Pictured above Emily Kelavos (Photo credits: Minnseo Kim, Kyungjoon Yang)
According to a statement on Friday, "HYBE x Geffen Records are joining forces again to create a brand new global girl group featuring three former contestants from The Debut: Dream Academy, the fierce competition series that launched KATSEYE — and auditions are open for the fourth member. Fans eagerly devoured the news over the past week as familiar faces Emily Kelavos, Samara Siqueira, and Lexie Levin were confirmed to the unnamed group. Watch their just-released intro film HERE."
"The search for the final member is taking place in Japan via a process that will be documented on the forthcoming elimination series WORLD SCOUT: THE FINAL PIECE, created with and airing exclusively on Japan’s ABEMA streaming service in early 2026. Applications are being accepted through Monday, September 22. Find additional submission information HERE. And go HERE to follow along in real time via social media as we get closer to meeting the full group."
Photo credits: Minnseo Kim, Kyungjoon Yang
"Hailing from Dallas, Texas, and making it to The Dream Academy’s live finale, Emily (age 19) received a photo reveal on Monday. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s Samara (19), who came in seventh behind the six members of KATSEYE, was announced Tuesday. And Lexie (21), of Stockholm, Sweden, was unveiled yesterday — she withdrew from the 2023 series. As with the previous competition, surprise guests are expected to appear on WORLD SCOUT: THE FINAL PIECE."
"WORLD SCOUT: THE FINAL PIECE is a large-scale scouting project led by HYBE America, which has launched numerous global artists including BTS, in collaboration with Geffen Records of Universal Music Group, one of the world’s largest music companies. To prepare for a global debut in 2026, HYBE’s top scouting team will travel to Japan to conduct auditions nationwide. The project aims to discover just one artist in the country who will become the final member of HYBE x Geffen Records’s as-yet-untitled new global girl group."
"The thrilling new initiative follows HYBE x Geffen Records’ successful prior collaboration. In 2021, the continent-crossing music industry titans released an open call for applicants around the world with the aim of creating a group that “transcend[s] national, cultural, and artistic boundaries.” Twenty contestants were chosen from over 120,000 submissions. They then underwent a year of Korean idol-style training before competing on the Dream Academy show. The full journey was captured by the Netflix docuseries Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE."
"With members from the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland, and the U.S. — not to mention an array of cultural backgrounds, experiences, and personalities — KATSEYE made good on HYBE x Geffen’s promise. The group released their second EP in June, BEAUTIFUL CHAOS, which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. The set also launched the single “Gnarly,” which they performed at the 2025 Kids' Choice Awards and, earlier this month, Lollapalooza."
"Follow along as the next game-changing, globe-spanning girl group takes shape."
