Global girl group KATSEYE is entering a new chapter—one that’s equal parts bold and uncertain.
The group has released their latest single, “Pinky Up,” a playful yet defiant track that arrives amid continued speculation surrounding member Manon’s status. Notably, Manon does not appear on the song following her previously announced hiatus, which has sparked ongoing questions about her future with the group.
Still, “Pinky Up” leans fully into KATSEYE’s identity: chaotic confidence, sharp pop instincts, and a sense of unity that feels both curated and instinctive.
Written by hitmaker Justin Tranter, the track follows January’s “Internet Girl” and lands just ahead of the group’s highly anticipated Coachella performances later this month—arguably one of their biggest stages to date.
The rollout for “Pinky Up” was just as deliberate as the release itself. Teased through a tea party-inspired concept, the visuals played with themes of etiquette and high-society absurdity. The title itself nods to the exaggerated elegance of raising one’s pinky finger while drinking tea—a gesture that becomes ironic in the song’s rebellious context.
“Us against the world / Shaking a– in the parking lot,” they declare.
The track’s lyrics balance irreverence with existential undertones, pairing carefree rebellion with flashes of self-awareness. That duality shows up clearly in lines like:
“I kinda know nothing, just like Socrates
(The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing; ooh)”
Musically, “Pinky Up” is built for performance—high-energy and intentionally chaotic in structure. It’s the kind of track that thrives in a live setting, which makes its timing ahead of Coachella particularly strategic.
While Manon’s absence remains very much felt, the group’s messaging—both in the song and its rollout—leans into resilience and collective identity.
For now, “Pinky Up” feels less like a pause and more like a pivot. And with major performances on the horizon, KATSEYE appears focused on forward momentum, regardless of the questions still circulating.
[Intro: All]
I-I-I-I bet it goes like this
[Chorus: All]
Pinky up (Up)
Pinky up (Up)
Pinky up (Up)
Pinky up (Up)
Put this pinky up
[Verse 1: Megan, Daniela, All]
One day, soon, the world’s gonna end
I’m gonna make out with my new bestest friends
I wanna live large, right before it all burns down
(Up, up, pinky up)
Go hard like we’re robbin’ the Louvre
We Mona Lisa with a cute attitude
I wanna get high right before we’re in the ground
(Ooh)
[Pre-Chorus: Lara, Sophia, All]
Ooh, we’re screaming from cloud nine
No one could touch us if they tried
Ooh, but it’s a state of mind
(I-I-I-I bet it goes like this)
[Chorus: All]
Pin-pinky up (Up)
Pinky up (Up)
Pin-pin-pin-pinky up (Up, up, up)
Pinky up (Up, up)
[Verse 2: Daniela, Sophia, Yoonchae, Megan]
Us against the world, shaking a** in the parking lot
If we get arrested, haha, baby, laugh it off
I love you, you love me, we batsh*t, oui, oui
And I’d kill ’em for you if it got that deep
Fancy is a frequency
A mind of delusion, philosophy
I kinda know nothing, just like Socrates
(The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing; ooh)
[Pre-Chorus: Sophia, Lara, All]
Ooh, we’re screaming from cloud nine
No one could touch us if they tried
Ooh, but it’s a state of mind
(I-I-I-I bet it goes like this)
[Chorus: All]
Pin-pinky up (Up)
Pinky up (Up)
Pin-pin-pin-pinky up (Up, up, up)
Pinky— (One, two, one, two, three, four)
Pin-pinky up (Up, up, up)
Pinky up (Up, up)
Pin-pin-pin-pinky up (Up, up, up)
Pinky up (Up, up)
Pin-pin-pin-pinky— (Up)
