KATSEYE isn’t letting criticism dictate their next move.
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During a recent interview on the Nicky at Night podcast, the global girl group looked back on the intense pushback they initially received following the release of their single “Gnarly,” and how watching listeners embrace the song over time changed their perspective on criticism, artistry and taking risks.
When podcast host Nicky Reardon brought up the song’s early reception, the members acknowledged that “Gnarly” was met with critiques when it first dropped. Instead of allowing the feedback to influence their artistic direction, though, the group chose to stand behind the track.
For KATSEYE, that decision was partly inspired by polarizing artists. Sophia pointed to Lady Gaga as an example of an artist who isn’t afraid to make people uncomfortable or release something audiences may not immediately understand.
“She fully puts her full artistry into something,” Sophia said, explaining that Gaga’s willingness to step outside the box resonated with the group. For KATSEYE, the goal isn’t necessarily to create music that everyone immediately understands, but to make something that leaves an impression.
“For us to have a moment where we came out with something and everyone’s like, ‘This is horrible. Like, why would you come out with that?’ made us realize that’s the artistry: Putting out something so interesting and impactful,” Sophia recalled.
The members ultimately recognized that the response to “Gnarly” was part of the reason it landed. As opposed to making something that’s simply enjoyable in the moment and quickly forgotten, they want to make music that sticks with audiences.
“We want it to, like, stick in people’s heads,” Lara added.
That mindset became particularly meaningful as the reaction to “Gnarly” evolved. What initially generated intense criticism eventually became a fan favorite, giving KATSEYE a real-world example of how quickly public opinion can change. “Gnarly” reached No. 82 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the group’s first appearance on the chart.
Lara elaborated on this stance by noting that the experience fundamentally taught the group that they don’t need to let backlash determine how they feel about their own work.
“I think the controversy of ‘Gnarly’ prepared us to do that for the rest of our career,” she said.
The group has already begun incorporating more of their individual personalities and performance styles into their work, with the members previously describing their evolution from the highly structured training environment of Dream Academy into artists who feel comfortable stepping outside of their established framework.
As the group continues developing its sound, KATSEYE seems interested in choosing artistry over predictability, even when that means some listeners won’t immediately understand what they’re doing. After all, if “Gnarly” taught them anything, it’s that being polarizing doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve misfired. It might just mean people are paying attention.