KATSEYE released their third EP, WILD, on August 14 via HYBE x Geffen Records, opening a new chapter for the global girl group ahead of their sold-out arena tour this fall.
The five-track project follows KATSEYE’s GRAMMY-nominated 2025 EP BEAUTIFUL CHAOS and includes previously released singles “PINKY UP” and “Animal,” both of which reached the Billboard Hot 100. WILD also features the new tracks “Hootie Frutti,” “Bel Air” and “That Way.”
Arriving alongside the EP was the official video for “Hootie Frutti,” a Brazilian phonk-inspired pop track built around hard percussion and maximalist production. Directed by Alfred Marroquin, whose credits include Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish, the video places KATSEYE inside an underground Brazilian party that appears ready to wind down before the group arrives and sends it back into motion.
The release caps a particularly busy summer for Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia and Yoonchae. KATSEYE performed as part of NBC’s “TODAY” Citi Concert Series on August 14 and recently returned to “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” where they performed “Animal” in their first late-night musical appearance.
“Animal” was co-written by Ed Sheeran after the singer-songwriter became a fan of KATSEYE’s “Gnarly” and reached out about collaborating. The song’s official video also features a cameo from Demi Moore. Earlier single “PINKY UP,” meanwhile, received its live debut at Coachella.
Rather than simply extending the sound of BEAUTIFUL CHAOS, WILD finds KATSEYE leaning further into the themes of self-discovery and transformation that have defined their first two years as a group. “Hootie Frutti” supplies the EP’s most aggressive burst of energy, while “Bel Air” shifts toward an emotionally charged ballad about the complicated process of outgrowing something once loved. Closing track “That Way” approaches attraction and power from a more playful perspective.
The standard edition of WILD contains five songs: “PINKY UP,” “Animal,” “Hootie Frutti,” “Bel Air” and “That Way.” Target and select international physical editions add “Unloveu,” written and produced by KATSEYE member Lara Raj with Amy Allen and Ross Golan.
The EP arrives as KATSEYE’s presence outside music continues to grow. The group topped Billboard’s 2026 “21 Under 21” list, appeared in Variety’s “Power of Young Hollywood Impact Report” and became the first group selected as a VANITIES subject for Vanity Fair. They also appeared on the June covers of Allure in the United States, Korea and the Philippines.
Fans are also getting a closer look at this period of the group’s career through KATSEYE: WILD HEARTS. Directed by Nadia Hallgren, the film premiered August 4 at The Grove in Los Angeles before beginning a limited theatrical engagement across more than 1,700 cinemas in over 60 countries. Featuring interviews, previously unseen footage and fan-submitted videos, the film documents the relationship between KATSEYE and the rapidly expanding EYEKONS fandom.
Next comes KATSEYE’s biggest tour yet. The sold-out WILDWORLD Tour begins September 1 at Dublin’s 3Arena and includes arena dates across multiple countries. The run sold out in less than 48 hours, with two-night engagements scheduled at London’s O2, UBS Arena in New York, Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City.
With WILD now out, KATSEYE are moving beyond the “beautiful chaos” of their previous era and into a record centered on becoming comfortable with every version of themselves. Two years into their career, that evolution is unfolding on a considerably larger stage.
Featured image credit: Julian Song
