There’s something pretty special about being in a room full of girls screaming the words to songs from a group that didn’t exist 2 years ago. KATSEYE have quickly become a global girl group with a fanbase that stretches across generations, and their London show at the O2 Arena made one thing very clear: this is only the beginning for Daniela, Lara, Megan and Yoonchae, with Manon and Sophia still very much in the hearts of EYEKONS as they take some time away from the stage.

The girls came on stage to a deafening reaction from the EYEKONS, opening with their latest single ‘Hootie Fruitti’ and immediately going all in. Vocals, confetti, choreography, these girls wasted absolutely no time showing the arena what they could do.

‘Internet Girl’ kept the momentum going, with slick choreography and some seriously cool internet-inspired visuals. But it was ‘That Way’ where the first real “wow” moment of the night arrived. The microphones were very much ON, with the four members sounding just as good live as they do on record. KATSEYE took their first opportunity to speak to the crowd soon after, expressing how grateful they were to be back in London and, even more excitingly, to be headlining what they described as their dream stage: the O2 Arena. It’s easy to forget just how quickly things have happened for this group.

Of course, there was no way that their hit song ‘Touch’ was getting left off the setlist. One of their biggest hits had the entire arena moving, while the stage production added another layer to the performance. Then came ‘Mean Girls’, a much softer moment dedicated to girlhood. It felt like one of those songs that could mean something completely different to every person listening, and the vocals really stood out here.

The girlhood theme continued off-stage too, when Daniela spotted a fan dressed as her and crowned her “Gabriela of the night”. After giving the EYEKON a chance to show off her own dance skills, Daniela followed it up with a dance break of her own. It was a ridiculously fun fan interaction and another reminder that Daniela is absolutely living up to her main dancer status. Then came ‘Gabriela’ , a highlight of the night. The transition from Daniela’s solo dance break into the song worked perfectly, eventually building into another huge dance break from the whole group. It was easily one of the night’s standout moments.

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And then the O2 basically turned into a rave. ‘PINKY UP’ completely changed the atmosphere in the arena, with the crowd going wild from the second it started. Megan’s solo moment was the cherry on top, and it was particularly fun seeing how the show gives each member space to have their own moment. There were plenty of sweet moments throughout the night too. ‘Tonight I Might’ brought out some of the cutest energy from the group, while ‘I’m Pretty’ was a reminder of just how far they have already come. The early KATSEYE track turned into a proper self-love moment, followed by the girls sharing some of the things they love about London with the crowd. One of the most emotional moments came during ‘Time Lapse’. The members made their way into the crowd, getting closer to the EYEKONS, and it was clear just how much the moment meant to them. Seeing the girls become emotional while surrounded by thousands of fans was a genuine reminder of how quickly their journey has grown.

Lara was next to take the spotlight with an unreleased song ‘Unloveu’, sitting at the piano for a gorgeous solo performance. Her vocals have always been one of KATSEYE’s strongest weapons, and hearing them live in such a stripped-back setting made the performance even more special. The song ‘My Way’ brought back some of that early KATSEYE charm.

Of course, there was no way they were leaving without an encore. Their performance of ‘Debut’ made its return with that iconic dance break, followed by ‘ICONIC BY MISTAKE’. Then their biggest hit ‘Gnarly’ brought the main set of the night to a chaotic, fittingly KATSEYE-style close.

But perhaps the biggest takeaway from the night is that girlhood is going to a KATSEYE concert together. It’s screaming with your friends, dancing until your feet hurt, seeing yourself represented on stage and watching four young women become an inspiration to girls around the world. KATSEYE are still incredibly early in their career, yet they already feel like a group capable of filling arenas like the O2. If this is what they’re doing now, the future looks very, very bright.

Highlights: That Way, Gabriela, PINKY UP, Time Lapse, Debut