KATSEYE are a global phenomenon. After forming via a 2023 talent competition that was presented on YouTube, and chronicled in the 2024 Netflix series Pop Star Academy, the international girl group is selling out arenas worldwide.
My 11-year-old daughter is one of the millions of fans (aka EYEKONS) the group has amassed in such a short time, and when their Fall 2026 North American “Wildworld Tour” was announced back in May, I knew she couldn’t miss a chance to see KATSEYE when they hit the New York area. Thankfully, I was able to score a couple tickets to the first of their two sold-out shows at the UBS Arena this past weekend.
As a Gen X dad and the Managing Editor of Heavy Consequence, my musical tastes tend to lean a little heavier. The last three shows I saw prior to Saturday night were AC/DC, Mastodon, and Social Distortion. And while I was psyched to see all of those bands, I was far more excited for my daughter to see KATSEYE, as it was her first official concert.
When we got to the arena at roughly 6:15 p.m., the lines at the outdoor merch stands were ridiculously long, as were the lines to get into the venue itself. Apparently, the doors weren’t opening until 6:45 p.m., leaving little time before the expected 8 p.m. showtime.
While in line to get in, we heard several shrieks and screams as a rush of young girls crowded a lanky blond teenager who I couldn’t identify if my life depended on it. My daughter knew right away it was Ian Lex — a YouTuber and TikToker who has a whopping 2.5 million followers thanks to his viral videos about KATSEYE — and she was able to get a picture with him, starting her night off with a thrilling surprise.
Once inside the arena and at our seats, my daughter had another brush with fame. She saw KATSEYE member Megan’s mother Sylvia sitting in the same section, and approached her to say hi. “How did she know that’s Megan’s mom?,” I wondered, before learning that she recognized her from the Netflix series. As it turns out, Sylvia was the absolute sweetest, gifting my daughter a little goodie bag filled with a bracelet, a couple of Megan trading cards, and a thank-you note for attending the show.