SAINT SATINE has been revealed as the name of the new global girl group from HYBE x Geffen Records. The announcement arrived May 12 alongside the final episode of WORLD SCOUT: THE FINAL PIECE on ABEMA, with SAKURA named as the group’s fourth member alongside EMILY, LEXIE, and SAMARA. HYBE x Geffen also released the digital single album World Scout: The Final Piece – Finale globally the same day.
The final-member search took place in Japan through WORLD SCOUT: THE FINAL PIECE, which was created with and aired exclusively on ABEMA. In the series finale, SAKURA, a 16-year-old performer from Japan, was selected from more than 14,000 applicants to complete SAINT SATINE. The lineup also includes EMILY, 20, from the United States; LEXIE, 21, from Sweden; and SAMARA, 20, from Brazil, who were introduced through the Netflix docuseries Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE.
World Scout: The Final Piece – Finale includes two tracks tied to the series’ last stage. The album opens with SAKURA performing “PARTY b4 the PARTY” with EMILY, LEXIE, and SAMARA, the performance that marked her selection as the group’s final member. The second track, “WE RIDE,” features runner-up AYANA with EMILY, LEXIE, and SAMARA. According to the announcement, the name SAINT SATINE pairs “SAINT,” representing musicality and charisma, with “SATINE,” representing a softer and more refined image.
The announcement follows HYBE x Geffen’s 2021 global audition initiative, which drew more than 120,000 submissions from around the world. That project selected 20 contestants for a year of Korean idol-style training before the The Debut: Dream Academy competition. KATSEYE, the group formed through that process, has earned two Grammy Award nominations and three American Music Awards nominations. KATSEYE’s second EP, BEAUTIFUL CHAOS, debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, and its third EP, WILD, is scheduled for release on August 14.
Listen to the World Scout: The Final Piece “PARTY b4 the PARTY” & “WE RIDE” album here.
