Reclusive Japanese singing sensation Ado is reaching astronomical new heights — literally — as her music travels beyond Earth’s atmosphere in an initiative backed by Elon Musk‘s SpaceX.
The 22-year-old J-pop phenomenon, who boasts 7.8 million YouTube followers and recently broke attendance records with a 33-show international tour spanning 30 countries, has become the first artist selected for Cannes Gala’s “BandWagon2” project, which aims to — eventually — bring music to the lunar surface.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully delivered Ado’s recordings to a satellite in low Earth orbit, marking the initial phase of this cultural experiment. The project represents a collaboration between creative teams from the U.K., Japan and the U.S.
While the moonshot mission faces significant technical hurdles — sound waves can’t travel through the vacuum of space and equipment must withstand extreme lunar conditions — the project aligns with NASA’s Artemis program’s cultural ambitions to pioneer artistic experiences in extraterrestrial environments.
“Leveraging our global influence and strategic connections, the team played a key role in facilitating this extraordinary mission,” said Taichi Ito, founder of international film studio NOMA and chair of Cannes Gala. “The initiative represents a significant step in connecting artistic expression with the technological aspirations of space exploration. Ado’s music is truly breaking new boundaries as it heads beyond the stratosphere and into space.”
Ado, who maintains an anonymous public persona despite her massive popularity, first captured widespread attention with her 2020 debut hit “Usseewa.” She further cemented her status as one of J-pop’s most influential voices when she performed “New Genesis,” the theme song for “One Piece Film: Red.”
The Cannes Gala describes itself as a “noble and sincere secret ceremony” held within the Cannes Film Festival that honors individuals supporting the content industry while providing a platform for charitable initiatives. If successful, Ado will make history as the first person to have her voice broadcast from the Moon.
