Health Break
KATSEYE's Manon Bannerman Takes Health Hiatus Amid Online Harassment and Cultural Work-Life Tensions
Anonymous
On Feb. 20, 2026, HYBE, Geffen and KATSEYE announced that 23-year-old member Manon Bannerman will take a temporary hiatus from group activities to focus on her health and wellbeing; the labels and group said they fully support her and that scheduled activities will continue. Manon posted on Weverse saying she is healthy, taking care of herself, and grateful for fans' support. The group thanked fans (Eyekons) for their patience and emphasized their commitment to reuniting when the time is right. Bannerman, born in Switzerland and known for fashion and lifestyle posts, has previously spoken about frequent illness, cultural expectations around work–life balance, and online criticism, context that the statements said factored into her decision. KATSEYE, which rose from the 2023 reality series and a Netflix docuseries, has released two EPs and multiple Billboard-charting singles including “Gnarly” and “Gabriela,” and received Grammy nominations this year.
Key Points
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KATSEYE’s commercial for Gap (set to Kelis’ “Milkshake”) went viral in 2025, generating about 400 million views and roughly eight billion social media impressions; the group also won Best Performance at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, underscoring their massive reach ahead of the hiatus.
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Members of KATSEYE told the BBC they and their families have faced intense online harassment — including “thousands” of death threats — prompting discussions about the toll of constant public feedback; Sophia Laforteza said, “No human is supposed to receive that much feedback on something that they've created.”
3
In a Feb. 17 interview with The Cut, Manon acknowledged a reputation for missing rehearsals and tied it to cultural differences: “It’s the way I grew up… In Switzerland, if you’re sick, you take a day off. No one’s going to expect you to work.” She added that being labeled “lazy, especially as a Black girl, is not fair,” and said it made her feel she had to overprove herself.
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In a September 2025 interview with Billboard Philippines Manon reflected on KATSEYE’s rapid rise and the surreal experience of established artists listening to their songs, name-checking acts like the Jonas Brothers, and encouraged young girls to dream big: “I want to show girls that they can do whatever they want, and that you know you can never dream too big.”
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