Katseye canceled its sold-out Detroit concert just 30 minutes before showtime Tuesday night — leaving fans in tears and sparking backlash from parents who spent thousands of dollars to attend.
Fans of the pop group — which consists of Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Yoonchae Jeung, Manon Bannerman, Megan Skiendiel and Sophia Laforteza — packed Little Caesars Arena before the venue’s screens revealed that the gig was canceled at 7:30, ahead of the scheduled 8 p.m. start.
“We’re sorry to share that the Katseye show scheduled for tonight at Little Caesars Arena has been postponed due to illness,” the message on the venue’s screens read. It added that the concert would be rescheduled.
The “Gabriela” group later clarified that Skiendiel was “unwell and unable to perform.”
Mom Jessica Lenhardt drove five and a half hours from Skokie, Ill., and spent around $5,000 on VIP tickets, travel and outfits for her daughters, ages 8 and 10.
“It was shocking that they went through and kind of kept our hopes up until a few minutes before the show,” Lenhardt told FOX 2.
“So I do think that if things were going wrong since the morning or even a day before, we should’ve been notified maybe 24 hours at least in advance, and they could’ve saved a lot of people coming from out of town the time and effort to get there.”
The cancellation also prompted tears inside the arena.
“So many kids in LCA, simultaneously, just burst into tears. They were all crying. It was so awful and it was so sad,” mom Megan Schikora, who attended with her 10-year-old daughter, told the Detroit News.
“Why was it was so last second? That’s insanely close to showtime. The venue was full. Everybody was already there.”
“Because it was canceled so close to start time, that just seemed really suspect to me. If someone is sick, they’re sick. It just seems that would have been established well before 7:30,” Schikora added.
Avanzini, Raj and Jeung had already taken part in a VIP meet-and-greet and performed two songs during a pre-show soundcheck, the outlet reported.
Katseye apologized to fans, acknowledging the inconvenience caused by the last-minute cancellation.
“We’re so sorry to share that tonight’s show at Little Caesars Arena has been postponed due to illness. Unfortunately, Megan is unwell and unable to perform tonight, and we want to make sure she has the time she needs to rest and recover,” the group wrote in its statement on Instagram.
“We know so many of you have traveled, made plans, and been looking forward to tonight. We are incredibly disappointed that we won’t get to see you, and we’re truly sorry for the inconvenience,” the statement added.
The cancellation comes amid ongoing lineup changes for the six-member group.
Formed in Los Angeles in 2024 on Netflix’s “Popstar Academy: Katseye,” both Manon Bannerman and Sophia Laforteza have been on hiatus for the past few months.
Despite the lineup changes, Katseye has continued its rise, performing on “Saturday Night Live” in September and earning two Grammy nominations this year, including best new artist.
The post Katseye sparks backlash after canceling Detroit concert 30 minutes before showtime appeared first on Page Six.
