Katseye x Huntr/x at Coachella: Manon absence gets fans talking

Dubai: Coachella has seen its fair share of surprise guests, but Katseye pulled off something a little different this year.

On the first day of the music festival midway through their debut set on the Sahara stage, the group turned to something few saw coming: a live rendition of Golden, the breakout track from the animated universe of KPop Demon Hunters.

The twist? The artists behind the song, Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami joined them onstage drawing cheers from fans watching.

KATSEYE and HUNTR/X perform ‘Golden’ at #Coachella

The ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ sequel is currently in the works. pic.twitter.com/Q9h0n0CGV5

— (@CinemaBurst) April 11, 2026

During the award season awards season, where it basically didn’t miss. Golden picked up wins at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, and even the Grammys, where it became the first-ever K-pop song to win Best Song Written for Visual Media. 

Katseye’s members, Daniela, Lara, Megan, Sophia and Yoonchae opened the track before the Huntr/x vocalists emerged one by one, turning the performance into an eight-voice harmony, that several fans praised online.

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tbh that was the best golden performance
the way katseye harmonized with huntrix was absolutely insane https://t.co/kKHBSduv27

— ᥫ᭡⁷ ⁴ (@bangp1nkluvr) April 11, 2026

Notably, the group performed as a five-piece, with member Manon absent due to an ongoing health-related hiatus. 

There’s also been some confusion around her status in the group. While her absence has been attributed to health reasons, there hasn’t been a clear update on when she’s expected to return or what that timeline looks like. 

Adding to that, fans noticed from her recent Instagram stories that Manon is actually in attendance at Coachella. That’s where the frustration seems to be coming from.

manon really at coachella but not performing there with her own group if you told me this a year ago i would’ve laughed in your face #Katseye_Is_6 #FreeManon #manzchella

— mai ᖭ༏ᖫ/boycotting (@maieyekon) April 11, 2026

While most are still supportive of her taking time off, the fact that she’s present at the festival but not performing has raised questions, with some feeling the communication around her situation hasn’t been entirely clear.

Especially given how big the moment was for the group. For a debut Coachella set, people were expecting to see Katseye in full.

A lot of fans highlighted that something felt incomplete without her.