The six-member American girl group Katseye is at the center of a new controversy after their performance of "Gnarly" at the GRAMMYs went viral for all the wrong reasons. Accused of "lacking vocal skill," the members are also facing criticism deemed "sexist" by many fans, who denounce a persistent double standard between female and male artists in the music industry.
A highly anticipated performance, fiercely criticized
Billed as one of the highlights of the evening, Katseye's performance at the GRAMMYs was meant to mark a symbolic milestone for the group, which had already been the subject of criticism for several months. The six members performed "Gnarly," a song already controversial within the fandom, blending intense choreography with a very high-energy stage presence.
Clips of the performance quickly flooded social media, accompanied by harsh comments about their vocal abilities and song choice, with some users even calling the group "one of the worst musical acts around." Comments from one member, filmed backstage saying , "Everyone used to hate this song, now we're playing it at the GRAMMYs," further fueled the anger of some viewers, who saw it as arrogance rather than symbolic revenge.
@entertainmenttonight Oh, God, is this real? 😍 KATSEYE made their debut #GRAMMYs performance with "Gnarly" and the crowd was here for it 👏 #katseye #gnarly ♬ original sound - Entertainment Tonight
Criticism deemed "sexist" by many fans
Faced with this wave of hatred, many fans and observers are denouncing the deeply sexist nature of some of the comments. They point out that Katseye is a girl group that dances and sings simultaneously, which involves real physical exertion, whereas many male artists simply sing while remaining relatively static on stage, without being subject to the same level of scrutiny.
Internet users also point out that, in Katseye's case, everything is scrutinized: appearance, outfits deemed "vulgar," choreography, breathing, facial expressions, even their backstage comments. Conversely, male singers or groups who deliver average vocal performances, but are boosted by staging or production effects, are rarely attacked with such ferocity, and even less so regarding their bodies or their "respectability."
The double standard in the music industry
This case reignites a broader debate about how the industry constructs and judges female artists. In K-pop and global pop, female idols are often judged as if in a perpetual competition: beauty, voice, dance, attitude… everything is added up and then compared, as members of Katseye have already denounced, speaking of “dystopian” comments and pervasive sexist remarks.
The double standard manifests itself on several levels:
It's easier to tolerate a man giving an "average" performance if he has charisma, whereas a woman must combine vocal, visual, and choreographic excellence. The same dance moves can be perceived as "powerful" in a man and "vulgar" or "inappropriate" in a woman. The slightest mistake by female groups becomes a pretext for harassment campaigns, sometimes including death threats, as Katseye has already testified.
In this context, Katseye's performance, deemed "disappointing," serves as a catalyst for discussions that go far beyond simple musical criticism to touch on how women are perceived and judged on stage.
Ultimately, the Katseye case demonstrates just how thin the line is between legitimate artistic criticism and sexist attacks. Yes, one can debate the choice of song or vocal skill, but fans rightly denounce the fact that these young women are judged more harshly than many of their male counterparts. As long as this double standard persists, every controversy surrounding a girl group like Katseye will continue to be an uncomfortable reflection of an industry and an audience that do not evaluate artists equally.
