New Genesis of a Pop Icon: Ado’s Past, Present & Future Showcased at Japan’s National Stadium

On April 27 and 28, Ado performed two shows at the National Stadium, entitled [Ado SPECIAL LIVE 2024 “Heart”].

She had just finished [Wish], her first world tour, which took her to Asia, Europe, and the U.S. She carried that momentum with her into the “Heart” shows. This was the first time a female solo artist had ever performed at the National Stadium, whose extensive renovation project ended in November 2019. Tickets for the two day event sold out immediately, and 140,000 people were there to see this historic moment. On the first day of the shows, Ado made a vow.

The show began with the sound of a guitar — the bridge part of the song “KokoroToIuNaNoFukakai.” The volume gradually rose, accompanied by the audience clapping in rhythm, creating a sense of unity. The sound of a heartbeat pulsed through the stadium, followed by a dynamic opening movie, raising expectations. And then Ado herself appeared on stage, above the band, in a box-shaped cage. Her intimidating voice boomed out “What is just? What is folly? I’ll show you.” The first song, unleashing a tidal wave of excitement, was her major label debut, “Usseewa.” The heavy, almost metal-sounding instrumentation and the powerful, shouted lyrics blended to produce a new song that went far beyond the original. It was the kind of sonic world that only Ado could create. A song needs to touch your heart. That’s far more important than how intelligible its lyrics are. This was brought home by the song “Tot Musica.” Ado’s awe-inspiring voice was an embodiment of the movement of the smoke shown on the enormous center screen. The impact of her voice commanded the stadium, like venom, a work of art in itself. Although her singing frequently dipped into growling vocals, it maintained an exquisite balance, never sounding coarse. Her aesthetic sensibilities never faltered.

In contrast to the energy of these two songs, she set a more mature mood with “Lucky Bruto,” which she sang laying on her back, one leg raised high, and “Domestic De Violence,” which she performed laying down, putting on a sensuous dance. In “Aishite Aishite Aishite,” her natural expressiveness shined to its fullest. As if possessed by the song’s protagonist, she held nothing back, expressing the true tragedy of the piece. Every time her vocals seamlessly shifted from a keen voice, sharp as a blade, to a beautiful singing voice, the audience broke out in goose bumps, breath bated. The song climaxed with her shouting out the lyrics “I am so happy! AAAAHHHH!” The crowd broke out in loud exclamations of admiration as her screams paired with the frenzied, flashing lights and the visuals, which faithfully reproduced the feel of the song’s music video. It was an unforgettable moment.

Her cage rose into the air as she sang “Kagakushu,” followed by “Motherland,” which featured expert vocalization, supported by the crowd clapping to the rhythm. In “Gira Gira,” her rhythmic steps evoked the image of tap-dancing. The cage came down to its original position and a new arrangement of “Eien No Akuruhi” began. Ado’s voice was a genuine expression of a young girl’s mind, like a princess dancing with a prince at a ball. Then the audience looked up at the night sky as one in a moment of reflection on the memories of their youth. As the ballad drew to an end with a majestic outro that was far longer than anyone had been expecting, drones took to the open sky above the National Stadium, depicting a heart, the line of a heartbeat monitor, and then Ado’s symbol, a blue rose, accompanied by fireworks. The crowd broke out in cheers.

A euphoric Ado then performed “I’m invincible,” wearing a large, billowy dress. Her performance made it evident how deep her understanding of the song was, and showed the richness of her expressive abilities. She reproduced every ounce of feeling that went into the song, down to the finest details. In “Readymade” and “Kura Kura,” the crowd sang along. This was followed by the bittersweet “Chocolat Cadabra,” where a wild spirit and dynamism intertwined. On “Value” and “Hello Signals”, her voice was relaxed and smooth, heightening expectations of what was to come. There were many moments in the show in which one felt oneself drawn in by Ado’s humanity and rich expressiveness, demonstrated not only in her almost scream-like vocals, but also in each and every movement of her vivid dancing. Sometimes powerful, sometimes delicate, her steps were always elegant.

Once freed from her cage, she sang “Ibara,” followed by “Show” and “Odo,” the frenzied peak of the night. Stepping one level lower on the stage, she swaggered from one edge of the stage to the other. Flames shot into the air, the crowd clapping in rhythm along with Ado’s flexible voice. Ado’s vitality was truly moving.

Speaking to the audience, Ado reflected on [Wish], her first world tour, how she used that experience in her “Heart” performance, and how the tour made her come to love Japan even more.

“I came to really feel how important it was for the people of the world to learn about what a wonderful country Japan is, and to learn of our culture. I want to become an even bigger global presence, and I hope people can learn about what a great country this is through me.” “I swore to myself that if I could achieve this, I’d bring joy to the people of Japan, whether it be through music or something else.” 

The title of these shows, “Heart,” represents all of the feelings people have: anger, pain, temptation, transience, sorrow, joy, reminiscence. At the same time, Ado explained, it represented the Vocaloid and utaite culture that led Ado to become a musician. “The next song is the final song. You’re ready for more? You haven’t had enough?? You want more???” With that, as silver confetti fluttered through the air, she sang “New Genesis.” The words to the song, “Let’s go to the New World,” “I’ll show you my dreams,” filled the stadium, inviting listeners to a wonderful future.

There were three special guests on the 27th. Opening DJ TeddyLoid, who worked on “Show” and “Odo,” played remixed versions of Ado songs. In the encore, “DIGNITY,” a giant blue balloon appeared on stage. Inside it were Ado and Tak Matsumoto of B’z, who helped write the song. In “missing,” Ado boarded a birdcage cart that took her around the arena, and then Ado, electrifying the audience with “Backlight” and “FREEDOM,” returned to the stage.

“Vocaloid and utaite are at the center of my heart. I hope these two wonderful cultures will grow around the world. If I can, I want to be a bridge between the two. And now is the moment when I do just that.”

Next to Ado, who had changed into elegant, flared pants, appeared the night’s final guest, Hatsune Miku. Dancing symmetrically, the two sang “Sakura Biyori to Time Machine,” a new song written by mafumafu debuting for the first time. Ado’s singing voice was tearful, like she remembering the past as she sang. It was a voice of genuine warmth.

Ado began to reflect on her own past. She used to hate herself, and couldn’t allow herself to rely on others. The only place for her in this world was social media. She wasn’t smart, she said, or skilled. She was gloomy. And yet, she had a desire for recognition and approval, stronger than anyone. She was saved from this tumult of emotion by music and singing, her great loves, so she chose to keep singing…

“Nobody knows that the future holds. That’s why I felt, so strongly, that maybe things would work out. My beloved Vocaloid and utaite cultures gave me faith in the future. Now, here I am, standing in that future I so longed for.” “I hope the song (“Sakura Biyori to Time Machine”) I sang with her (Miku), and this show this evening, can give back to the Vocaloid and utaite cultures, and help lead the way to the future. Please, don’t forget these cultures I love so much.”

The encore ended with a passionate performance of “KokoroToIuNaNoFukakai,” a song with a special significance for Ado. The lyrics “How can I decide my emotions?” had a rawness to them that made the audience’s hearts go out to her. Ado bowed deeply and left the stage and, as if in celebration of her birthday, the sky was lit ablaze with gorgeous fireworks. The magic lingered on, even after Ado’s departure. 

This was a night that embodied Ado’s past, present, and future. The most captivating part was her sincere, humble personality. Her character may be why she keeps evolving while never forgetting where she came from, as her performance made so clear. On July 10, she released her second album, Zanmu, and from July 14th she launched her first nationwide arena tour, [Ado JAPAN TOUR 2024 “Mona Lisa’s Profile”]. The passion she exudes never wanes. Her desires have grown to a global scale, as she wants to share the wonders of Japan through the cultures of Vocaloid and utaite. With Ado, we are truly seeing the new genesis of a pop icon.

This article by Mio Komachi first appeared on Billboard Japan.

Full setlist:

1. Usseewa
2. Tot Musica
3. Lucky Bruto
4. Domestic De Violence
5. Aishite Aishite Aishite
6. Kagakushu
7. Motherland
8. Gira Gira
9. Eien No Akuruhi
10. I’m invincible
11. Readymade
12. Kura Kura
13. Chocolat Cadabra
14. Value
15. Hello Signals
16. Ibara
17. Show
18. Odo
19. New Genesis

Encore
20. DIGNITY
21. missing
22. Backlight
23. FREEDOM
24. Sakura Biyori to Time Machine
25. KokoroToIuNaNoFukakai

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