Travis Japan makes J-pop history

Group breaks Billboard record

Following the international release of their debut single “Just Dance!,” seven-member dance and performance pop group Travis Japan recently made J-pop history as the first Japanese act to break into the top five on the Billboard Global Excl. US Chart, dated November 12th.

The group recently signed to Capitol Records which released “Just Dance.” The fan favorite track has garnered over 12 million streams in less than a month. The Sam Bergeson produced track also received various playlist support from Spotify including New Music Friday in the US, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, and others, Tokyo Super Hits, Weekly Buzz Tokyo, and Dance Pop: Japan as well as Apple Music’s Today’s Hits: Japan, J-Pop Now, and Breaking J-Pop playlists.

Bringing their electrifying live performance directly to fans, last week Travis Japan appeared at YouTube FanFest 2022 in Singapore. The event featured a diverse lineup of performances that saw the group share the stage with Filipino boy band SB19, South Korean girl group Billie, and dancer and artist AC Bonifacio.

The group has been active since 2017 with its current seven members, performing original songs and live concerts in arena-scale venues. Their incredible dancing abilities and outgoing personalities have made them highly popular after polishing their skills during countless lessons to aim for a worldwide debut.

Having spent time in the United States, the band further improved their performance and English language skills while sharing living quarters. Travis Japan participated in the “World of Dance,” the world’s largest urban dance competition right after arriving in the US. After qualifying in third place, Travis Japan scored fourth at the US level in the team division, and ninth at the world competition held in July.

This was followed by an appearance on America’s Got Talent, performing their signature song, “My Dreamy Hollywood” in English and managing to excite the audience with their perfect dance formations, synchronized moves, as well as a stunning acrobatic display and an a capella performance. The group received a standing ovation – not only from the judges but also the audience – sending the group to the semi-final stage.

The group has steadily built up a fanbase in the US – where their journey from “World of Dance” to America’s Got Talent, combined with their superb skills as performers, caught the attention of Capitol Records and UMG, and the decision was made to sign and release their music globally.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com