NEWS
Some fans had speculated that Manon faced mistreatment with respect to her being the only Black member of the group.
As speculation surrounding Manon’s hiatus from KATSEYE continues to grow, the group’s five active members have once again addressed the situation, firmly rejecting claims that her break from the group was related to race.
In an interview with Vanity Fair published on Tuesday, June 30, Sophia, Lara, Daniela, Yoonchae, and Megan revealed that they have remained in touch with Manon from time to time since HYBE announced in February that she would temporarily step away from group activities to “focus on her health and well being.”
“The safest space that we had was within the six of us,” Lara told the magazine while reflecting on Manon’s absence, pushing back against rumors that there had been tension within the group. “People just have no idea what goes on. They just don’t. It’s nothing but love between us.”
Addressing another widespread theory surrounding the hiatus, Sophia made it clear that race had nothing to do with the decision. “We can definitely say that in our situation, in no way was it about race,” she said. “That goes against everything that we stand for.”
The members also shared that they are glad Manon has been able to take time for herself away from the demanding pace of the group. Speaking about Manon attending this year’s Coachella as a fan instead of performing with KATSEYE, Sophia added, “I’m really happy that she’s able to enjoy things like that.”
Sophia, Lara, Daniela, Yoonchae, Megan, and Manon were brought together through HYBE’s Dream Academy, a journey later documented in Netflix’s Pop Star Academy series. After earning several entries on the Billboard Hot 100, including the top 40 hits “Gnarly” and “Gabriela,” the six member group became a five member act when their label announced, “After open and thoughtful conversations together, we are sharing that Manon will be taking a temporary hiatus from group activities to focus on her health and well being … we look forward to being together again when the time is right.”
Questions surrounding Manon’s departure intensified after she reportedly liked a social media post suggesting she had experienced mistreatment within the music industry as a Black woman. The interaction led many EYEKONs to wonder whether it hinted at a different reason behind her hiatus. However, even before the Vanity Fair interview, the group had urged fans not to jump to conclusions.
“Because we did announce that it is about her well being, it’s not our place or anybody else’s place to rush her,” Sophia previously told Allure earlier in June. “We want to give her all the time that she needs, all the space that she needs, and so we don’t want to make any assumptions, set anything in stone … She really deserves that, and the door is always open.”
