KATSEYE’s new single “ANIMAL” just dropped; Is 2026 their year?

HYBE x Geffen’s global girl group sensation, KATSEYE, has just dropped their new single ‘Animal,’ which is now the second track released before the official and full release of their third EP ‘WILD.’

‘WILD’ drops on August 13th, 2026. Following the release of their debut EP ‘Beautiful Chaos’ back in June of last year, KATSEYE has released many singles in between, including ‘Internet Girl’ and ‘PINKY UP’ and their recent collaboration ‘ICONIC BY MISTAKE’ with LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT.

KATSEYE is notorious for spoiling their future releases ahead of time, whether it be music video teasers or not-so-subtle hints in interviews and lives. ‘PINKY UP,’ the first song in the EP, was teased on multiple ends, such as using the gesture of drinking tea with their pinky up. For ‘Animal,’ the group had teased that one of the songs would be jazzy, including the melody and outfits.

With the release of ‘Animal,’ the 5-song EP is almost fully out, with half of the tracks already dropped with tons of streams across all platforms such as Spotify, YouTube and Apple Music. This is a common pattern with not just KATSEYE but also with other music artists. For example, ‘Gabriela’ and ‘Gnarly’ were released as singles before ‘Beautiful Chaos’ and ‘Debut’ and ‘Touch’ were also released as singles before ‘SIS (Soft Is Strong) was fully released.’ This common pattern allows fans to get the first glimpse into the EP a few months ahead of time. A few months later, closer to the full release, the second single is dropped, opening up even more of a shot into the vibe of the EP and what it entails.

KATSEYE is known for having a messy fandom with constant contradicting complaints on lack of vocals and a lack of dancing. Since their debut, the six-member group has evolved from a delicate theme to a bold, mature concept. The ‘Animal’ music video featured simpler choreography, allowing the girls to sing comfortably, along with bold looks including darker makeup, red wigs and glamorous dresses. ‘PINKY UP’ also had mature outfits, highlighting what is their main concept now.

The ‘Animal’ music video also included a few partnerships with brands such as Jollibee and Bose. This is also a recurring pattern in music videos with TruFru in ‘PINKY UP,’ Invisalign in ‘Gabriela,’ etc. Not to mention the other collaborations with Laneige, Matrix, Gap and Pandora. KATSEYE is booming not just in business but in popularity.

Nearly all of KATSEYE’s songs have gone viral within a very short time of the original release. With plenty of fans cheering the girls on and constant streams of support in the midst of backlash, KATSEYE seems to have a future of even more success lined up.