The latest must-see docuseries from Netflix Pop Star Academy: KATSEYEis a behind-the-scenes look at a new kind of girl group. In 2021, two of the world’s biggest labels – HYBE, the K-pop juggernaut behind groups like BTS, and Geffen Records, home of Olivia Rodrigo and Camilla Cabello – set out to create a new global girl group by recruiting singers and dancers from around the world to train them using the traditional K-pop system. From 120,000 entries, 20 girls were chosen to take part in the competition The debut: Dream Academya survival show in which fan votes decide which talented candidates of the six-member group KATSEYE will make their debut.
The new eight-episode series takes viewers on the journey of the band’s formation, from the trainees’ first lessons to the live finale of Dream Academy. The cameras rolled for over a year as the young hopefuls overcame doubt, homesickness and even injuries in the hope of becoming pop stars. Read on to get to know the fascinating trainees of Pop Star Academy: KATSEYEincluding the six members who made their official debut earlier this summer.
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The KATSEYE members
Daniela
Daniela, 19, already had experience with reality TV before joining Dream Academy; she participated as a ballroom dancer in the 13th season of So you think you can dance at age 11. The Atlanta native, who is bilingual in English and Spanish, has also competed in dance competitions internationally and has consistently been in the top lists among dance trainees.
Daniela took third place on The debut: Dream Academy and debuted as a member of KATSEYE.
Instagram: @daniela_avanzini
Lara
Lara, an Indian-American, was a 17-year-old high school student when she was recruited to join Dream Academy due to her singing talent and star power. She had previously worked in television, appearing in a campaign for Michelle Obama’s Global Girls Alliance in 2018. The LA-raised singer quickly became a fan favorite as she proudly highlighted her Indian culture in her styling and on social media.
Lara reached second place on The debut: Dream Academy and debuted as a member of KATSEYE.
Instagram: @lararajj
Manon
Manon, 22, was working as a model in her native Switzerland when she was noticed at a casting and recruited, Pop Star Academy. Before the docuseries, Manon started writing songs at age 15. According to her Netflix bio, “living with so many cultures – her mother is Swiss and Italian and her father is Ghanaian – gave her confidence.” She trained for a year before becoming a fan favorite at Dream Academy, although she clashed with the other trainees due to differing work ethics.
Manon reached sixth place on The debut: Dream Academy and debuted as a member of KATSEYE.
Instagram: @meretmanon
Megan
Megan, 18, was born in Hawaii and grew up between Honolulu and LA. According to her Netflix bio, she learned hula and Tahitian dance at age 2 and worked as an international model. After joining Pop Star Academy Through worldwide auditions, Megan trained for over a year and became a standout candidate at Dream Academy.
Megan finished fifth on The debut: Dream Academy and debuted as a member of KATSEYE.
Instagram: @meganskiendiel
Sophia
21-year-old singer Sophia was born in New York and grew up in Manila, Philippines, where she started singing at age 3 and dancing at age 5. Her mother is Carla Guevara Laforteza, a well-known singer and actress. Despite her mother’s fame, Sophia passed the worldwide audition alone and kept it a secret from her parents. She trained in LA for over a year and eventually became a fan favorite at Dream Academy, where she placed in the top two in all missions.
Sophia took first place on The debut: Dream Academy and debuted as the leader of KATSEYE.
Instagram: @sophia_laforteza
Yoonchae
Yoonchae is a 16-year-old singer from South Korea who first passed K-pop trainee auditions in 2020 after becoming a fan of BTS. She joined Hybe x Geffen before Dream Academy and quickly became one of the competition’s frontrunners.
Yoonchae finished fourth on The debut: Dream Academy and debuted as a maknae (youngest member) of KATSEYE.
Instagram: @y0on_cha3
The trainees
Abby
According to her Netflix bio, Abby grew up in the small mining town of Red Cliff, Colorado, “where there was no cell reception and the winters were really long and snowmobiles were the mode of transportation of choice.” She was 17 when she joined the apprenticeship, and although she was the first to be kicked out of the program, she forms a bond with her fellow apprentices and her voice teacher.
Abby now releases music as a solo artist under the pseudonym Abby Paradise.
Instagram: @abby.saltzman; TikTok: @abbyparadiseiscute
Adela
At the age of 19, Adéla moved from her home country of Slovakia to LA to pursue an education. The singer-songwriter and former ballet dancer quickly attracted attention Pop Star Academyas a talented artist and mother figure among the younger trainees. While she was a member of the cast of The debut: Dream Academyshe is eliminated after the first round.
Adéla stayed in LA after Dream Academy and actively posts cover songs on social media.
Instagram: @adelajergova; TikTok: @adelajergova
Brooklyn
Brooklyn, 18, is a Texas-born singer-songwriter, model and content creator who, according to her official bio, began modeling as a toddler and began writing songs at age eight. She was expelled from Dream Academy after Mission 2.
Brooklyn is currently a solo artist based in LA
Instagram: @houseofbrooklyn; TikTok: @houseofbrooklyn
Sky blue
Celeste, 20, is an Argentinian singer who went through Mission 3 on Dream Academy before being eliminated before the live finale. She currently lives in LA
Instagram: @celestee._4
Emily
Emily, 18, is a professional dancer and actress who has been competing and working in the dance world since she was five years old. The Dallas native has previously appeared in shows including this is us And Fresh from the boatand she made her acting debut in the 2015 horror film The Lazarus Effect. She was one of the best dance students in Pop Star Academyand she made it to the Dream Academy live finals, where she placed ninth.
Emily currently works as a professional dancer and influencer and regularly posts dance videos (including collaborations with dance teacher Nikky Palmero) on social media.
Instagram: @emilykevalos; TikTok: @emilykevalos
Ezrela
Ezrela, 21, is an Australian singer. She was in the first group of trainees, followed by Pop Star Academy. According to her Netflix bio, she speaks four languages, including English and Korean, and she studied animation and sound design in university. She made it to the final live round of Dream Academy, where she placed eighth.
Instagram: @ezrelaa; TikTok: @its.ezy
Hinari
Hinari is 14 years old when she joins Dream Academy as a trainee from Japan. Unfortunately, she was eliminated after Mission 1, partly due to her difficulties as a new trainee.
Ilya
Iliya, 22, is a singer and influencer best known for her cover posts on TikTok, where she has 2.9 million followers. Born in Belarus, Iliya had never danced or taken lessons before joining the first group of trainees for Pop Star AcademyAlthough she gained confidence in dancing over the course of her training year, she was eliminated from the Dream Academy after Mission 2.
Iliya still works as an influencer and posts vocal covers on Instagram and TikTok.
Instagram: @iliya.ria; TikTok: @riais4air
Karlee
Karlee is a 20-year-old singer-songwriter and dancer of Korean and Japanese descent who grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. After over a year of training, she became a contestant on Dream Academy and was eliminated after Mission 2.
Today, Karlee frequently posts song covers and performance videos on social media.
Instagram: @gnarly.karlee; TikTok: @gnarly.karleeee
Lexie
Lexie, 19, is a singer from Stockholm, Sweden, who Pop Star Academy as part of Hybe x Geffen’s first worldwide audition. Although she was considered the favorite, Lexie decided to leave Dream Academy after the tough elimination after Mission 2.
Lexie seems to currently be working as a model in Stockholm.
Instagram: @levin_lexie
marquise
Marquise is an 18-year-old singer from Bangkok, Thailand who joins the trainees before the Dream Academy. She makes it to the live finals where she places 10th.
It is unclear what Marquise is currently up to, although there are rumors that she is a K-pop trainee, as she has not been active on social media since last January.
Instagram: @marquiseaura; TikTok: @marquiseaura
My
Mei is an 18-year-old Japanese trainee who joins the trainees before the Dream Academy. She was eventually eliminated after Mission 2.
Naisha
Naisha, 19, is a Brazilian hip-hop dancer who Pop Star Academy from the worldwide audition. Although she passed the initial monthly evaluations, she was eventually disqualified from training after violating Hybe and Geffen’s confidentiality by posting an original song on social media.
According to social media, she now lives in London and LA and frequently posts dance videos online.
Instagram: @naishawaters
Nayoung
Nayoung, a 21-year-old intern from South Korea, has participated in several Korean reality shows, including The Voice of Korea 2020 And The legend, new singer. She joined the trainees shortly before Dream Academy and quickly became a frontrunner due to her singing talent. However, she was eventually eliminated after Mission 3, partly because she had expressed a desire to become a solo artist.
Nayoung participated in JTBC’s survival show Girl in flames earlier this year and eventually won first place. She will debut as part of the show’s winning girl group.
Instagram: @160.0_0
Samara
Samara is an 18-year-old singer and dancer from São Paulo, Brazil, who joins the trainees later in the training and becomes a crowd favorite of Dream Academy due to her singing. She makes it to the live finals of the survival show, where she finishes in seventh place.
Samara is still actively training to be a pop star and frequently posts singing and dancing videos on social media.
Instagram: @samisiqueiraa; TikTok: @samisiqueiraa
Among others
Ua is a 16-year-old competitive dancer who joined the Dream Academy as a Japanese intern. She was eliminated after Mission 3.