KATSEYE’S “INTERNET GIRL” IS A CLICK IN THE WRONG DIRECTION
Credit of Geffen Records and HYBE Entertainment. Protected under fair use.
Released just off the cusp of a sold-out tour, KATSEYE’s latest single “INTERNET GIRL” was poised to be a defining moment. Conceptually, a song about the pressures of being a woman online, the constant ranking, sexualization, and scrutiny that comes with existing in a digital public sphere was destined to be enlightening. It’s a topic the members themselves have spoken about with clarity and conviction, framing it as both deeply personal and universally relatable. Yet upon release, the conversation surrounding “INTERNET GIRL” has been less about resonance, instead, veering frustration.
Across discourse, a consistent theme emerges as listeners believe the song never graduates beyond an initial concept. Lyrics like “eat zucchini” are widely perceived as placeholder ideas that somehow survived to the final cut, undermining the gravity of the message. Rather than satire with teeth, the track lands as unserious without intention, blurring the line between irony and incoherence.
Production choices have become a particular point of contention. Heavy-handed vocal processing flattens the individuality of the members, making it difficult to distinguish who is singing at any given moment. The placement of the toddler voice sample reciting “I’m getting out of here” irrevocably stained the song. Being sourced from a Splice sound pack and having prior sample ties to Melanie Martinez’s “Fire Drill,” the usage has further fueled criticism, with fans questioning how a song about internet dehumanization ended up leaning on a gimmick that many find infantilizing. The backlash only intensified after it surfaced that the official visualizer was produced by the AI-forward “351 Studio,” an ironic move for a song meant to critique digital culture.
What makes the response to “INTERNET GIRL” particularly pointed is that fans have seen glimpses of what KATSEYE is capable of. Live performances fr om last year's “BEAUTIFUL CHAOS” tour proved the group’s kismet chemistry. That contrast has led many to argue that the problem isn’t the talent, but the lack of creative trust being placed in them. As a viral-destined tweet by @jennierational bluntly put it, “yall let the gnarly shit slide and now they’re stuck doing skibidi toilet music for the rest of their career.”
With industry eyes sharpening ahead of Grammy season, “INTERNET GIRL” feels less like a misstep and more like a warning sign. For a group as visible and promising as KATSEYE, the solution may lie not in doubling down on viral-ready concepts, but in reassessing the backend decisions shaping their sound. This next step forward must be rooted in intention and identity, aligning hand-in-hand with music that treats the group’s perspective with the seriousness it deserves.
Listen to “INTERNET GIRL” here.
