Sophia Laforteza Got The Sweetest Shoutouts From Leon Barretto And Her Dad After KATSEYE's Grammy Debut

KATSEYE's Grammy debut had fans around the world talking, and we couldn't be more proud of our Internet girls for being the first girl group to perform at the awards ceremony since Destiny's Child in 2001.

But of course, for us Filipinos, all eyes were on our pinsan Sophia Laforteza, who proudly raised the flag for Filipino talent on the global stage.

The group's nominations for Best New Artist and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their song "Gabriela," along with their performance, were already historic—so it's no wonder fans flooded social media with congratulations.

Naturally, those closest to her made sure she knew just how much they were rooting for her. Among the early reactions were messages from two people who've been there every step of the way: her dad Godfrey Laforteza and her childhood friend Leon Barretto.

Bestie Leon kicked things off with a sweet shoutout on Instagram Stories, reposting a photo of KATSEYE onstage. He wrote: "So proud of you, @sophia_laforteza. Seeing a dream you've held onto for so long finally come to life is truly inspiring. Grateful to witness this journey of yours. ❤️" Cue the happy tears seeing your BFF live out her dream.

Sophia was quick to repost Leon's Story, captioning it: "Always been my biggest fan," showing that the admiration runs both ways.

Leon didn't stop there, though. He also shared a post of KATSEYE's red carpet looks, specifically Sophia's, writing, "No one like her." OK, we see you. 👀

Her dad, Godfrey, was equally proud, celebrating both Sophia and the group's performance:

"GO PHILIPPINES! 🇵🇭 My daughter @sophia_laforteza from @katseyeworld is the 1st Homegrown Filipino to be nominated at the @grammys for 'Best New Artist' 2026. Twice. Congratulations my Baby Princess, we are all proud of you and what a performance! WOW! MABUHAY Ka SOPHIA & KATSEYE! 💐"

In another post, he shared a few adorable childhood photos of the whole KATSEYE lineup, showing just how far these girls have come together. It was a classic proud-parent moment, the kind that makes you smile seeing your little girl chase her dreams and turn it into reality.

Although KATSEYE didn't take home a trophy, the girlies still made a strong impression with their performance of "Gnarly" during the Best New Artist segment. They delivered an extended, high-energy dance routine with tight choreography and overall stage presence that showed the world they mean business.