KATSEYE became one of the biggest winners at the 52nd American Music Awards on May 26, 2026. The group won three important awards at the event, including New Artist of the Year, Breakthrough Pop Artist, and Best Music Video for “Gnarly.” The achievement marked a major moment for the global girl group, which debuted in 2024. During the ceremony, member Yoonchae thanked her fellow KATSEYE members in Korean and said she felt grateful to share the special moment with the team. Daniela also thanked fans, known as EYEKONS, using the Spanish language, as well as the group’s friends and family, for supporting them.
Your #AMAs New Artist of the Year is… @katseyeworld! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/oIxI4oolXD
— American Music Awards (@AMAs) May 26, 2026
The girl group’s leader, Sophia, used part of the group’s speech to recognize the people behind KATSEYE’s success. She thanked HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk, also known as Hitman Bang, for producing the group’s songs and helping guide their career. Sophia also mentioned BTS as one of the group’s biggest inspirations. These recognitions followed a strong year for KATSEYE in the United States music market. Songs like “Gnarly,” “Gabriela,” and “Internet Girl” helped the girl band obtain virality and expand their reach.
Most recently, KATSEYE released “Pinky Up” on April 9, 2026, and the song quickly became a global success. The track reached No. 76 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart dated May 23, 2026. KATSEYE also performed the track live during the AMAs ceremony and received loud cheers and screams from fans in the audience. To top things off, the 5-member crew sold out their upcoming arena “WILDTOUR,” proving their growing fanbase and popularity.
