Latest news with #Skiendiel
The Star
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Who is Megan Skiendiel? Katseye's half-Singaporean teen member in the limelight for being bisexual but she also loves her laksa
American teenager Megan Skiendiel is in the limelight for saying that she is actually a bisexual. It is in the news and making big rounds in all the social media sites. But she makes it a point makes it a point to connect with her Singapore roots, just like how her Singaporean-Chinese mother, known only as Sylvia. This is a report on her background that had appeared in The Straits Times several months ago. SINGAPORE: Her name is Megan and she is from the booming global band Katseye. She also loves local food like laksa and chicken rice, and speaks to her Singaporean maternal grandmother every day even though they live on opposite sides of the world. American teenager Megan Skiendiel makes it a point to connect with her Singapore roots, just like how her Singaporean-Chinese mother – who is known only as Sylvia – remains close to her family here even after living in Honolulu, Hawaii, for almost two decades. Skiendiel, 18, is part of Katseye, the new global girl group formed via a high-profile partnership between South Korean music conglomerate Hybe, the label behind K-pop juggernaut BTS, and American record label Geffen Records under Universal Music Group. The other five members of the multiracial Los Angeles-based pop act are South Korean Jeong Yoon-chae, 16; Indian-American Lara Rajagopalan, 18; Cuban-American Daniela Avanzini, 20; Filipina Sophia Laforteza, 21; and Manon Bannerman, 22, a Swiss of Italian-Ghanaian descent. The sextet beat more than 120,000 young women from around the world who participated in online and offline auditions that started in November 2021. Out of these aspiring auditionees, 20 were selected to be put through a rigorous, year-long K-pop trainee system involving gruelling dance and vocal lessons. They were ranked according to their abilities, with the lowest-scoring candidate eliminated from the programme. Their progress was streamed on YouTube for 12 weeks beginning Sept 1, 2023, where viewers could select their favourite trainees. The final members of Katseye were revealed in the live finale on Nov 18 via YouTube and fan platform Weverse. Chinese-American Megan Skiendiel from global girl group Katseye is very close to her Singapore family, especially with her maternal grandmother. -- PHOTO: UNIVERSAL MUSIC via The Straits Times/ANN In a Zoom interview with The Straits Times on Aug 23, Skiendiel says she enjoys hanging out with her Singaporean family members and visiting Universal Studios Singapore. 'I love laksa and Hainanese chicken rice. They are my favourite,' she says. 'My mum took me to Singapore when I was about three months old,' says Skiendiel, adding they would make it a point to return to Singapore every year and stay with her maternal grandmother. While she has not been back to Singapore in about three years, she still keeps in touch with her relatives daily via their family WhatsApp group chat. 'My po po (grandmother) is always sending me things she reads about Katseye. My uncles, aunties and cousins too. It's so amazing that they are on the other side of the world yet can still follow what we do,' says Skiendiel, who is now based in Los Angeles and has an American-Swedish father. 'We have a close connection even though they are so far away.' The Eurasian teen, who has an elder brother, credits her 'tiger and dragon mum' for pushing her to chase her dreams of becoming an entertainer. 'Being an Asian mum, she practises tough love on her kids, but I love her for that,' says Skiendiel, who started taking dance lessons when she was four and singing classes at six. At that young age, she would fly to Los Angeles from Honolulu every weekend to hone her craft. On the second episode of Pop Star Academy: Katseye, she revealed she would attend dance class on Friday, fly home on Sunday night and attend school on Monday. Sylvia then explained that children growing up in Hawaii are introduced to the arts at a very young age. In another episode, the older woman broke down in tears as her daughter prepared for the final stage of the audition. Skiendiel is seen hugging and comforting her mother, and thanking her for being her biggest pillar of support. Now sporting long red hair, the former brunette – whose idol is Jennie of South Korean girl group Blackpink – says: 'My mum always pushes me to be the greatest version of myself, even though it's hard sometimes. That's how she shows her love for me, and I love her so much for that.' Katseye have been receiving much love since they released their first single, aptly titled Debut, on June 28. It has clocked more than eight million streams on Spotify. The rookie group's second single, a catchy pop track called Touch which dropped on July 26, has chalked up 23 million streams on Spotify. The music video garnered over 10 million views on YouTube. Katseye staged their first live performance at KCON in Los Angeles on July 28, a popular K-culture festival celebrating South Korean pop culture and music. On Aug 16, their first mini-album SIS (Soft Is Strong) was released, and the group now have over 4.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify. The sextet say their multiracial background helped them amass a global fan base and are thankful that Pop Star Academy: Katseye is giving them 'a lot of new exposure'. The group's name also reflects their diversity. Katseye alludes to the gemstone cat's-eye, which displays a spectrum of colours depending on the direction of the light. 'Our goal is to have Eyekons (their fandom name) all over the world. Since we're such a diverse group, fans can see themselves in us,' says Bannerman. Laforteza, Rajagopalan and Jeong hope their Asian background will connect them to fans outside the US. Katseye leader Laforteza has already received great support from her native country Philippines as seen in the Netflix show, when the audition added a voting criteria in which fans could decide who they wanted to be part of the final line-up. Meanwhile, the unwavering support from their families is pushing the Gen Z artistes to reach for the stars. 'My parents have always nurtured my love for singing and dancing... what's important to them is that I'm fully committed to my dream,' says Laforteza. Her mother is Filipina actress Carla Guevara Laforteza, 48, who had faced disapproval from her family when she wanted to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Daniela Avanzini (left) and Megan Skiendiel in Netflix's docuseries Pop Star Academy: Katseye. -- PHOTO: NETFLIX via The Straits Times/ANN Sophia Laforteza adds: 'My mum was always told that she needed to be a doctor or lawyer, so she knew what it was like when I said I wanted to be like her.' Rajagopalan says: 'My parents have been the most supportive people on this journey. My sister is also an artiste. 'My mum grew up in India and faced much pressure from her family. She wasn't able to do what she wanted to in life. So she wanted my sister and me to be able to do what we want, as long as we are disciplined and work hard to pursue our dreams.' Katseye are aspiring to be like American girl groups The Pussycat Dolls and Destiny's Child, as well as Blackpink and British girl group Spice Girls. While there has not been any new prominent international girl group in the market in the past decade, Katseye face stiff competition from a slew of K-pop girl groups such as NewJeans, Illit, BabyMonster, Le Sserafim and IVE. Laforteza says: 'We are doing our best. Our goal is to make a name for ourselves, push boundaries and create our own sound as Katseye.' Rajagopalan adds: 'Our music has a nostalgic feeling. A great way to describe it is that it is fresh, but it is also reminiscent of other girl groups we're so inspired by.' 'All of us came into this with our strengths,' says Laforteza. 'We have dancers in Megan, Daniela and Yoon-chae, while the rest of us are singers. We balance one another out really well.' -- Report from The Straits Times/Asia News Network as appeared on August 28, 2024
Vogue Singapore
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue Singapore
Megan Skiendiel on her signature fragrance and skincare tips
At the age of 19, Megan Skiendiel has graced both the stage and screen—and done so with aplomb, we might add. Whether she's belting a high note or striking a pose for the camera, it's safe to say that Skiendiel's glam is always dialled in. The Katseye member gives us the lowdown on her beauty secrets, from the skincare hack that has changed her life to the wellness practice she deems integral. A nail look I'm currently obsessed with I love the Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in the shade 155 Rouge Noir. My signature fragrance I'm a big fan of the Glossier You eau de parfum. It comprises notes of vibrant pink pepper, powdery iris and woody ambrette seeds. The make-up trend I can't get enough of Blonde eyebrows. I adore the way they look, and there's something about super-thin arches, too, which I find really appealing. Skincare tip Less is more. My complexion is a lot happier when I use a select few products that work for me. A wellness practice that I religiously adhere to I'm very much committed to my Pilates routine. The hair look I am dying to try I've tried a lot of different hair looks and colours, but the one that I'm really keen on getting done is a short, angular bob that looks almost like a pixie cut. Kind of like Monica from Friends . Three desert-island make-up essentials First things first: the Kosas Brow Pop Dual-Action Defining Pencil to enhance my arches. Secondly, the Glossier Stretch Balm Concealer—I love how it covers everything, from acne to hyperpigmentation. And last but not least, the Glossier No. 1 Pencil. The song that helps me get pumped before a big performance 'Blow' by Ke$ha. An integral step in my wind-down routine It's not so much a step than it is a product: Aquaphor. I use it to lock in the moisture of my lips. I also use it on areas of my skin that have been affected by psoriasis, and it makes a world of difference in terms of soothing, calming, and hydrating. The underrated beauty device that I wish more people knew about A red light massager from Amazon. It's the key to my skincare regimen. It's the only thing that helps calm down my acne and smooths out my complexion. This story appears in Vogue Singapore's April 'Movement' issue, available online.
