Review: Ado, Japan’s mysterious megastar, delivered the most metal performance of this year’s Lolla

It’s entirely possible that in a few years we’ll find out Ado is just a front for a secret CIA operative.

Since coming on the scene in 2020, the real person behind the mysterious J-pop star has been kept up under wraps. Anonymity is a foundational part of her identity as a singer who started as a cover artist and rose to international fame through the community of creators using Vocaloid, a Japanese music-composition software. And the length Ado’s team goes to keep her identity secret is a mind-blowing feat and quite impressive in the age of social media.

Watching this process all unfold at Lollapalooza was truly a marvel. Thirty minutes before Ado’s finale set at the Airbnb Stage kicked off, crews worked furiously to set up the large metal cage she performs behind — only visible as silhouette — while testing out a massive amount of lights strategically placed in front for another optical distraction.

Messages came across screens warning the throngs of people gathered that absolutely no photos, videos, recordings or binoculars of any kind would be allowed before, during or after the show. No one was really policing the demand, and it’s likely you can find snippets of the set on YouTube. At least we hope so, since Ado’s performance was one of the most intriguing of the weekend and it should be documented for posterity.

By now, Lollapalooza has become a musical IHOP — or, international house of pop. And Ado’s quote-unquote J-pop set capped off the festival’s global consonant trail, following on the heels of K-pop (Jennie, i-Dle, Aespa, Cortis) and P-pop (SB19). The only problem is there’s nothing really pop about Ado at all. In fact, she was one of the most metal things we saw all weekend.

Messages came across screens warning the crowd that absolutely no photos, videos, recordings or binoculars of any kind would be allowed before, during or after the show. Japanese megastar Ado performs at the Airbnb stage at Lollapalooza in Grant Park on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026.

Provided

While Ado was stuck behind her cage, an amplified four-piece band did a ton of showboating at the top of the stage, shredding their way through all 10 songs, accompanied by fireballs and laser light trickery. Ado also did just enough twirling and jumping to give proof of life to know her shtick is not just a ruse for some AI hologram.

Her powerhouse voice is nothing that could be manufactured, either. The way she was able to change from screaming to high-register singing on a dime, it could do laps with Rob Halford or Bruce Dickinson.

High points of the set came with “Usseewa,” “Kira” and the obvious “Rockstar.” All were done in Ado’s native Japanese, but the crowd devoured the songs nonetheless, waving around light sticks in her signature blue color and chanting her name throughout the brief 45-minute show. Ado also performed her rare English language song “Stay Gold” and did her best with a brief speech, too.

“Good evening, Chicago! I’m Ado, thank you for coming to my show tonight,” she began. “This is an amazing city. If I ever decide to move to America, Chicago is at the top of my list. And Chicago pizza, it’s yummy!”

She had more to stay but noted her teleprompter was having issues and switched over to speaking in Japanese. But no translation was needed to know what this moment meant to her and to the dedicated fans who felt an obvious connection, even if they have no idea who she is.

For more on Lollapalooza:

Lollapalooza 2026 kicks off in Grant Park — Day 1, what to know

Photos: Lorde, John Summit headline Lollapalooza Day 1

Ahead of Lollapalooza performance, Charli xcx meets fans for a chat at Reckless Records

Elizabeth Nichols dropped out of law school to pursue her music career after viral hits. Can she make the leap to mainstream success?

Photos: What we saw at Lollapalooza Day 2

THC-infused drinks generate a buzz at Lollapalooza

Beyond the headliners and packed crowds, another group quietly weaves through the festival: parents

Photos: Jennie, Olivia Dean, Geese, Leon Thomas at Lollapalooza Day 3

Photos: Tate McRae, Ado, Turnstile, Justine Skye, Amber Mark, Cruz Beckham at Lollapalooza Day 4

Lollapalooza 2026 set list

Show Usseewa Odo KIRA Stay Gold (Jax Jones & Ado song) Tot Musica AiAiA Monstruo ROCKSTAR Shin Jidai

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Chicago Sun-Times. Open at source →