BE:FIRST Signs with The Orchard and Drops New Single BRUCE WAYNE

BE:FIRST, the Japanese seven-member group behind a dozen No. 1 singles on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, is making its formal move into the U.S. market. The group has announced a new distribution partnership with The Orchard, and dropped "BRUCE WAYNE," a dark, Atlanta-influenced single featuring Flo Milli, produced by ATL Jacob and co-written by Starrah, whose credits include Rihanna and Drake.

The deal also brings in hello82 for physical distribution, Tom Windish at THE TEAM for touring outside Asia, and Nebula17 (founded by ex-AVEX USA CEO Naoki Osada) for A&R and marketing. It is a full infrastructure build for a group that has been planning this moment for years, not months.

BE:FIRST Global EP WATCH ME and the Road to U.S. Markets

The single leads off WATCH ME, described as the group's first global EP, due September 18. The project features additional guest appearances including BIA and production from Tommy "TBHits" Brown. The members were clear in their interviews that the goal was not to sand down their identity to fit a Western mold. As member Sota put it, making a creative sacrifice to go global would make going global meaningless.

That philosophy is already showing in the rollout. "BRUCE WAYNE" was built collaboratively in the studio, with member Manato present for sessions with ATL Jacob and Starrah in January. Flo Milli came on board once the track was largely done, drawn in by the record itself. The result is not a generic crossover attempt. It sits closer to the group's harder catalog, think sleek and heavy, with a Batman mythology the members say felt like destiny.

The timing is not accidental either. BE:FIRST formed in 2021 through Japan's THE FIRST singing competition and holds annual goal-setting summits with their label BMSG and CEO SKY-HI. The global push was built into year five from the jump. The members have spent recent weeks in Los Angeles doing English-language lessons, media training, and choreography rehearsals with their new U.S. partners.

Live Dates Include Head in the Clouds Los Angeles and a World Tour

BE:FIRST performs at the 2026 World Hip-Hop Dance Championship in Phoenix before hitting Head in the Clouds in Los Angeles on August 8. Their second world tour launches in September, with two New York shows on the calendar as well. For anyone tracking J-pop's steady global momentum alongside K-pop, BE:FIRST is the next name worth knowing.

The group already has receipts from the crossover lane. Their Janet Jackson remix, "Doesn't Really Matter (Remix)," hit No. 12 on the Japan Hot 100 and cleared nearly 8 million YouTube views. They have also recorded two tracks with ATEEZ and opened for that group's 2024 Los Angeles stadium shows, building a live credibility that many acts lack when they attempt a market entry like this.

For independent artists and creators watching how a non-English-language act builds a sustainable U.S. infrastructure, this rollout is worth studying closely. The combination of a major distributor, a dedicated touring agent, physical distribution through a K-pop aligned partner, and a boutique A&R firm targeting specific markets is a blueprint that goes beyond the usual major label playbook. Check [/events](/events) for Head in the Clouds and any upcoming BE:FIRST Los Angeles shows as the WATCH ME campaign builds through the fall.