Project Description

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ADO

Photo by Viola Kam (V’z Twinkle Photography)

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Ado.

ADO
@ Rod Laver Arena,
Melbourne,
27th May 2025
(Live Review)

Review by Samantha Meuleman

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ADO

Photo by Viola Kam (V’z Twinkle Photography)

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Ado, Japan’s genre-defying vocal powerhouse, brought her energy and emotional intensity to Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday 27th of May for her first-ever performance here. Hot off her Sydney debut, this show was the finale of her brief, but unforgettable Australian leg.

If you don’t already know her, Ado blew up in 2020 with “Usseewa,” a wild, shouty anthem that gave a voice to every misunderstood teen and young adult that heard it. She’s got a voice like no one else – fierce, unpredictable, and so full of emotion it hurts. Oh, and she keeps herself a bit of mystery, not showing her face onstage or in media. Instead, she lets her music, stylised visuals, and insane energy do the talking.

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Her band entered and the stage lit up revealing a cage on a raised platform in which Ado would perform for the whole show. She opened the show with “Usseewa” which was the perfect song for her to begin with. It was loud, fiery (literally), and got the crowd incredibly excited.

“Lucky Bruto” kept the energy going, with the lightsticks bouncing around the arena in waves. The whole crowd became part of the show with those synchronised lightsticks which changed colour with every track.

By the time “Gira Gira” hit, Ado was moving. Even with her silhouetted by the screen behind her, you could tell she was hitting choreo hard – every move adding to the drama of the song. “I’m Ado. Welcome to the show,” she announced at the end, and the crowd roared right back.

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ADO

Photo by Viola Kam (V’z Twinkle Photography)

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“Show”, “Kura Kura”, and “Readymade” followed, each with killer visuals on the huge screen. Red mannequins for one song, dreamy pinks and blues for another. And all the while, Ado’s voice stayed on point: smooth one second, snarling and raw the next.

She kept the set going with fan favourites like “MIRROR”, “Charles”, and the absolute banger “Elf”, where the entire crowd instinctively knew when to wave their lightsticks completely in sync.

Things took a more chilled, moody turn with “Value” (complete with underwater vibes) and the magic of “Stay Gold.” But she wasn’t done showing off. “RuLe” had screamo moments in the best way possible, proving just how far her vocal range can stretch. I was blown away so many times by the power of her voice. The control she has is insane.

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ADO

Photo by Viola Kam (V’z Twinkle Photography)

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Then came one of the biggest vocal moments of the night. “Aishite Aishite Aishite” had Ado literally on her hands and knees, belting out notes with the kind of power that gives you goosebumps. Everyone in the arena felt it.

The crowd went wild for “Gyakkou” and “Hibana” and just when it felt like the show couldn’t go harder, she dropped “Episode X” which was a favourite.

After that track, Ado paused for a heartfelt moment: “Hello everyone. I’m Ado. Thank you for coming to Hibana. I’m so happy to be in Melbourne for the first time. This tour is the biggest experience of my life so far. I named the tour Hibana in the hope it will be a powerful spark, not just for me, but for Japanese music.”

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Photo by Viola Kam (V’z Twinkle Photography)

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Cue the entire arena chanting her name: “Ado! Ado! Ado!”

“Your happiness is my happiness. Thank you so much. I want to come back to Melbourne.”

And honestly? I think everyone who was there would love her to come back.

Then came “Odo”, kicking off a high-energy finale. But of course, we weren’t done yet. After much cheering from the crowd Ado came back for an encore. She started with “ROCKSTAR” that included a guitar solo that had my jaw on the floor and the crowd singing along.

Up next was a very memorable cover – Sia’s “Chandelier”. She absolutely nailed that chorus. Another bout of goosebumps ensued.

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Before the final song, Ado shared one last message: “I was just a kid with a gloomy personality. I used to sing alone in my closet… There were people who criticised my voice, or the way I sang… Maybe there’s someone out there tonight who feels the same kind of lonely. It’s okay to dream. Loneliness isn’t something to be ashamed of… that’s the message I want to share around the world. I hope my songs and this stage tonight can be something that gives you strength.”

It was honest and personal. I think it touched a lot of people in the crowd and they’ll take her message away with them.

She closed with “Shin Jidai (New Genesis)”, the theme from One Piece Film: Red, and it was the perfect ending – empowering, loud, and totally unforgettable.

Ado didn’t just perform for the crowd, she connected with them. This was more than just a concert. Whether you came in as a hardcore fan or just curious, you left entertained. Melbourne loved her, and from the sound of it, she loved Melbourne right back.

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ADO

Photo by Viola Kam (V’z Twinkle Photography)

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FOLLOW Ado:
Website – Facebook – Instagram – X
 TikTok – YouTube – Spotify – Apple Music

frontiertouring.com/ado | facebook.com/frontiertouring 
instagram.com/frontiertouring | x.com/frontiertouring

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ADO

Photo by Viola Kam (V’z Twinkle Photography)

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AMNPLIFY – DB

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