HYDE, real name Hideto Takarai (寶井 秀人), is a Japanese musician and actor, born in Wakayama City on January 29, 1969. He first became widely known as the lead vocalist of Osaka rock band L'Arc~en~Ciel, one of Japan’s best-selling bands, since their formation in 1991. Since achieving fame through L'Arc~en~Ciel, HYDE has also released numerous singles and albums as a solo artist, including collaborations with visual kei legend YOSHIKI, as well as forming hard rock duo VAMPS in 2008 with long-time collaborator K.A.Z of Oblivion Dust and hide with Spread Beaver. He has toured internationally not only with L'Arc~en~Ciel, but also with VAMPS and as a solo artist.

HYDE has also written songs for other artists, such as Mika Nakashima’s 2005 hit “Glamorous Sky” from the film Nana and its tie-in album The End, which became her most successful single by chart position and remains one of her signature songs. As an actor, he has appeared in the films Moon Child (2003) and Kagen no Tsuki (2004).