KATSEYE member Sophia Laforteza is stepping back from the group's promotional activities to prioritise her mental health, label HYBE announced on Friday, 7 August.

In a written statement posted on social media, HYBE said the 23-year-old, a New York native, is "temporarily unable to participate in upcoming promotional activities" and that medical professionals had advised her to take dedicated time for extended rest and ongoing care Billboard.

Laforteza addressed fans herself shortly after, writing on her Instagram Story: "health has to come first" Billboard.

She is the second KATSEYE member to take a hiatus this year. Bandmate Manon Bannerman stepped back in February, with HYBE citing her health and well-being. Bannerman later described the experience as "very terrorizing on the mind" and spoke about the importance of mental health in an interview at the Grammys Forbes.

KATSEYE has not set a timeline for either member's return. In a hiatus update in June, the group said they did not want to make "assumptions" about when Manon would rejoin and cautioned fans against doing the same Billboard. That guidance now applies to Laforteza as well, based on HYBE's framing of her break as temporary without specifying a date.

Laforteza had spoken about Manon's absence before her own. In a June interview with Allure, she said fans should not rush Manon's return, adding "the door is always open" Billboard.

For fans, two members on hiatus means KATSEYE's upcoming promotional cycle will proceed without them. The group's label has not said how promotions will be restructured, and no appearances have been cancelled publicly beyond the general statement.

KATSEYE was formed through the 2023 reality competition The Debut: Dream Academy, a joint project between HYBE and Geffen Records. The six-member group — now with four active — released their debut EP SIS (Soft Is Strong) in 2024.