 2025 with the hyperactive Gnarly and the slinky ballad Gabriela, which highlighted Daniela’s Cuban-Venezuelan roots.
Public scrutiny has followed the band's speed of ascent. Manon announced her break in February to “focus on her health and wellbeing” after reporting abuse and threats, and Sophia later cited the need to protect her “mental health and wellness,” posting, “You can’t pour from an empty cup,” and, “It’s important to care for yourself.” Sophia’s mother reassured fans, saying, “Don't worry, this is for her own good,” and, “This is what I love about her management. They realise when the girls are tired. It's a good thing that she is resting so that she's stronger when she comes back.”
The episode in London showed that Katseye’s commercial momentum and fan devotion remain intact, even as questions about member wellbeing and the demands of a global tour persist. The Wildworld tour is scheduled to run until the end of the year, leaving open when the absent members will rejoin the stage.
