Ado, who is now dominating not only Japan’s music scene but also the world, has a fascinating story of how she met ORIHARA, an illustrator and image director. Here is an investigation of their journey together, from their initial encounter to their current status.
How Ado Became Known to the Public
Ado is a female singer who rapidly gained attention in Japan’s pop scene, captivating many with her Cinderella story. Here is a chronological summary of her activities from before her debut to the present.
1. Before Debut
Ado was born in Tokyo on October 24, 2002. She developed an interest in music from a young age and started listening to Vocaloid songs on her father’s computer during elementary school. In the later years of elementary school, she became interested in singers who performed without showing their faces through platforms like “Nico Nico Douga” and the Nintendo 3DS software “Moving Memo Pad.” During her middle and high school years, she began her music activities on the internet. She was particularly influenced by the culture of Vocaloid and “Utaite” (singers who upload cover songs online), and she started posting her own singing videos online. Her very first was on January 10, 2017, when she uploaded a cover of the Vocaloid song “Kimi no Taion” on Nico Nico Douga, marking her debut as a singer. On September 17, 2019, she announced during her YouTube live stream that she would hold a solo concert at Zepp DiverCity on January 10, 2021. On December 23, 2019, she participated in the digitally released song “Kinmokusei” by Kujira (a Japanese male singer, songwriter, composer, arranger, and Vocaloid producer). Additionally, she participated as a vocalist in jon-YAKITORY’s song “Shikabanese,” which reached No. 1 on Spotify’s domestic viral charts.
During this time, Ado did not reveal her face and performed anonymously on the internet. Her powerful and emotionally expressive voice gradually earned her a growing fan base.
2. 2020: Debut
Ado’s big breakthrough came when she announced on October 15, 2020, that she would debut, and on the 23rd, she released her debut single “Usseewa,” written by Vocaloid producer syudou, as a digital release. The song quickly became a hit on social media and music streaming sites, with its powerful lyrics and distinctive vocal style. “Usseewa” also carried a social message that resonated with many young people. The music video for the song, released on her YouTube channel, reached 5 million views by November 14, 2020. The song’s influence continued to grow into the following year, with many other singers and celebrities covering the track. As of April 2024, the total number of views has surpassed 300 million.
On December 24, she digitally released her second single “Readymade,” with lyrics and composition by Vocaloid producer surii.
Encounter with ORIHARA
Before her official debut, Ado was working independently, and during this time, ORIHARA created fan art (known as Adoart) and posted it on X (formerly Twitter), which caught Ado’s attention. A few months after creating his first fan art, Ado used ORIHARA’s illustration as her icon, which made ORIHARA very happy. Ado contacted him via DM to ask for permission to use the illustration as her icon, which led to their continued collaboration. ORIHARA had already been a fan of her voice and personality and had drawn fan art several times, which Ado liked, leading to further collaboration. Over time, these connections culminated in ORIHARA being asked to contribute to Ado’s debut, and he continues to illustrate for her today. ORIHARA believes that a person’s appearance is shaped by their inner self, so he focuses on the inner aspects while designing hairstyles and clothing.
As people grow older, they start feeling more constrained by societal expectations, thinking, “I’m an adult now” or “I shouldn’t cry because I’m this age.” ORIHARA’s illustrations express a defiance against these societal norms, showing many torsos around Ado, representing people in modern society who have lost their individuality. Ado, who has always lived by her own style, stands out as the most vibrant figure, walking in the center. The objects she is stepping on, a tie and paper, symbolize things she wants to crush, with the tie representing the uniforms of the torsos and the paper bearing words she despises. Every detail of the illustration carries deep meaning.
3. 2021: Breakthrough
The success of “Usseewa” catapulted Ado to stardom. In 2021, on February 14, she released her third single “Gira Gira,” written and composed by Vocaloid producer Teniwoha.
On April 27, she digitally released her fourth single “Odo,” written by Vocaloid producer DECO*27, with composition and arrangement by Giga and TeddyLoid, and illustrations by KAYUKA. This song, like its predecessors, became a hit and is noted for solidifying Ado’s unique style.
On June 14, she digitally released her fifth single “Yoru no Pierrot,” written and composed by Vocaloid producer biz.
On August 12, she released her sixth single “Aitakute,” written and composed by Miyuhan and Vocaloid producer Mikito-P.
On October 28, she released her seventh single “Ashurachan,” written and composed by Vocaloid producer Neru.
4. 2022: Album Release and Further Success
On January 26, 2022, Ado released her debut album “Kyogen.” This album showcased her diverse musical talents and creative approach, earning praise from fans and the music industry alike.
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On April 4, she held her first live concert “Kigeki” at her dream venue, Zepp DiverCity. On the same day, she launched her official fan site “Ado’s Thrilling Secret Base.” Additionally, on August 6, she voiced the main character UTA in the animated feature film “ONE PIECE FILM RED” and released the album “Uta no Uta ONE PIECE FILM RED” on August 10, featuring songs from the movie. The track “Shin Jidai” from the album became the first Japanese song to rank No. 1 worldwide on the Apple Music global chart. All eight tracks from the album charted, with four making it into the top 10. Ado’s contribution significantly boosted global J-Pop weekly streaming numbers, setting a new record for J-Pop streaming worldwide. On August 17, the Billboard Japan Hot 100 ranked “Shin Jidai” at No. 1, “Gyakkou” at No. 2, and “Watashi wa Saikyou” at No. 3, marking the first time in chart history that a single artist occupied the top three spots.
On August 11, she held her second solo concert “Campanella” at Saitama Super Arena, and on October 15 and 16, she participated in the “Super Party 2022” music festival for the first time. On October 24, she announced her partnership with the American record company Geffen Records.
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On November 16, her song “Shin Jidai” won the Excellent Work Award at the 64th Japan Record Awards.
5. 2023: Expanding Activities
On January 10, she announced a nationwide tour, “Ado National Tour 2023 ‘Mars’,” covering 11 venues across Japan, including Saitama, Miyagi, Kagawa, Fukuoka, Niigata, Aichi, Hokkaido, Hiroshima, Tokyo, Osaka, and Kanagawa.
On March 22, her new song “Ibara,” provided by Vaundy, was chosen as the new theme song for the Fuji TV show “Mezamashi TV.” On June 27, it was announced that Ado would provide the theme song “Himawari” for the TBC drama “18/40: Futari nara Yume mo Koi mo,” which was released digitally.
On September 6, she released the collaboration song “Syo” with Universal Studios Japan’s Halloween event “Halloween Horror Nights.” The song topped the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart (September 27 issue), becoming her third chart-topping single. It also ranked No. 1 on the Oricon Weekly Streaming Rankings (October 2 issue), marking the first time in 2023 that a solo artist topped the streaming rankings. This was her third time topping the Oricon Streaming Rankings, following “Usseewa” and “Shin Jidai (Uta from ONE PIECE FILM RED).”
On October 5, she released the digital single “Kura Kura,” which was used as the opening theme for the second season of the anime “SPY ✖ FAMILY.”
On October 24, she announced her first world tour “Wish.”
6. 2024 and Beyond
On January 31, she released the digital single “Chocolacatabra,” and on February 23, she released another digital single, “Value.” On April 27 and 28, she held a solo concert titled “Ado SPECIAL LIVE 2024 ‘Shinzou'” at the National Stadium, becoming the first female solo artist to do so, attracting 140,000 spectators over two days. On May 31, she released the digital single “MIRROR.” On June 26, the debut single “Otomodachi” by the idol group Phantom Theta, produced by Ado, was released digitally. On July 10, she released her second album Zanmu. Ado continues to expand her activities energetically while taking on new challenges.
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Summary
Ado is managed by Cloud Nine Inc. (https://cloud9pro.co.jp/).
Her record labels are Virgin Music in Japan and Geffen Records in the United States, with whom she has a partnership.
ORIHARA is also managed by Cloud Nine Inc., the same agency as Ado.
Ado describes herself as having a “gloomy and insecure” personality. She chose the path of an “utaite” (online singer) rather than a traditional singer because she was uncomfortable with the idea of her appearance being part of the product. Her favorite food is sushi, particularly tuna, and she is a big fan of Kura Sushi. Ado has admired Disney princesses since childhood. Although her blood type is unknown, she has mentioned, “I think I’m probably type O.”
These rare artists, who both belong to the same agency, continue to adhere to a modern style where they bring life to their songs and illustrations without revealing their faces. Keep an eye on them as they continue to make waves.
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