KATSEYE’s pre-Grammys Gnarly comments leave fans cringing amid poor vocals criticism: 'As obnoxious as ever'

Global girl group KATSEYE has quickly become an internet phenomenon, and their 2026 Grammys takeover only cemented their rising status. The six-member group—Sofia, Lara, Manon, Megan, Daniella, and Yoonchae—delivered a high-energy performance of their viral TikTok hit Gnarly, successfully captivating an A-list audience. However, just as praise for the performance was rolling in, a newly surfaced pre-performance video began circulating online, and it’s giving even some of their own fans, called IKONS, the ick.

On February 1, KATSEYE hit the GRAMMYs stage with their viral TikTok track Gnarly. While performing at the GRAMMYs is a massive flex, the reaction online was anything but kind. Social media quickly filled with criticism, with many viewers dragging the vocals and questioning why Gnarly was chosen for such a big stage.

And just when you thought the discourse was done, the internet did what it does best.

A pre-performance clip of the girls backstage resurfaced and went viral, with one member saying, “Remember how everyone used to hate this song? Now we’re playing it at the Grammys, b**ch.”

However, many online called the comment cocky and unnecessary, especially since the performance itself was already under fire. Others pointed out that while Gnarly had its haters before, the GRAMMYs introduced the song to an even bigger audience, including locals who had never heard of KATSEYE before.

The irony is not lost on fans. Gnarly is the song that made KATSEYE a viral name in the first place. It put them on everyone’s feed, but it also became their most polarising track. Plenty of fans agree the girls are way more talented than the song lets on and deserve music that actually shows their full potential.

The video only added fuel to the fire. Instead of coming across as confident, the comment made it seem like the group was clapping back at critics rather than focusing on their music. That rubbed even some fans the wrong way, with fans saying the girls should be focusing on levelling up, not clapping back at positive criticism.

One user wrote on X, "And as obnoxious as ever. Cursing needlessly. They absolutely sucked." Another added, "Love them down, and they ateee their performance, but that wasn’t it, and now they dragged a bunch of new haters to hate it more…it should’ve been Gabriela who performed." "That doesn't mean the song isn't hated. It just means the industry decided to have this industry plant group play because they fit the inclusivity standards since it's a K-group with members from vastly different ethnicities than the usual groups," wrote a third user, while a fourth mentioned, "I mean if that is your intro to new Western markets, you failed. It looks like they know it’s not a good song; why play it on the biggest stage in the US?"

KATSEYE burst onto the scene after being formed on the 2023 reality competition The Debut: Dream Academy, where hopefuls trained hard and battled it out for a spot in the final six before officially debuting on June 28, 2024 with their high-energy single Debut and later the dreamy, viral track Touch from their SIS (Soft Is Strong) EP.



Since then, they’ve dropped bold songs like Gnarly, Gabriela, Gameboy, and the viral January 2026 single Internet Girl, turned heads with dynamic performances, and become one of pop’s most talked-about global groups thanks to their blend of catchy hooks, tight choreography, and nonstop internet buzz.<br><br>