Some people walk into a room, and you just feel it. That quiet, magnetic thing that makes you lean in. Manon Bannerman has it in spades, and the EYEKONs figured that out fast. From the moment she landed her spot in KATSEYE through the chaos of The Debut: Dream Academy, she’s been the kind of member we gravitate toward without fully being able to explain why.
So here’s a little love letter to her. Five things that make Manon, well, Manon. The little details, the big ones, and everything we can’t stop talking about!
She’s A Whole World In One Person
Let’s start with the obvious, because honestly, it’s not obvious at all. Manon’s background reads like a passport that’s seen things. Born in Lucerne, raised in Zurich, with a Swiss-Italian mom and a Ghanaian dad. She grew up moving between cultures, picking up languages along the way (Swiss-German is her first, then there’s German, English, and a bit of French), and she’s talked about how figuring out where she fit became its own kind of confidence. That mix isn’t just trivia. You can feel it in how she carries herself, that ease of someone who’s comfortable being many things at once. For a group built entirely on the idea of different backgrounds coming together, she’s kind of the heart of that promise.
The Dream Started Way Before The Cameras
Here’s the part that lowkey makes us want to cry. Manon didn’t stumble into music. She wanted this from the time she was small. At fifteen, she taught herself piano and ukulele, then started writing her own songs, the kind of thing you do late at night in your room when nobody’s watching. There’s something about a kid teaching herself an instrument just because the melody won’t leave her alone. Her dad reportedly compared her to Beyoncé because of how big she dreamed, and you know what? When you watch her now, it doesn’t feel like a stretch. She wanted the stage long before the stage wanted her back.
She Makes History Just By Being Herself
As a member of KATSEYE, Manon became the first Black artist signed to a HYBE label. That’s not a small footnote. That’s a door that wasn’t open before, and she walked through it! And the wins kept stacking. When KATSEYE took home Push Performance of the Year at the 2025 MTV VMAs, Swiss media noted that she’d become the first Swiss woman ever to win an award there. First this, first that. She’s quietly rewriting what’s possible for whoever comes next, and she does it without ever seeming to make it a thing. It just happens because she showed up as herself.
She’s Got Main-Character Energy And The Receipts To Prove It
Before KATSEYE, Manon was already a face people knew. She built a real following on Instagram and TikTok, modeled, and even popped up in other artists’ music videos. The camera has always liked her, and she’s leaned into that creative streak in ways that go beyond the group. Earlier this year, she shared a short film called Not Bad, made with close friends, which got read as a quiet commentary on the pressure young women carry. She’s also stepped into fashion in a big way, from a Tommy Hilfiger campaign to a guest-judge spot on the new season of Germany’s Next Topmodel. The girl contains multitudes, and she’s not waiting for permission to show them.
She’s The Funny One (Yes, Really)
For all the talk of her visuals and that effortless cool, fans who pay attention know the truth. Manon is genuinely silly. Among the members, she’s often the one cracking the jokes and smiling the widest. She loves gaming (Minecraft and Sims are regulars), she’s got a cat named Spoon, and there’s a softness to her that comes through in the small stuff. That’s the thing about her, really. She can look like a runway and feel like your friend in the same breath. The EYEKONs didn’t pick a favorite based on a highlight reel. They picked someone who feels real. And that, more than any award or campaign, is why she’s so easy to adore.
Whether you’ve been here since Dream Academy or you found her last week scrolling through a fancam, welcome to the club. Once Manon’s got you, there’s really no going back! What’s the first thing that made you fall for Manon? Be sure to let us know over on our socials: X, Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit.
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