Sophia Laforteza of KATSEYE. Image: X/@katseyeworld
As soon as Sophia Laforteza was revealed as a contestant in “Dream Academy,” many fans had a hunch that she would be chosen as the leader of its final lineup—which turned out to be true with the birth of global girl group KATSEYE.
Sophia entered the cutthroat reality competition with the goal of debuting. Although it’s clear that her singing and dancing skills are a clear indication of her potential to be a star, what cemented her spot in KATSEYE was her effortless ability to take charge of herself and her groupmates—without being too bossy.
“You know that I call her Mama? Growing up, she has always been responsible. And she’s so level-headed,” Carla Guevara Laforteza—a theater actress and Sophia’s mother—told reporters on the sidelines of the girl group’s press conference in the Philippines.
One of the many instances that showed Sophia’s level-headedness was her performance in the show’s third mission. The powerful stage also included her future bandmates Daniela and Manon and Celeste and Nayoung.
But behind the scenes, she barely recovered from COVID-19 and was on the verge of throwing up while performing. “Because I felt so sick, I have no idea how well I did. Like, I don’t remember how the shooting went. I just remember being sick… I’m really grateful that my teammates showed up. I could’ve easily given up,” she said of the mission.
@netflixph sophia being so sick that she barely even remembers performing but she (and everyone else!) still slayed 💅 #PopStarAcademy #KATSEYE #Sophia #Netflix ♬ original sound – Netflix Philippines
Even before taking on the leadership position in KATSEYE, Carla described her daughter as one who has the knack for solving “everyday problems” and being fair to people.
“Marunong siya mag-solve ng everyday problems and fair siya sa lahat. She always sees the good in everybody which is important. Kapag may conflict, sinasabi niya na ‘What if’ or ‘What’s the good that will happen after this.’ ’Yun ang mindset niya palagi,” said Carla.
(She knows how to solve everyday problems and she’s fair to everyone. She always sees the good in everybody which is important. If there are conflicts, she always says, “What if” or “What’s the good that will happen after this.” That’s her mindset all the time.)
‘Best leader’
On the other hand, her bandmates in KATSEYE had nothing but great words for Sophia, with Daniela saying that she would always take care of the group.
“Sophia is the best leader ever. She always takes care of us. She makes sure we’re doing okay, and whenever we’re upset or frustrated with something, we always go to her and she always helps us,” Daniela said during the group’s press conference.
With her co-members nodding in agreement, Lara described the Filipina singer as a “non-judgmental” leader and sort of a “cool” mom. “I feel like she is our comfort person for sure. Definitely, you are the mom of the group but you’re cool.”
“You’re so non-judgemental always,” she continued. “And we feel we do need help with anything, we can always trust her and go to her.”
Sophia Laforteza of KATSEYE. Image: X/@katseyeworld
And the feeling is “mutual” between Sophia and her bandmates. For her, leading the group is a responsibility done with love, which makes the tough job “easier and less stressful” for her.
“Being the leader of KATSEYE is such an honor. I love and care for these girls so much. I feel like because of that, and knowing they trust me, I feel mutual respect and care for them. It makes the job of being a leader easier and less stressful than I anticipated. It truly became a lot easier because of them,” she said in response to her bandmates.