STACK #262 August 2026

MUSIC FEATURE

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Katseye took their name from the gemstone chrysoberyl, which is known as “cat’s eye”. THE NAME GAME

BORN TO BE WILD T hree decades after the Spice Girls took Girl Power to the top of the charts, the world has a new girl group phenomenon: Katseye. Meet Sophia conquer the world. More than 120,000 girls auditioned; 20 were selected for a three-month boot Global girl group Katseye go Wild on their new release.

Katseye

camp, which became the Netflix series Pop Star Academy . An Australian contestant, Ezrela Abraham, finished eighth. “I think Katseye could have easily been very artificial,” Lara admits. “But we got really lucky

Wild by Katseye is out Aug 14 via Universal

Laforteza, 23; Daniela Avanzini, 22; Lara Raj, 20; Megan Skiendiel, 20; and Yoonchae Jeung, 18. Vanity Fair says they “look like life-size Bratz dolls fresh from the box”. And the women say they’re living their real-life Hannah Montana dream. Katseye was put together by Hybe –

CHART FACT

It follows a difficult period for Katseye after the group’s sixth member, Manon Bannerman, stepped away in February Katseye were nominated for ‘Best New Artist’ at this year’s Grammy Awards. The trophy went to Olivia Dean. AWARD WATCH

with who was chosen, because all of us are very authentically ourselves.” August brings the group’s third EP, Wild , which Lara says is “a more mature evolution

“to focus on her health and wellbeing”. The label called Manon’s

Katseye have had three Top 40 singles in Australia, with Pinky Up from Wild hitting number 19.

the South Korean company behind BTS - and Geffen Records. Their aim? To create a K-pop inspired girl group to

departure a “temporary hiatus”, with the singer saying: “I’m really grateful for the patience and kindness everyone has shown during this time.” Jeff Jenkins

from our last era”.

LOST & FOUND Phoebe Bridgers returns with her first solo album in six years.

I f you’re going to see Phoebe Bridgers on The Lost Tour, make sure you leave your phone at home. The American star announced the run of dates with a simple Insta message: “I’m going on tour, no phones.” Yep, no filming, no photos, and no social media posts during the show. Fans will be forced to focus on the music. Lost Boys , the lead single from Phoebe’s new album Lost Weekend , is believed to feature a line about the perils of the smartphone: “This machine is killing me.” Or that’s how some

produced by Jack Antonoff, and Phoebe’s boygenius buddies Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus contribute backing vocals. Phoebe has won four Grammy Awards, including ‘Best Alternative Music Album’ for The Record , the debut album by boygenius. AWARD WATCH

Phoebe Bridgers

Music’s most famous “lost weekend” was the 18 months that John Lennon spent estranged from Yoko Ono. He spent most of that time in Los Angeles and New York with May Pang.

Phoebe’s record company announced the new album via a press release, declaring the record finds the artist at the “height of her powers, a master, taking nothing more seriously than this craft, refining here many of the motifs that distinguished her work previously on this new album that’s otherwise, everywhere, full of surprises”. Phoebe’s fans have speculated about the origins of the album title.

critics have read it. When Phoebe did a pop-up show in New York to preview the tour, she told the crowd: “If any of you have figured out how to stick an Apple Watch up your arse or whatever to record, just please don’t put it on the internet.” Lost Boys was co

CHART FACT

Phoebe has called Lennon “easily the best Beatle”, highlighting that he

was “such an icon for so many people who are my heroes, like Elliott Smith and Daniel Johnston”. Phoebe also sang about Lennon in Moon Song : “And we fought about John Lennon until I cried.” Jeff Jenkins

Phoebe’s previous solo album,

Lost Weekend by Phoebe Bridgers is out Aug 14 via Rocket

2020’s Punisher , hit number 12 in Australia.

38 AUGUST 2026

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