When the Japanese singer Ado steps onto the stage of Zipangu, a new J-pop festival in Pasadena that debuts on Saturday, May 16, thousands of fans will go wild with anticipation for her headlining set.
At 23, Ado is a superstar in Japanese pop music, a young woman whose international fame is rocketing skyward, even though none of her fans have ever seen her face.
Yes, you read that right. Ado is a mystery to the multitudes who love her music even though she performs in shadow and silhouette to obscure her identity.
Zipangu, which is billed as the largest Japanese music fest ever held in the United States, also features artists such Atarashii Gakko! who’ve twice performed at the Asian music festival Head in the Clouds, which like Zipangu, is held at Brookside at the Rose Bowl. Other acts include Chanmina, Hana, Man With a Mission, Yuki Chiba and 10-Feet. All will play full sets with no overlapping performances.
We spoke with Ado in Tokyo recently via Zoom – her camera was off, of course – with a translator interpreting for her. In our conversation, she explained how she got her start as a young teen as a “utaite,” a singer performing covers on the internet, most of whom use digital avatars in place of their faces on the music videos they upload into the digital universe.
In an interview edited for length and clarity, Ado talked about what it felt like having her debut single “Usseewa” rocket to No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, how Disney movies and soundtracks inspired her as a girl, and why there is one thing she absolutely must do every time she comes to Southern California.
Q: Tell me what music you loved and sang as a child.
A: When I was really young, I loved Disney so I listened to a lot of Disney film music and other Disney-related music. There were loads of Mickey Mouse Club March remixes happening at the time so my dad would play that in the car a lot for me. Also, my dad was very much into Michael Jackson, Kiss, kind of rock-sided things, so I listened to a lot of that from an early age.
And when I was about 6, my cousin introduced me to Vocaloid [entirely digital songs and performers], but I was still very young, so I didn’t have a real understanding of what it was. Is it anime? Was it real life? I was curious, but I hadn’t quite figured it out. About 11, I happened upon utaite, and that’s when I felt the urge to become an utaite myself in the future.
Q: Tell me about the decision to remain anonymous and unseen? Did the folks at Universal Japan ever try to get you to be seen?
A: Well, the fact that I’m still signed to Universal after I came out with my first single speaks for itself, I think. Before I actually signed, I had a social media account, and I used to get a lot of DMs from other labels and other management asking if I was interested. I was 17 at the time, and it all sounded wonderful, but even though those companies were legit, I wasn’t sure if the conditions would be what I was looking for.
Then I’d speak to them and find out that they wanted me to go into training for two years, vocal training and other stuff, and then I get to make my debut. They weren’t so much aware of what I actually wanted to do. It was a time when utaites weren’t that well-known anyway even here in Japan, so it was probably difficult for them to understand that as well. Universal ended up being the only one that was receptive to how I wanted to represent myself as a singer.
I never imagined “Usseewa” was going to be such a huge hit. The anonymity part of it is not so much about not showing my face. It’s just that I want to sing in the way that I want to which is in the utaite style. As Ado and remaining anonymous, I feel like the focus is always on the music, and that way it’s easier for the music to reach the hearts of people.
Q: Do you think you will ever reveal yourself?
A: About eventually revealing myself to the public, I’m not thinking about that at all right now. I’m happy singing the utaite style, keeping my identity a secret, a mystery. I think I will this going unless the country somehow comes up with a law that says you must reveal your face when you’re singing. [She laughs] Then I might have to rethink things.
Q: Would you ever sing in English?
A: I would actually love to challenge myself in singing English lyrics. Actually, this is just a hobby for myself, but I practice singing in English to international tracks. This is just for me, though, for the moment. I would like to improve, so eventually that might be a possibility.
Q: Many Asian acts such as BTS and Blackpink have gotten big in the U.S. Japanese singers, including the Vocaloid singer Hatsure Miku, have played Coachella. Where do you hope your career takes you?
A: This is actually one of my goals as well, that I would love to sing on a huge stage at Coachella. As you say, not just the Japanese, there are other Asian artists that are doing quite well. Obviously, K-pop but from other Asian countries that are taking the U.S. and other territories by storm. I have been influenced by that, and so I think eventually I would like to get to a place where I can call them my rivals.
Q: I know you’ve been to L.A. and Southern California a few times. What do you like to do when you’re here?
A: I’ve been to Disneyland, and also I’ve been to [California] Adventure Park as well. I’ve been to Santa Monica. And actually, every time I go to California, L.A., we go to In-N-Out. I love In-N-Out. So we will definitely go to In-N-Out. [She laughs] I swear to it.
Zipangu
When: 3:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 16
Where: Brookside at the Rose Bowl, 133 Rosemont Ave., Pasadena
How much: GA tickets are $169 for a single ticket, though the same price can also get you a two-pack or a four-pack of tickets. VIP tickets are $419 to $649.
For more: See Zipangu-event.cloud for tickets and information