Dardust is the stage name of Italian pianist, producer, and singer-songwriter Dario Faini (born on March 17, 1976), known mainly for his innovative blend of classical music and electronica. A classically-trained multi-instrumentalist, Faini studied piano in the Gaspare Spontini music school and soon developed a taste for electronic music. In 2000, he formed Elettrodust, a short-lived synthpop outfit with whom he released an eponymous EP in 2001 and My Personal Rave (2004), the group’s only full-length. In 2006, Faini signed an authorship contract with Universal Music Publishing and spent most of the following years penning songs for pop artists, like Alessandra Amoroso, Emma Marrone, and Noemi. 2014 saw the release of 7, a concept album recorded in Berlin’s legendary Funkhaus Studio and his first one under the Dardust moniker. Preceded by the singles “Sunset on M.” and “Invisibile ai tuoi occhi,” the LP received unanimously rave reviews and quickly became one of the best-selling albums that year. He followed up with Birth (2016), recorded in Sigur Ros’ Sundlaugin Studio in Reykjavík, and S.A.D Storm and Drugs (2020), the final chapter of the trilogy. 2020 also found Faini working his magic behind the console, producing the hit single “Defuera,” an infectious, Arabic-inspired pop number featuring vocals by rappers Ghali and Marracash that reached Number 46 on Italy’s FIMI charts.
