I’m not a huge fan of music, so when I find something that I like, I tend to really stick with it. When I was growing up, the only two bands that I liked were Big Time Rush and Imagine Dragons. Coincidentally, those two were the only ones I’ve ever attended full-blown concerts of.
The same thing happened again when I was introduced to Japanese music and anime in 2021. There were numerous anime that had opening themes that I really liked, but when I would look into the artist, I rarely liked their other stuff.
In late 2022, I went to see One Piece Film: Red in theaters without ever having seen the anime. Then I went and watched it again. I thought the story was pretty good, but the soundtrack included some of the best songs that I have ever heard in media.
All the songs were performed by Ado, whom I didn’t know at the time, and she immediately became one of my favorites. It’s been nearly three years since then, and she’s evolved into something so much bigger than just being a Japanese singer. Her Hibana World Tour is a testament to that.
During the months preceding her performance at the Prudential Center in New Jersey, I was telling my friends that she’s eventually going to become the Japanese version of Taylor Swift. After attending her performance this week, I believe that even more.
The data doesn’t lie. The Hibana World Tour is her second world tour and included 34 shows, many of which sold out. Before the tour began, it was expected to be the largest global tour by a Japanese singer. Those are some impressive numbers, and she’s only 22 years old.
She’s a phenomenal singer, but her live performances even transcend that. I’ve seen some great concerts from the aforementioned bands, but being part of a live Ado concert is truly a once-in-a-lifetime musical experience.
What makes it so special? It’s nothing like your average concert. The focus is just on Ado and her singing. There’s no opening act or backup dancers. Her entire performance was two hours of music, lasers, and the cube.
While her talent is what makes her so amazing, her anonymity is a huge part of her character. Nobody knows what she looks like, and the Prudential Center went to great lengths to keep it that way.
There was no spotlight or any lights at all that hit the stage. All that was visible was Ado’s silhouette. She was also separated from her band, which performed on a lower level of the stage. The biggest aspect of her anonymity is the cube.
I still don’t even know what the cube is. It’s essentially a tiny cage that she performs in on the highest level of the stage. One would think performing in a cramped space would be detrimental to a concert, but the cube was visually and technically mesmerizing.
You could clearly see Ado’s silhouette and the giant screen behind her. But the cube itself is also a screen. The entire cube is a screen; there were multiple occasions where it looked like a giant blue box. That got me thinking, how does it work?
Was she even there? Was she located somewhere else, and her silhouette was just the display? How was something that looked like a cage able to show a complete image and video? I went down a deep rabbit hole.
But then I also noticed that some of the images were transparent enough to see through and that the cube had no roof. I was befuddled, but it made the whole experience even better.
The cube was just one of the aspects that made the show so great. Without dancers and a clear view of Ado, I was constantly having to focus on other aspects of the show. This included the band, the random visuals, the lasers, and the crowd.
I almost never pay attention to the crowd, but it was surreal in this instance. The Prudential Center was packed, likely more than 10,000 attendees. Many of them bought custom glow sticks, and the energy was incredible.
Everyone was yelling and cheering. The light from thousands of glow sticks was dazzling. The energy was similar to a sports playoff event. The crowd was colorful and fun to watch, and I would have never noticed in an average concert.
But of course, the most important part of a concert is the music. Ado performed 22 songs, which included some of her best hits like Usseewa, Backlight, and Show. Her songs are all great, but Ado made lots of adjustments in real time to make some moments and songs stand out.
The chaos of songs like RuLe and Usseewa really stood out here and turned these moments into some of the most intense experiences I’ve ever had in music.
Despite being two hours long, the show ended way too soon. At the end, Ado gave a speech about loneliness and how far she’s come in her career. She was constantly switching back and forth between Japanese and English, showing how much her English has improved.
When I left the show, I was in shock. I picked up some leftover merch, and all I could do during the ride home was think about how amazing the show was. I already can’t wait to see her next show and see where her career takes her next. I also hope that more people get to experience her music live in the future because it’s truly a fantastic experience.
