KATSEYE’s Sophia Announces Temporary Break from Group to Focus on ‘Mental Health and Wellness’: ‘Health Has to Come First’

Rachel DeSantisFri, August 7, 2026 at 5:38 PM UTC

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Sophia Laforteza in Los Angeles in October 2025.Credit: Presley Ann/Getty -

Sophia Laforteza is temporarily stepping back from KATSEYE to focus on her mental health and wellness

The group announced her decision just one week before the release of their new EP Wild

The news comes six months after groupmate Manon Bannerman also stepped away

Sophia Laforteza is taking a temporary step back from KATSEYE.

The singer, 23, and the girl group announced on Friday, Aug. 7 that she will be prioritizing her “mental health and wellness,” and will therefore be “temporarily unable to participate in upcoming promotional activities.”

“Sophia has been receiving the utmost support, and following thorough consultations with medical professionals, it has been advised that she take dedicated time for extended rest and ongoing care to ensure a full recovery,” KATSEYE wrote in a statement shared to Weverse. “While Sophia herself is eager to perform alongside her members, the health, safety, and long-term well-being of our artists will always remain our highest priority.”

The statement went on to say that KATSEYE would be “closely monitor[ing] her progress and support[ing] her journey,” and that Laforteza’s condition would be reassessed in September.

“We sincerely appreciate your understanding and continued support for Sophia, and we look forward to her being back with KATSEYE,” the statement concluded.

Sophia’s statementCredit: Sophia Laforteza/Instagram

In a post of her own shared to her Instagram Stories, Laforteza wrote that she hadn’t come to the decision to step away easily, but felt she had to put her health first.

“It truly breaks my heart to have to miss out on a lot. You know how much I love being on stage, performing, and sharing these moments with you,” she wrote. “Making this decision wasn’t easy, but I’m learning that health has to come first. I’m realizing that if I don’t take care of my mind and body now, I won’t be able to keep doing what I love the most for so long.”

Laforteza did not disclose any specific health issues, but did thank fans for “being so patient, understanding, and always showing me so much love.”

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“It means more to me than I could ever say. I promise I’m going to work as hard as I can to get through this, heal properly, and come back stronger,” she wrote.

The singer’s decision to step back comes just one week before the release of KATSEYE’s new EP Wild, and six months after groupmate Manon Bannerman announced her own temporary hiatus, citing a focus on her health and well-being.

KATSEYE (with Laforteza second from right) at the Grammy Awards in February 2026.Credit: Etienne Laurent / AFP via Getty

KATSEYE played without Bannerman at Coachella in April, and Laforteza told Allure in June that she’s always welcome to return, but will have to do so in her own time.

“Because we did announce that it is about her well-being, it’s not our place or anybody else’s place to rush her,” she said. “We want to give her all the time that she needs, all the space that she needs, and so we don’t want to make any assumptions, set anything in stone… She really deserves that and the door is always open.”

Laforteza has previously been open about her ADHD diagnosis, saying on a livestream in May that it often makes her life “difficult” and causes “a lot of internal restlessness,” plus trouble sleeping and focusing.

“I go to a psychiatrist, I have a psychologist. I talk to a therapist all the time,” she said. “But yeah, it’s a real thing.”

KATSEYE — which also includes Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel and Yoonchae — released their debut EP in 2024 after forming on the reality competition series Dream Academy, and have been nominated for two Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”