# Hyde (musician)
**Hyde** (stylized HYDE; born Hideto Takarai in 1969) is a Japanese musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band [L'Arc-en-Ciel](https://www.edgepedia.org/larc-en-ciel) and as a solo artist and frontman of the hard rock project VAMPS and the supergroup THE LAST ROCKSTARS.[1](https://www.hyde.com/profiles) • [2](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/entertainment/music/hyde-interview/) Across his career he has performed sold-out shows at the [Tokyo Dome](https://www.edgepedia.org/tokyo-dome) 16 times, placed more than 60 singles in the top 10 of Japan's Oricon charts, and sold over 40 million albums.[3](https://www.hydexxx.com/about)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | Hideto Takarai, 1969, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan[2](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/entertainment/music/hyde-interview/) |
| Main bands | Lead vocalist of L'Arc-en-Ciel (joined 1991), VAMPS (formed 2008 with K.A.Z), and THE LAST ROCKSTARS[4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hyde-mn0000825368) • [1](https://www.hyde.com/profiles) |
| Solo debut | October 17, 2001; debut album *Roentgen* (2002)[5](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/vamps-english/profile/) • [4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hyde-mn0000825368) |
| Commercial record | Over 40 million albums sold, over 60 Oricon top 10 singles, 16 sold-out Tokyo Dome shows[3](https://www.hydexxx.com/about) |
| Landmark shows | With L'Arc-en-Ciel, the first Asian artist to headline a solo show at New York's Madison Square Garden; first rock band to play Japan's National Stadium[1](https://www.hyde.com/profiles) |
| Recent albums | *ANTI* (2019), *HYDE [INSIDE]* (2024), *JEKYLL* (2026)[3](https://www.hydexxx.com/about) • [1](https://www.hyde.com/profiles) |
| Other work | Composer of "GLAMOROUS SKY" for the film *NANA*; actor in *Moon Child* (2003); vodka brand Psycho Love (2023)[5](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/vamps-english/profile/) • [4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hyde-mn0000825368) • [2](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/entertainment/music/hyde-interview/) |
## L'Arc-en-Ciel
L'Arc-en-Ciel was formed in Osaka in 1991 by bassist Tetsuya, with Hyde joining shortly after.[2](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/entertainment/music/hyde-interview/) As lead singer he became a defining figure of the visual kei movement, presenting an androgynous, gothic-romantic stage image that matured over time as the band grew into one of Japan's most commercially successful rock acts.[2](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/entertainment/music/hyde-interview/) AllMusic's biography credits his songwriting with much of the band's sales success, including hits such as "HONEY" (1998) and "HEAVEN'S DRIVE" (1999).[4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hyde-mn0000825368) • [6](https://universalmusic.fr/artistes/20000118411)
The band's live achievements set records. With L'Arc-en-Ciel, Hyde became the first Asian artist to perform a solo headline show at New York's Madison Square Garden, and the band was the first rock act to play at Japan's National Stadium.[1](https://www.hyde.com/profiles) In 2026, L'Arc-en-Ciel marked its 35th anniversary, headlining SUMMER SONIC in Osaka and Tokyo and launching an anniversary tour in October.[1](https://www.hyde.com/profiles)
## Solo career
When L'Arc-en-Ciel went on hiatus in 2002, Hyde began recording on his own.[4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hyde-mn0000825368) His official solo debut dates to October 17, 2001.[5](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/vamps-english/profile/) The early solo work showed a softer side: the acoustic debut single "Evergreen" reached number one on the charts, and the debut album *Roentgen* (2002) continued in that style.[4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hyde-mn0000825368) He then shifted to a heavier, punk-inspired sound on the singles "Hello" and "Countdown" and the album *666* (2003), whose title is pronounced "rock rock rock" in Japanese.[4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hyde-mn0000825368) • [5](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/vamps-english/profile/)
**Faith and the first US shows.** In February 2006 he released the single "Season's Call", written by K.A.Z of Oblivion Dust and used in the anime series *Blood+*; two months later came his third major-label album *Faith*, a socially charged heavy rock record.[4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hyde-mn0000825368) The supporting "HYDE TOUR 2006 FAITH" ran 50 sold-out shows across Japan, and in the same period he performed in four cities on the US West Coast, selling out each show within minutes.[5](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/vamps-english/profile/)
His songwriting also reached cinema. He wrote "GLAMOROUS SKY", performed by Mika Nakashima, for the live-action film based on the *Nana* manga series, and hosted a large [Halloween](https://www.edgepedia.org/halloween) event in October 2005 featuring Monoral, Olivia Lufkin, Mika Nakashima, High and Mighty Color, and [UVERworld](https://www.edgepedia.org/uverworld).[5](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/vamps-english/profile/) • [4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hyde-mn0000825368) In March 2009, marking his official transition into VAMPS, he released a greatest-hits album titled *HYDE*.[5](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/vamps-english/profile/)
## VAMPS and THE LAST ROCKSTARS
In 2008 Hyde formed VAMPS with K.A.Z, the Oblivion Dust guitarist who had co-written and co-produced much of *Faith*; the pair released the single "Love Addict" and supported it with an extensive run of live appearances that autumn.[4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hyde-mn0000825368) • [5](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/vamps-english/profile/) The project pushed his sound and image into darker, harder territory, drawing on Western hard rock influences.[2](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/entertainment/music/hyde-interview/) VAMPS signed with the US management company 10th Street Entertainment to expand internationally.[6](https://universalmusic.fr/artistes/20000118411)
Hyde later joined THE LAST ROCKSTARS, and his official profile lists him as vocalist of L'Arc-en-Ciel, VAMPS, and THE LAST ROCKSTARS alongside his solo work.[1](https://www.hyde.com/profiles)
## Recent solo work
The album *ANTI* was digitally released worldwide in May 2019, timed to a spring US tour headlined alongside [In This Moment](https://www.edgepedia.org/in-this-moment) that ended with a sold-out solo show in Los Angeles, followed by a fall 2019 US tour with Starset, Palisades, and A Brilliant Lie.[3](https://www.hydexxx.com/about)
*HYDE [INSIDE]*, his first album in about five years, was released in October 2024 (September 13, 2024 per his international biography; the Japanese CD release was October 16, 2024).[3](https://www.hydexxx.com/about) • [7](https://gekirock.com/diskreview/2024/10/hyde_inside.php) Japanese critics described it as the heaviest work of his career, built with composers from leading loud rock bands such as SiM, MY FIRST STORY, and Crystal Lake.[8](https://realsound.jp/2024/10/post-1824452.html) The album includes tie-up tracks: "ON MY OWN" for the anime *MARS RED*, "DEFEAT" for the [PlayStation 5](https://www.edgepedia.org/playstation-5) game *Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition*, and "BELIEVING IN MYSELF" for the Tokyo Marathon 2020.[3](https://www.hydexxx.com/about) The supporting HYDE [INSIDE] LIVE tour began at Tokyo's Zepp Haneda on June 22, 2024, extended with two EXTRA shows at [Makuhari Messe](https://www.edgepedia.org/makuhari-messe) in October, and concluded in Los Angeles at The Novo on November 30, 2024, his first US solo shows since the pandemic.[9](https://radiox.cms.socastsrm.com/2024/11/22/hyde-his-audience-spend-120-minutes-delving-deep-inside-concert-recap/) • [10](https://j-generation.com/2024/12/hyde-inside-rock-legend-returns-to-l-a-with-theatrical-brilliance-live-report/) • [3](https://www.hydexxx.com/about)
In 2026, the 25th anniversary of his solo career, he released the album *JEKYLL*, described as the "quiet" sequel to *ROENTGEN*, and launched the HYDE Orchestra Tour 2026 JEKYLL. At the tour's closing concert in Vienna, Austria, he performed with a local orchestra, a first for a Japanese rock artist.[1](https://www.hyde.com/profiles)
## Other ventures
Hyde's work extends beyond music. He made his acting debut in the 2003 film *Moon Child* alongside [Gackt](https://www.edgepedia.org/gackt), and appeared in the film *Last Quarter*.[4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hyde-mn0000825368) In fashion he runs the brand SWITCHBLADE and later launched the line WaRLOCK.[6](https://universalmusic.fr/artistes/20000118411) Since January 2024 he has served as Austria's tourism ambassador.[1](https://www.hyde.com/profiles) In 2023 he launched the vodka brand Psycho Love, whose name plays on the Japanese word "saikou" ("the greatest"); the brand won gold at the 2024 L.A. Spirits Awards.[2](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/entertainment/music/hyde-interview/)
## References
1. [HYDEIST profile, hyde.com](https://www.hyde.com/profiles)
2. [A Chat With Hyde, Japan's Biggest Rock Star, Tokyo Weekender (June 27, 2025)](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/entertainment/music/hyde-interview/)
3. [BIO, HYDE Official](https://www.hydexxx.com/about)
4. [Hyde Biography by Alexey Eremenko, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hyde-mn0000825368)
5. [Profile, VAMPS, Universal Music Japan](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/vamps-english/profile/)
6. [HYDE biography, Universal Music France](https://universalmusic.fr/artistes/20000118411)
7. [HYDE 『HYDE [INSIDE]』 disc review, Gekirock (2024)](https://gekirock.com/diskreview/2024/10/hyde_inside.php)
8. [HYDE Makuhari Messe concert review, Real Sound (October 30, 2024)](https://realsound.jp/2024/10/post-1824452.html)
9. [HYDE & His Audience Spend 120 Minutes Delving Deep [INSIDE]: Concert Recap, Radio 88.8 (November 22, 2024)](https://radiox.cms.socastsrm.com/2024/11/22/hyde-his-audience-spend-120-minutes-delving-deep-inside-concert-recap/)
10. [HYDE [INSIDE]: Rock legend returns to L.A. with theatrical brilliance, J-Generation (December 14, 2024)](https://j-generation.com/2024/12/hyde-inside-rock-legend-returns-to-l-a-with-theatrical-brilliance-live-report/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Rock, metal, and popular-band musicians › Hard rock and glam metal*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license