by Popular Japanese singer Ado will open up about her life, career, and personal journey in a new NHK radio special titled “Ado Things I Want to Tell You from My 23-Year-Old Self.” The special will air on NHK AM on August 30, 2026, from 8:05 PM to 8:55 PM, with virtual singer Hatsune Miku serving as the program’s narrator.
The special will allow listeners to hear Ado speak about her experiences in her own words, from her childhood and early musical influences to the struggles and insecurities she experienced before becoming one of Japan’s most recognizable young singers.
The program is expected to be particularly interesting for fans who want to learn more about the person behind Ado’s powerful performances.
Ado to Talk About Her Life and Musical Journey
Ado has built an extraordinary career at a young age, but her path to becoming a professional singer was not always straightforward.
In the NHK special, she will look back at different stages of her life, including her childhood, moments of self-doubt, and feelings of inferiority. She will also discuss the period when she became deeply interested in Vocaloid music and utaite culture.
For Ado, the utaite community played an important role in shaping her musical identity. Before achieving mainstream success, she was fascinated by singers who performed Vocaloid songs and shared their music online.
The program will explore how those experiences influenced her decision to pursue music and eventually develop her own distinctive style.
Rather than focusing only on her success, the special is expected to look at the less visible parts of her journey, including the uncertainty and emotional struggles that accompanied her ambitions.
Ado’s Autobiographical Book Provides More Context
The NHK program comes several months after the release of Ado’s autobiographical novel ** Vivarium: Ado and Me ** in February 2026.
The book offered fans another opportunity to learn about her life and experiences, while the upcoming radio special will allow Ado to discuss her story directly through an intimate audio format.
Radio is particularly suited to this kind of personal conversation because there is no visual performance to distract from the singer’s words.
Listeners will instead hear Ado reflecting on her childhood, her relationship with music, and the experiences that helped shape her identity.
Her comments about why she describes herself as an “utaite” are also expected to be an interesting part of the program.
Hatsune Miku Will Narrate Ado’s Story
One of the most unusual aspects of the special is the involvement of Hatsune Miku.
The virtual singer will serve as the program’s narrator, creating an interesting connection between two artists who have strong ties to Japan’s internet music culture.
Hatsune Miku became a major symbol of Vocaloid culture, while Ado’s early musical interests were also closely connected to Vocaloid songs and online singing communities.
Because of that shared cultural background, Miku’s presence is particularly meaningful rather than simply being a promotional guest appearance.
Her narration is expected to provide transitions and context as Ado recounts different periods of her life.
The combination of Ado’s personal memories and Miku’s distinctive virtual voice could give the special a unique atmosphere.
A Message for Young People
The program is also designed to go beyond Ado’s personal biography.
As she reflects on her experiences, Ado will send a message of hope and encouragement to children and young people, encouraging them to believe in their future.
This theme fits naturally with the story of her own career.
Ado’s journey began with an interest in online music and performances before she became a major recording artist. Her story demonstrates how interests developed in private can eventually become an important part of someone’s professional life.
The special therefore appears intended not only for existing fans, but also for younger listeners who may be struggling with questions about their own future.
Ado has expressed her hope that the stories she shares will reach people who need encouragement.
Ado Says She Hopes Her Story Will Resonate With Someone
Speaking about the special, Ado expressed her wish that her experiences would connect with listeners.
She explained that she talked about her life on the radio, including why she calls herself an utaite and various episodes from her past.
Her message is particularly personal because the program is not simply a retrospective about her career achievements. Instead, it focuses on the experiences that shaped her as a person.
Ado hopes that someone listening to her story might recognize their own feelings in what she says.
That could make the program especially meaningful for listeners who are interested in the person behind the artist.
Ado, Hatsune Miku and NHK Announcer Chieko Katayama
The special will feature three key voices:
- Ado — Singer and central guest
- Hatsune Miku — Virtual singer and narrator
- Chieko Katayama — NHK announcer
Katayama will help guide the program while Ado shares her memories and experiences.
Meanwhile, Hatsune Miku’s narration provides a distinctive connection to the Vocaloid culture that influenced Ado’s early musical interests.
When and Where to Listen
Ado Things I Want to Tell You from My 23-Year-Old Self
Broadcast date: August 30, 2026
Time: 8:05 PM–8:55 PM
Broadcaster: NHK AM
Streaming: NHK’s Radiru★Radiru
Catch-up availability: One week after the broadcast
Listeners who cannot tune in live will therefore have another opportunity to hear the program through NHK’s online radio service during the available streaming period.
Because the program is scheduled for only 50 minutes, it will provide a relatively compact look at Ado’s life and thoughts.
Why Ado’s Story Is Worth Hearing
Ado is now internationally recognized for her powerful vocals and dramatic musical performances, but her rise began in Japan’s online music culture.
That background is important to understanding her artistic identity.
Her connection to Vocaloid and utaite culture helped introduce her to a style of music that could be created, shared,d and discovered online. Eventually, that interest developed into a professional career that reached far beyond the internet communities where she began.
The new NHK special provides an opportunity to hear about that journey directly from Ado rather than simply reading about it through interviews or biographies.
For longtime fans, it could reveal new details about familiar chapters of her life. For newer listeners, it may provide useful context about how Ado became the artist she is today.
Final Thoughts
“Ado Things I Want to Tell You from My 23-Year-Old Self” will air on NHK AM on August 30, 2026, from 8:05 PM to 8:55 PM.
With Ado discussing her childhood, insecurities, musical influences, and journey through the utaite and Vocaloid communities, the program promises to offer a more personal look at the singer’s life.
The addition of Hatsune Miku as narrator is another major highlight, particularly given Ado’s connection to the music culture that Miku helped popularize.
For fans who have followed Ado’s career, the special could provide a deeper understanding of the experiences behind her music. And for younger listeners, her message about believing in the future may be one of the most important parts of the program.
