She’s a massive success in her native Japan, but has never revealed her face. As she plays the UK for the first time, Ado explains her ultra-catchy rage-filled songs – and her hopes for gen Z

Ado was recently walking through a music store in Taipei and saw her latest album on a huge display. “I thought, ‘The staff who made that display have no idea I’m here right now.’ But I’ve got used to that feeling. It makes me happy.”

The Japanese pop singer is a superstar in east Asia and online – 10 platinum-selling singles, and more than six million global monthly listeners on Spotify – but Ado’s identity is a closely guarded secret. She never appears in photos or videos, and at concerts only her silhouette is visible. During our video interview, her camera is off. She’s an engaging conversationalist and powerful live performer, but clearly something of an introvert. “No one knows anything about my personal life, so it was a shock to hear my own voice playing in public places at first,” she admits, as she gears up for her first overseas tour, which reaches the UK this month.