KATSEYE member Manon Bannerman is taking an indefinite hiatus from the group.
On February 20, HYBE x Geffen, their record label, took to Weverse to announce, “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 wellbeing.”
The post continues to say, “We fully support this decision. KATSEYE remains committed to showing up for one another and for the fans who mean everything to us. The group will continue scheduled activities during this time, and we look forward to being together again when the time is right.”
They end it by saying, “Thank you to our EYEKONS for your continued love, patience, and understanding.”
The statement came weeks after KATSEYE performed at the Grammy Awards on February 1. There, they received nominations for best new artist and best pop duo/group performance for the song “Gabriela.”
Bannerman commented on the post, “Thank you for standing by me. I love you endlessly and can’t wait to see you again.”
It was hours after the official announcement that Bannerman posted a slightly different message, saying,” Hi friends. I want you to hear this from me, I’m healthy, I’m okay, and I’m taking care of myself. Thank u for checking in…. I love you endlessly and can’t wait to see you again.”
Many noticed how Bannerman liked an Instagram reel by Simply Simone (Simone Umba). The caption read, “Another Black girl subjected to racism and label mistreatment yet again.”
The video draws parallels between Bannerman and other black women in girl groups, such as Normani from Fifth Harmony and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix.
The video also discusses how much animosity that Bannerman and Daniela Avanzini have received in the past weeks. This theorized to be due to opinions about their race. Many have questioned if Bannerman was an actual representation for Black girls, as she is biracial.
Umba also asks the question, “Why is it that whenever we have a sole Black girl in a girl group, she is the victim and the most suffering?”
On Instagram, The Cut posted quotes from the interview they did with Bannerman, where she told them, “Being called lazy, especially as a Black girl, is not fair. Now I feel like I always need to put in extra work to prove something, even though I really don’t.”
She also addressed her work-life balance and the difference between the American culture and the Swiss culture.
“America has a very different culture when it comes to work-life balance. You guys are all about grind and hustle. In Switzerland, if you’re sick, you take a day off. No one’s going to expect you to work.”
Fans have also noted that Bannerman, Halle Bailey, Raye, Normani, and Pinnock all followed each other after the announcement, with the latter half being outspoken on experiencing racism as the only black members of their groups. It was after Bannerman followed her that Pinnock posted, “We need to protect each other,” as reported by Pop Crave.
Officially, the reason behind Bannerman’s hiatus is still officially “health reasons.” HYBE does have a history of losing members from girl groups. Each was a different circumstance: Le Sserafim’s Kim Garam left following bullying allegations, ILLIT’s Youngseo departed early in the run of the group, and NewJeans’ Danielle announced her departure after contractual disputes.
KATSEYE is scheduled to perform at Lollapalooza South America this month as well as Coachella in April. It’s still unclear if the fan theories are true or if Bannerman is simply taking time to recover from the hectic life of being in a famous girl group. Whether Bannerman will be in attendance or not is still up in the air. Regardless, we want to support her journey. We hope all goes well and that this can lead to other performers and celebrities prioritizing their mental and physical health.
