Manon Bannerman of KATSEYE always knew she was destined to be a singer. At age 15, The Ghanaian, Swiss-Italian would write songs with her ukelele and piano, “there were a lot of cringey love songs about crushes or my cat”’ Manon laughs while she confesses this to me over Zoom. She is currently having a rest day back at the KATSEYE home in Los Angeles after getting back from a New York work trip.
The 22-year-old is one of 6 members from South Korean entertainment giant, HYBE’s label partnership with Geffen Records to create the next global popstar group. Manon Bannerman is one of the winners of Netflix’s Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE — a K-pop training competition series, where Bannerman competed to attain her dream life. The show deconstructed the process of what goes into the making of a K-pop star. Historically, the musical formula of K-pop stardom, until now, has been kept under wraps and secretive to most.
“I literally only knew BTS,” Bannerman admits when remembering how foreign the K-pop genre was to her at one point in her life. “The Academy and the other girls [in the group] taught me a lot about K-pop and I did a whole deep dive on it because it was such a new world for me and we all live together.” KATSEYE is on the brink of a global takeover even without releasing a full album or touring yet. The fresh, diversified iteration of the K-pop it-girl group is Manon Bannerman’s new home and she knows she represents a community of artists who aren’t commonly associated with the genre.
On Tiktok, the phenomena of KATSEYE is pouring into the minds of Gen Z and Milennial users. Their viral dance trend to “Touch” has users doing the group’s choreography to their R&B pop-hit and Manon Bannerman refers to “Touch” as her all-time favorite KATSEYE song. Then, Bannerman catchs up with Essence Girls United to talk more about bonding with her girls, being the Beyoncé of her family, and spending her childhood summers in Italy.
Girls United: Being Ghanaian, Italian, and Swiss and from Switzerland, how has growing up in a multi-cultural household influenced your taste in art and music?
Manon: I’m so blessed to have been growing up in a household where there’s so many different cultures. My dad is Ghanaian, so I’m really connected to my West African heritage. My mom is Swiss and Italian. I learned a lot about those cultures because we spent almost every summer in Italy. I feel like it broadens me and I have a bigger understanding of the world.
GU: What artists did you grow up listening to?
Manon: My mom was obsessed with Manu Chao when I grew up, so he was always playing in our house. My dad is a piano and classical music lover.
GU: Knowing multiple languages like German, Swiss-German and basic French, which language outside of English would you want to sing more of in one day?
Manon: I’ve been trying to get more into learning Twi from my dad. That’s what they speak in Ghana. He unfortunately didn’t teach me growing up but my auntie really wants me to learn it so I really want to tap into that next.
GU: You have been a songwriter since you were 15, was being a singer always the dream goal?
Manon: I always knew from a very young age I wanted to be a creative. I never saw myself doing a 9 to 5. So songwriting and teaching myself the piano and making songs on my ukulele was always my form of a late at night bedroom activity, just for fun, little outlet. I never really thought that singing would actually turn into my job because growing up in Switzerland, that was just not really what would happen for people. It was unrealistic to have a career path like that so I’m just insanely happy that it worked out.
GU: With 5 other supporters always by your side in Katseye, what do bonding days look like with you all when there are no scheduled occasions?
Manon: We have a very, very hectic schedule right now. On our days off, we try to rest as much as possible and not do anything. So most of the time, that just looks like us all living together and watching a new show together or just simple things like eating something together, but we really don’t try to do much when we have a rest day.
GU: Being the only Black girl in the group and the world perceiving you as such although you grew up in Europe, how does it feel to be so embraced by the world but also knowing that you represent a community of people who aren’t normally visible in the K-pop world?
Manon: I feel insanely grateful because I get to be a role model to girls who are maybe from other countries that are not as big. Especially, for girls that grew up looking different than everyone else. So being able to be that is amazing, because that’s always what I wanted to have growing up. In Switzerland, seeing someone that looks like me, making it big out there, and being a good influence. I’m just trying to be the best version of myself and inspire other young girls out there. It’s a privilege, honestly.
GU: When you guys have a night out all together, what is your current favorite song to jam out to while getting ready?
Manon: We’re obsessed with XG right now. It’s a J-pop group. Otherwise, Tyler, The Creator. He just dropped his new album today so I can’t wait to listen to that with the girls. What is weird is we all love the exact same music. It doesn’t matter if Sophia puts on music or Lara or Megan, whatever they play is exactly what I love so we’re all super in sync in our music tastes.
GU: Lastly, what are you looking forward to most about doing more live tours and performances?
Manon: I can’ wait to perform “Touch” more. It’s turned into such an emotional song to me because that is the song that kind of changed our lives. I am always the most excited about meeting fans and seeing them in person, because that is the moment where I can tell that our hard work is paying off the most. There are so many people telling us different stories and many of them travel so far just to see us. It’s surreal and it’s such an amazing feeling and being able to hug them and tell them how much we appreciate them is so rewarding and is truly the best part of this all.