In the animated realm of Toca Boca World, anything is possible — from changing your hair color at the drop of a hat to becoming the next member of KATSEYE.
As announced Wednesday (June 4), the six-piece girl group is joining the digital universe of the Swedish children’s game, where the band’s signature diversity will go hand-in-hand with Toca Boca‘s mission to encourage play through imagination, creativity and self-expression. With members Manon, Sophia, Daniela, Lara, Megan and Yoonchae each getting their own avatars within the game, EYECONS who play along will be able to unlock a KATSEYE style pack, download the band’s music, and win free digital gifts once the partnership launches on Tuesday (June 10).
In an exclusive interview with Billboard‘s Delisa Shannon celebrating the collaboration, Sophia said her favorite part is how fans will be able to combine their favorite traits of each KATSEYE member to become an honorary member of the squad. “When you’re creating your character, you get to take different parts of us and also parts of you — you can literally make it look exactly like you — and I think it’s so beautiful,” she gushed over Zoom as her bandmates nodded.
“Just like how we always say with KATSEYE, the beautiful part of it is the diversity and the global-ness of it, and the ability to see yourself in us,” Sophia continued. “Whether it be, ‘Oh, I love Dani’s style, but I look like Sophia’ — you can fully become that in this world. It’s kind of like becoming a seventh member of KATSEYE.”
“I think it’s very cool that within this game, we’ve been able to express our diversity and the difference and uniqueness between all six of us,” added Lara. “But then also being in this one world together, being friends, being sisters, I think that’s so beautifully reflected in the game.”
The ways in which each KATSEYE member is unique will be represented down to small details in their avatars, from Lara’s bindi to the birthmark above Daniela’s eyebrow. Serving as Toca Boca World‘s first-ever “guest characters,” the ladies will also contribute music to the game; a custom player will let fans listen to tracks “Touch,” “Debut” and “I’m Pretty,” as well as new single “Gameboy” after it drops later this summer.
Plus, the animated KATSEYE avatars will also take part in an in-game Voxella Festival Stage Takeover, descending one-by-one on the virtual venue and unlocking a song after they’re united. For Yoonchae and Daniela, however, the most exciting parts of the game are its opportunities for self-expression and customization.
“I would change my face every day,” the former gushed when asked how she’d spend her time in Toca Boca World if it were a real place, while the latter said, “I would just go shopping and buy the whole mall, and just customize different outfits.”
KATSEYE’s partnership with Toca Boca comes as the group is bigger than ever before. In the months since dropping debut EP SIS (Soft Is Strong) in August, the sextet has amassed millions of listeners and scored its first-ever Billboard Hot 100 hit with the viral single “Gnarly,” which debuted at No. 92 in May.
As hype around the track continues to heat up in tandem with the temperatures outside, the members of KATSEYE — who also have a new EP, Beautiful Chaos, coming June 27 — think it’s pretty clear what this year’s song of the summer is going to be. “It’s a ‘Gnarly’ Summer,” said Megan, as her bandmates smiled in agreement.
But after Brat Summer and Hot Girl Summer, what does a “Gnarly” Summer entail? “Not being afraid of being cringe … letting your intrusive thoughts win,” Megan elaborated, while Lara said it’s all about “being very wild — and a little bit messy.”
