Carla Guevara Laforteza excited for daughter Sophia’s return to KATSEYE

MANILA — Carla Guevara Laforteza expressed her happiness and excitement as her daughter Sophia Laforteza is set to return to her group KATSEYE next year. 

In an interview with ABS-CBN News on Thursday afternoon at the Club Quezon at Solaire Resort North, the proud mom said her daughter Sophia is back to training.

“I’m so proud of her. She’s able recover well. She’s back training now and she’ll be back on stage by January,” Guevara Laforteza told ABS-CBN News.

Guevara Laforteza said she really appreciates those who expressed their concerns about her daughter.

“I really, really appreciate everybody who have continued to support and love her throughout these four, five months that she’s been away. But, I think because she’s a perfectionist like me. She doesn’t want to give anything half-full. Gusto niya palaging 100%. And she knew, she’s so intelligent, she knew that her body and her mind was not in the right place because because she was so overwhelmed with all her work and what was going on,” she said.

Guevara Laforteza further explained how celebrity status affected Sophia.

“I’m not a celebrity, I’m an artist. So I’m not in that level of celebrity where you have fans running after me and screaming. So when she was growing up, she never had the experiences. She never witnessed that. Ang alam lang niya my mom performs, they clap, and then she goes home. So ngayon na-experience niya na ‘yung kinukurot siya. ‘Yung talaga, fans going crazy over her. So that’s quite overwhelming for anyone, especially if you didn’t grow up that way,” she said.

“Ang alam niya she will perform, then she can go. Pero ito, naghihintay ang mga fans sa kanya, magsusulat ng comment whether good or bad, it really affects your mental state. So iba ang level. Again, I think I brought her up very well. My husband and I brought her up very well to be intelligent enough to listen to her body and her mind, which she did,” she added.

Guevara Laforteza also made a shoutout to Sophia’s management for supporting her daughter’s decision to take a break.

“And she has a wonderful management that supports her decisions. So there. So let’s see her in January,” she said.

KATSEYE’s reunion with Sophia is set to happen,  following an announcement from their talent agency, HYBE x Geffen Records.

It was back in August when Sophia announced that she’s taking a break to prioritize her mental health and well-being, promising to “heal properly and “come back stronger.”

Comprised of members Sophia, Manon, Lara, Yoonchae, Megan and Daniela, KATSEYE released their debut single “Debut” in 2024.  The girl-group is behind some of the hits such as “Gabriela,” “Touch,” and “Gnarly.”