My first impression after seeing Ado perform here for her “Wish” world tour last year on February 24? It was more than just satisfactory—it was like a hot flow of lava. She’s the faceless singer who took Japan by storm with nothing but her voice—an Internet sensation who got her start covering songs as an unknown utaite and became the first female solo artist to put on a concert at Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. As impressive as all that is, the experience of seeing her live was so unforgettable that it eclipsed it all.
The stage became shrouded in darkness, and everything that followed from the moment Ado began to sing felt like a whole new world of awe and wonder. Much like Uta, the character she provided the singing parts for in “ONE PIECE Film: Red,” she cast a spell over the audience with a utopia of sound that they couldn’t help but clap and sing along to. Whether they first discovered her through her then-anonymous Niconico account, the Japanese music trend (including anime songs) that swept Korea, or her collaborations with major artists like with LE SSERAFIM on their Japanese version of “UNFORGIVEN,” everyone stood equal before her overwhelming vocal prowess.
And it wasn’t long until we would be brought together again. On May 16, Ado returned to Korea on her second world tour, “Hibana”—an exceptionally swift turnaround, considering it’d only been roughly a year since she was here on her “Wish” tour. The only other Japanese artist to visit here recently in such short intervals is YOASOBI, who went from performing for an audience of 4,000 at Korea University’s Hwajeong Fitness Center in 2023 to singing in front of 18,000 fans at INSPIRE Arena the following year. Importantly, this confirms how these two are pioneers when it comes to successfully expanding beyond Japan’s conventionally somewhat closed-off market in a shift that came amid the growing power of the anime industry—driven by the rise of streaming services and the pandemic—and the increasing importance of musical collaborations in promoting products and services. And it’s not just these two singers: Instilled with confidence thanks to the enthusiastic crowds at Korea’s sold-out concerts, other popular Japanese artists are crossing the ocean to put on shows of their own, proving that this trend is no longer an exception but the rule.
Over 8,000 fans gathered at the concert hall in KINTEX once again. The moment Ado appeared, a certain familiar loneliness was instantly shattered to bits. Despite having heard her songs countless times and seen her in concert before, the sheer power of her vocals was overwhelming enough to leave you dumbstruck. She opened in silhouette, singing and dancing inside a cage as she ensnared the audience in a net of music. In total, Ado performed 22 songs, with the only brief pause coming before the encore.
And what a carpet bombing of vocals! The most frequently heard descriptions from the awestruck audience between cheers pointed to Ado’s unbelievably strong vocals, framed as a “vocal circus.” She sang a medley of hits like “Usseewa,” “Gira Gira,” and “Show” along with “Backlight” and “Fleeting Lullaby” from “ONE PIECE,” plus some of her new songs from the past year and covers, all of which only served to build up the excitement further. Every song was a singularly unique performance the likes of which only Ado could put on. Best of all were “RuLe”—who knew she had so many different personalities inside her?—and her desperate wailing of “Aishite Aishite Aishite.”
Over the past year, Ado has grown into an even greater force to be reckoned with. Bursting onto Japan’s mainstream music scene with the shockingly explosive debut single “Usseewa,” Ado was unstoppable after the immense success of “ONE PIECE Film: Red” in 2022 and is now seen as one of the country’s top singers. Last year, on April 27 and 28—less than two months after her first concert in Korea—Ado made history in Japan by holding her “Shinzou” concert at Japan National Stadium, a venue that had never before played host to a female solo artist. With 10 of her music videos having over 100 million views each on YouTube and her channel up to 8.12 million subscribers, she not only has among the most engagement of any Japanese artist but has cemented her position as the most influential female soloist today.
A significant moment for Ado came earlier this year on April 13, when she performed at the Osaka–Kansai Expo opening ceremony. She started out representing the extremes of her subculture, shouting herself raw and singing in delicate tones—now Ado was exploring an even bigger dream as she sang in front of the whole world at the EXPO Arena. With her identity hidden and armed only with the power of her voice, Ado successfully brought the ideas of a niche community that’s rough around the edges into the mainstream.
As if to prove how she’s grown in leaps and bounds, she put on her latest concert with an eye for the wider world while still holding true to her original utaite philosophy. She covered Vocaloid songs “Charles” by balloon and “HIBANA” by DECO*27 for the first time, but the real highlight was the Stella Jang song “Villain.” In addition to being Ado’s first-ever cover of a foreign-language song when she revealed it in October, the fact that she had recorded it entirely in the original Korean had the audience at this Korean concert particularly excited for the possibility she might sing it live—and, as always, Ado didn’t disappoint. Alongside “Villain,” she continued to lean into her global-artist status with a rendition of Sia’s hit song “Chandelier,” and opened the encore with Ado’s own aptly titled “ROCKSTAR.”
The fans who filled KINTEX Hall were equally as full of energy. Unlike with last year’s standing ban, everyone seated in the floor section jumped to their feet even before the first song began and cheered their hearts out for the full two-plus hours. They went above and beyond in singalongs, cheering Ado on, and appreciating her songs. When Ado visited on her “Wish” tour, it was a chance for some people to see the popular Japanese singer for the first time. For “Hibana,” audiences came out in complete solidarity, fully aware of the value of the music and ready to actively participate. The popularity of Japanese music has fully blossomed in this country.
The art for Ado’s Utattemita Album, a compilation of cover songs, shows her anime character content in her own world: a cramped closet converted into a recording studio. She was a reclusive hikikomori—an introverted soul who was content to live without a life plan and just play games and sing songs. The fact that such a girl transformed into a singer who, through the power of her voice alone, could inspire countless people to vent their frustrations and experience joy and hope is nothing short of a miracle.
Talking to the crowd before her encore, Ado reflected on her journey, opening up about how she still can’t fully believe her life is real sometimes. Fans who had the opportunity to attend the concert can still take comfort in her message that solitude doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Her story proves that even if you don’t conform to the world’s expectations, if you nurture the fire within and channel that strength to challenge longstanding prejudices head-on, society can indeed change.
It was truly beautiful to see the singer close “Hibana” with “New Genesis,” the same song that acted as the opener for concerts during her “Wish” tour. As she sings, “This boundless music brings transformation / Messages in song / Reach even further / This dream will come true.” The Ado age is just beginning.