The KATSEYE Members Talk About What Sophia Laforteza Is Like as a Leader

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KATSEYEis making leaps well beyond their beginnings as trainees in The Debut: Dream Academy. After emerging as the girl group’s official debutantes in the competition reality show, the six members–Lara, Yoonchae, Daniela, Manon, Megan, and our very own Filipina and leader Sophia Laforteza–are now a full-fledged unified act, with the trending song "Touch" rocking the charts.

READ: KATSEYE Members Talk About Sophia Laforteza’s Leadership

Fresh off the release of their EP SIS (Soft Is Strong), the sextet made their stops across Asia, which included the Philippines, the home turf of group leader Sophia. A day before the KATSEYE: Touchdown in Manila Official Fan Showcaseon September 18, the girl group sat down with members of the press in an exclusive conference to discuss their latest release and the goings-on of the diverse all-girl team.

With the girl group’s members spanning countries like the United States, Switzerland, South Korea, and the Philippines, fans and listeners can only wonder what it’s like to become a unified group, given their different cultures and influences.

According to Sophia, to maintain their group dynamic, it’s all about endlessly learning and understanding. "I’d say one of the biggest things that I learned, truly, is that you never do stop learning, and staying open-minded to a lot of things that come your way. They can really make you grow. Not just as a person, but as an artist."

"It allowed us to work with each other and reach the goal that we're all heading towards, which really is connecting with the world," she explained.

As the group leader, Sophia plays a pivotal part in gluing the team together, which comes with its set of challenges and its own rewards–including the friendships forged. "I feel like being a leader of KATSEYE is such an honor," she stated.

"I love and care for these girls so much, and so I feel like because of that, and knowing that they trust me, and that I feel a mutual respect and care for them, it makes the job of being a leader a lot easier and less stressful than I feel like I anticipated," Sophia expressed. "And so, the leader position truly does come a lot easier because of them."

When asked about Sophia’s leadership, the girls were all praise for the Filipina member. "Sophia is the best leader," Daniela said. "She always takes care of us and makes sure that we’re doing okay. And whenever we're upset or frustrated with something, we always go to her and she always helps us."

Lara echoed the thought. "I feel like she is our comfort person, for sure!"

The singer addressed their leader, saying, "You are mom of the group, but you’re also cool," she laughed. "You're so non-judgmental always. And I feel like if we need help with anything, we can always trust her and go to her, and she’s not going to judge us. She’s just going to help us."

READ: KATSEYE on Meeting Liza Soberano at New York Fashion Week and Being Niana Guerrero Fans

During the press con, the members expressed their excitement for their Philippine stop, which was a first for many of them. The five members recalled how Sophia had taught them a couple of Filipino sentences, and how they were excited to try out the local dishes. According to them, the girls even had dinner planned with Sophia’s family.

Alongside that is getting to know Filipino pop culture, down to familiarizing themselves with the Philippines’ household names. The group recounted their first fashion show guest appearance at Coach’s New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2025 showcase, which was also attended by actress Liza Soberano. "[Meeting her] was absolutely insane," Sophia said. "She is a goddess in person."

Lara agreed, saying that the actress was "gorgeous." "We would love to do something with her."

"Hopefully, like, a cute TikTok with her or something," Sophia chimed in, then laughing. "Maybe a movie?"

Other than their fellow New York Fashion Week attendee, the girls also raved about PreviewBest Dressed 2024 honoree and dancer extraordinaire Niana Guerrero. Sophia recalled showing Niana’s videos to the members. "I show her videos a lot to the girls," she said. "She's so cute, especially her little sister."

A potential collaboration between the two Filipina acts would be "really cool," Sophia said, adding that there were "a lot" of Filipino celebrities on her head. It’s on the group’s bucket list, which includes winning awards, among many. For now, their EP SISis a strong start to their goals.

"Our group is very strong, and that’s a message that we really want to share, and we want others to feel," Lara stated. "Through the songs, we want people to feel like the best version of themselves, very confident, but also vulnerable and real."

SIS (Soft Is Strong)is available to stream and purchase on music platforms, while viewers can catch their documentaryPop Star Academy: KATSEYEon Netflix.