[EP HYPE] KATSEYE WILD is Coming: PINKY UP, Pre-order Versions, and What the 3rd EP Means

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2026-04-23T08:52:24+01:00

KATSEYE's third EP WILD drops 14 August 2026. Pre-order Standard (Wild World / Wild Heart) and Member versions at SOOJIB with Weverse POB. UK and EU shipping from London. Full guide inside.

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[EP Hype] KATSEYE 3rd EP

KATSEYE WILD is Coming: PINKY UP, Pre-order Versions, and What the 3rd EP Means

The global girl group's third EP lands 14 August 2026. Everything about the rollout says this isn't a comeback. It's an escalation.

KATSEYE's third EP WILD, out 14 August 2026. © HYBE x Geffen Records

KATSEYE are back, and they've picked the most on-brand possible moment to announce it. Fresh off a Coachella debut that had critics reaching for the superlative drawer, the global girl group confirmed their third EP — WILD, out 14 August 2026 via HYBE x Geffen Records. The pre-release single "PINKY UP" already did the softening. Now we know what it was softening us up for.

HYBE x Geffen's official statement frames WILD as "the start of an electrifying new era", shaped by a defining two-year journey and fuelled by growth and transformation. Where BEAUTIFUL CHAOS was chaos you could dance to, WILD leans into something more euphoric and untamed, rooted in self-discovery and self-determination. That's the pitch. "PINKY UP" is how they're backing it up.

PINKY UP at Coachella 2026: How the WILD Era Opened

If you caught any slice of K-pop Twitter on the weekend of 10 April, you saw it. KATSEYE's Sahara Stage debut at Coachella 2026 was a 45-minute set designed to do one thing: prove they could carry a festival crowd. And within that set sat the live premiere of "PINKY UP", a single so precision-engineered for the moment that it felt less like a new song and more like a mission statement.

The Coachella 2026 Sahara Stage debut became the "PINKY UP" live premiere. Photo © Getty / Coachella

The joke of the track is written straight into the visuals. Mona Lisa sipping tea with her little finger lifted. An arcade claw machine yanking a sword out of a pile of bedazzled stuffed animals. Etiquette class, but everyone is holding something sharp. Directed by Bardia Zeinali (Kacey Musgraves, Troye Sivan) and produced by Roisín Moloney (Beyoncé, Lady Gaga), the video trusts you to catch the punchline on the first watch.

Pop that knows it's loud, and leans in.

What KATSEYE WILD Will Sound Like: The PINKY UP Clues

On paper, "PINKY UP" is pop. In practice, it's pop that has spent too much time on the internet. The production is glossy and abrasive at the same time, a hyperpop detonation laid over a club pulse with actual teeth. There's a playful nihilism threaded through it that stops the whole thing from feeling disposable. It knows it's loud. It leans in.

"PINKY UP" visuals: Mona Lisa with a teacup, claw machines, swords in stuffed animals. Still via KATSEYE "PINKY UP" MV © HYBE x Geffen

Look at the credits and the direction makes sense. Writing comes from Justin Tranter (Selena Gomez, Chappell Roan, and a BEAUTIFUL CHAOS returnee), Skyler Stonestreet, Sorana, David Wilson and Magsy. Production from "Hitman" Bang, Dwilly and Frants. It's the kind of lineup you build when you want a track to travel past the K-pop corner of Spotify and into the general pop bloodstream.

What "PINKY UP" tells us about the full EP is the important bit. WILD is leaning harder into chaos in the best possible way. HYBE x Geffen's own framing calls the era "euphoric and untamed", rooted in self-discovery and self-determination, and that tracks with what "PINKY UP" actually sounds like: a group making pop that doesn't ask permission. Expect five tracks that treat pop as a playground rather than a formula. Expect the group's Dream Academy training to keep showing up in the choreography but get dragged somewhere weirder. The KATSEYE thesis has always been a cat's eye gemstone — iridescent, shifting colour depending on where the light hits. WILD sounds like the angle where all six colours bend at once.

Sophia Manon Daniela Lara Megan Yoonchae

KATSEYE's 2026 Numbers: Why WILD's Timing Makes Sense

KATSEYE's PINKY UP Choreography MV extended the Coachella momentum into streaming charts. Still via KATSEYE "PINKY UP" Choreography MV © HYBE x Geffen

✦ KATSEYE in numbers (Mar–Apr 2026)

Spotify 30.85M monthly listeners, #1 girl group worldwide

PINKY UP 7.26M YouTube views in first 24h

PINKY UP chart Spotify Daily Top Songs Global #13, US #10 (as of 12 April)

Streams 18.1M cross-platform in 4 days, surpassing "Gabriela" and "Internet Girl"

BEAUTIFUL CHAOS 1 billion Spotify streams in under 5 months, Billboard 200 #4 peak, 41 weeks on chart

Grammys 2026 Best New Artist nominee

AMAs 2026 3 nominations (New Artist of the Year, Best Music Video, Breakthrough Pop Artist)

WILD is not being released into a quiet room. KATSEYE crossed 30.85 million monthly Spotify listeners between mid-March and mid-April, which made them the biggest girl group on the platform for that window, full stop. "PINKY UP" out-streamed every previous release in its first four days and kept climbing, landing at #13 on Spotify's Daily Global and #10 on the Daily US by 12 April. Three American Music Award nominations landed in the same week as the EP announcement, on top of their earlier Grammy Best New Artist nod. The festival slate between now and August reads like a victory lap that hasn't officially been called one yet: Coachella both weekends, Governors Ball in June, Hinterland in July, a headline slot at 88rising's Head In The Clouds on 8 August. WILD drops six days after that. The timing is almost suspicious.

KATSEYE Discography 2024-2026: From Debut to WILD Timeline

For anyone who picked up the thread late, here's the short version of how a group formed on a Netflix reality show became the most-watched girl group rollout of 2026.

"Gnarly" — the lead single that opened the BEAUTIFUL CHAOS 2nd EP era (2025). Still via KATSEYE "Gnarly" MV © HYBE x Geffen

Jun 2024

"Debut"

The reintroduction single, straight off Dream Academy. Proof of concept for a global girl group assembled across Korea, the Philippines, Switzerland and the US.

Jul 2024

"Touch" (feat. YEONJUN of TXT)

The first viral moment. NME named it one of the 50 best songs of 2024, calling it pop that becomes muscle memory. Still the track most newcomers remember.

Aug 2024

SIS (Soft Is Strong) — 1st EP

The debut EP. A surprisingly cohesive early outing that laid out KATSEYE's core thesis: pop built on contrast, softness as a strategy.

Apr 2025

"Gnarly"

The comeback pivot. Louder, weirder, more confrontational. Earned an AMA nom for Best Music Video and signalled the group's appetite for risk.

Jun 2025

BEAUTIFUL CHAOS — 2nd EP

The breakthrough. Peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 41 weeks. Crossed 1 billion Spotify streams in under 5 months and landed in the Top 10 of US CD sales for 2025. Featured "Gabriela" (Grammy-nominated for Best Pop Duo or Group Performance) and "Gnarly" (13 weeks on the Hot 100). This is where KATSEYE stopped being a promising act and became a headline act.

Jan 2026

"Internet Girl"

Standalone single kicking off 2026. Produced by Mattman and Robin, exploring the chaos of being online via irony, hyper visibility and digital performance. Teased live on the Beautiful Chaos Tour before the studio version dropped.

Apr 2026

"PINKY UP"

The WILD pre-release. Live debuted at Coachella on 10 April, released digitally on 9 April. 7.26M YouTube views in 24 hours and climbed to #13 on Spotify Daily Global / #10 on Daily US by 12 April. The track that told us WILD was going to be loud.

Why KATSEYE's WILD EP Matters: 3rd EP Context Explained

"Internet Girl" (Jan 2026) — the first OT5 release after Manon's hiatus, setting the tone for the WILD era. Still via KATSEYE "Internet Girl" Visualizer © HYBE x Geffen

Plenty of K-pop acts have a hot summer. Fewer turn that summer into the launchpad for something structural. WILD sits at a particular kind of inflection point — the project where a group either consolidates its moment or lets it slip. Everything about the rollout says KATSEYE know exactly which one they're aiming for.

Three signals worth holding on to. First, the sound. "PINKY UP" is the sharpest, strangest single they've released, and it's the one they chose to open the era with. That's a group willing to push past easy radio pop. Second, the timing. WILD drops on 14 August, six days after 88rising's Head In The Clouds, which means the festival summer isn't a separate campaign — it's the warm-up. Third, the track record. BEAUTIFUL CHAOS spent 41 weeks on the Billboard 200, crossed a billion Spotify streams in under five months, and landed in the Top 10 of US CD sales for 2025. WILD is not a first swing. It's the follow-up to a record that already worked. Five tracks, HYBE x Geffen, writing and production from people who work with Gaga, Beyoncé, Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter. This EP is positioned for global pop charts, not just the K-pop column.

For EYEKONS, the practical bit: pre-orders are open now, and SOOJIB is carrying both Standard and Member versions, with POB bundles locking in exclusive selfie photocards and acrylic keyrings from Weverse, Makestar, Ktown4u and Soundwave. Member Ver. has been confirmed as a five-member selection at checkout — Daniela, Lara, Megan, Sophia, and Yoonchae — reflecting the current OT5 lineup as Manon remains on hiatus. Standard Ver. comes in two photobook options (Wild World and Wild Heart), both included in SOOJIB's Standard ver. listing. For the complete KATSEYE release history and official channels, check the official KATSEYE site.

POB
SOLD OUT

[POB] KATSEYE — WILD (Standard ver.)

£27.00
POB
SOLD OUT

[POB] KATSEYE — WILD (Member ver.)

£17.00

SOLD OUT

[Pre-order] KATSEYE — WILD (Standard ver.)

£27.00

SOLD OUT

[Pre-order] KATSEYE — WILD (Member ver.)

£17.00

KATSEYE WILD Pre-order FAQ

When does KATSEYE WILD release?

KATSEYE's third EP WILD releases on 14 August 2026 via HYBE x Geffen Records. The lead single PINKY UP was pre-released on 9 April 2026.

What is the title track for KATSEYE WILD?

PINKY UP is the pre-release single for WILD. KATSEYE debuted the track live at Coachella Weekend 1 on 10 April 2026. The full tracklist will be announced by HYBE x Geffen Records at a later date.

Which versions of KATSEYE WILD are available?

Two main physical versions are available at SOOJIB: Standard ver. (with Wild World and Wild Heart photobook options) and Member ver. (with five-member selection at checkout — Daniela, Lara, Megan, Sophia, and Yoonchae). Both versions are available as POB bundles and standard pre-orders.

Where can I buy KATSEYE WILD in the UK with Weverse POB?

SOOJIB (soojib.com) carries KATSEYE WILD pre-orders with Weverse, Makestar, Ktown4u, and Soundwave POB bundles. SOOJIB ships from London with UK and EU delivery.

Does KATSEYE WILD include Manon?

Manon Bannerman remains on hiatus as announced in February 2026. The WILD Member ver. is a five-member selection (Daniela, Lara, Megan, Sophia, Yoonchae), reflecting the current OT5 promotional lineup.

Pre-order WILD at SOOJIB ✦

POB included on both Standard and Member versions. UK & EU delivery sorted.
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