Biography
DUSTZ is a Japanese band formed around vocalist Ray in October 2005 with childhood friends from a French international school. From the beginning, the group focused on live performance and built its identity around a mixture rock sound with a strong street sensibility, channeling a direct and passionate energy into every show. One of the band's defining traits was the addition of French-speaking rap, which helped DUSTZ stand out and grow a fan base quickly through word of mouth, even before their major-label breakthrough.
The group first drew wider attention with their indie releases. Their debut single “Future” reached No. 2 on Tower Records’ indie chart and No. 18 on Japan Countdown, while the second indie single “Lapis lazuli,” released in February 2009, reached No. 1 on Tower Records’ indie chart. That momentum led to their major debut single “Break & Peace” on May 27, 2009, which served as the ending theme for the TV anime Sengoku BASARA and marked an important step in bringing the band to anime fans as well as rock listeners.
DUSTZ continued to expand its profile through both music and live appearances. After being invited to a French music festival, the band became the first Japanese band to make a street performance a success there, drawing thousands of people. Their second single, “Brilliant Day,” was released on October 7 and was used in the TV drama Oretachiwa Tenshida! NO ANGEL NO LUCK. In 2010, the departure of the drummer turned DUSTZ into a trio of half-Japanese, half-French descent members: Ray, guitarist KenT, and bassist Gus. That same year, the band unveiled a new key visual created by Joji Kojima, Noritaka Tatehana, and Koji Shiouchi, whose sensual yet sublime artwork drew attention across both the music and fashion scenes.
On April 6, 2011, DUSTZ released “Criez,” their first single in a year and a half. The song blended French, English, and Japanese, and introduced a new-generation hybrid rock sound that reflected the band's evolving style. On May 21, DUSTZ announced that they would perform the opening theme for BLOOD-C, the TV anime project developed with CLAMP and Production I.G., further strengthening their connection to anime music. Beyond the band, vocalist Ray also worked as actor Ray Fujita in films and dramas, including Les Misérables at the 100th anniversary gala of the Imperial Garden Theater. DUSTZ's first album, Trois, was released by Epic Records Japan on December 14, 2011, completing an important early chapter in the group's career.
