KATSEYE is turning up the volume in 2026.
The global girl group — formed through HYBE and Geffen Records’ groundbreaking project — has announced their third extended play, WILD, set for release on August 14, 2026. The project, described officially as capturing the group’s two-year “wild ride” of growth, transformation, and unfiltered evolution, arrives as a confident next step after their rapid rise.
Leading the EP is the high-energy single “PINKY UP”, which dropped on April 9, 2026, just ahead of the group’s highly anticipated Coachella debut. The track — a catchy, bass-driven hyper-pop banger written by Justin Tranter and produced by dwilly, “hitman” bang, and FRANTS — has already shown serious chart legs. It debuted at No. 13 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart (their first entry there), peaked at No. 14 on the UK Official Singles Chart (the highest-charting song by a girl group this year so far), and climbed to No. 10 on US Spotify and No. 18 globally after their festival performance, racking up millions of streams in days.
The upcoming six-track EP follows their 2025 sophomore release Beautiful Chaos, which delivered standout cuts like “Gnarly,” “Gabriela,” and “Gameboy.” As of now, the full tracklist beyond “PINKY UP” remains under wraps, but fans are already speculating it will lean into the bolder, more playful energy teased in recent releases.
Coachella Triumph and a Bittersweet Milestone
The timing feels intentional. KATSEYE made their Coachella debut on the Sahara Stage during the first weekend of the 2026 festival, delivering a high-octane set packed with hits from their 2023 debut onward. They opened with the live premiere of “PINKY UP,” powered through favorites like “Mean Girls,” “Touch,” “Game Boy,” “Internet Girl,” and “Gabriela,” and brought out special guests from the Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters — Ejae, Rei Ami, and Audrey Nuna — for a show-stopping collab on the smash-hit “Golden.”
The performance drew one of the largest crowds in Sahara Stage history and earned strong buzz. Publications praised the group’s sharp choreography, commanding stage presence, and ability to turn the desert into “Katseye City.” The set also marked their first major appearance as a five-piece, following member Manon Bannerman’s temporary hiatus announced in February 2026 to focus on her personal health and mental well-being. Manon did not perform at Coachella, but the remaining members held the stage with confidence and received warm fan support.
2026 Momentum and What’s Next
This year has already been massive for the group. They earned two nominations at the 2026 Grammy Awards — Best New Artist and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Gabriela” — a rare feat that signaled their growing global footprint. “PINKY UP” continuing to climb post-Coachella only adds to the momentum.
With WILD on the horizon, whispers of a potential 2027 world tour are already circulating among fans (Eyekons), though nothing has been confirmed yet. If the pattern holds, the EP could serve as the perfect launchpad for even bigger stages.
KATSEYE’s journey so far has been anything but ordinary — a whirlwind of viral moments, cultural crossovers, and genuine artistic growth. WILD looks set to embrace that chaos and turn it into something even more unapologetic.
August 14 can’t come soon enough. Pinkies up, Eyekons.
