Ado has entered an agency agreement with WME, one of Hollywood’s “Big Three” talent agencies, covering all territories worldwide excluding Japan. Her management agency Cloud Nine will continue to handle all aspects of her management. The deal positions one of Japan’s biggest artists for further expansion into overseas markets.
The 23-year-old utaite superstar has built an international following around her anonymity and forceful vocal style since breaking through with 2020’s ‘Usseewa’, and remains one of the few J-pop acts with a regular stage presence in the US.
Her 2025 world tour Hibana drew more than 500,000 attendees across 34 performances in 33 cities, spanning five continents. She became the first Japanese artist to sell out major Western arena venues including the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and the Prudential Center in Newark.
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In May 2026, Ado headlined Zipangu in Los Angeles, the largest J-pop festival held in North America, jointly organised by Cloud Nine and Goldenvoice, the company behind Coachella. In August she’s scheduled to headline the Grove Stage at Lollapalooza in Chicago, and to become the first Japanese female solo artist to headline SUMMER SONIC 2026.
Ado is the second J-pop act to sign with WME this year, following trio Number_i, who entered a worldwide representation agreement with the agency in February. Japan ranks as the world’s second largest music market behind the US, and its industry has increasingly looked to promote artists abroad in recent years, a shift away from its traditionally domestic focus.
WME (William Morris Endeavor) represents artists and creators across music, film, television, sport, and literature, with offices in cities including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, and Sydney. Its music roster includes global names such as Adele, Billie Eilish, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Olivia Rodrigo, Rihanna, and Sam Smith.
