A Japanese singer who took an unconventional approach to covering “Enter Sandman” is receiving praise directly from Metallica.
Metallica Covered Twice During Music Festival in Japan
Japan’s annual Summer Sonic music festival has been gathering acts from around the globe for the better part of 25 years now. The current format of the festival features a similar lineup of artists performing on separate days in both Osaka and Tokyo.
Among the headliners for this year’s Summer Sonic was Ado, a 23-year-old Japanese pop singer. While her music has amassed hundreds of millions of plays on streaming platforms, it was her choice of cover song that may have created the most buzz in the U.S. following the festival.
Ado opened her set in Tokyo by playing a cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.”
As seen in the above clips, Ado’s Metallica cover clearly resonated with the Summer Sonic crowd in Tokyo. She brought it back a second time the following night in Osaka when she closed her set with the cover.
How Metallica Responded to Ado’s ‘Enter Sandman’ Cover
Count Metallica among those who took notice of Ado’s “Enter Sandman” covers during Summer Sonic.
READ MORE: 13 Unexpected Musicians Who Have Been Emergency Fill-Ins During Metallica Shows
The band’s official X account responded to a post by the singer that highlighted her performance, stating they were “blown away.”
Watching younger generations find their way to our music never gets old… It’s one of the best parts of doing this. But we’ve never seen it done quite like Ado just did it. Opening AND closing Summer Sonic with ‘Enter Sandman’?! We’re blown away. Thank you!
Ado later replied that it was “huge” that the band reached out to her.
“Your music transcends time, country, gender – everything! We draw so much strength from your music! It’s truly an honor. Thank you so much.”
Other Unexpected Artists Who Have Covered Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’
“Enter Sandman” has a way of appearing on setlists when you least expect it.
Maybe it’s the immediately recognizable guitar riff or the slow build into an explosion of sound, but artists across all music genres seem enamored with using the Metallica song to energize their crowds. Here are some notable instances when “Enter Sandman” has been covered by unexpected acts.
Fall Out Boy
Weezer
Rina Sawayama
The Warning
VOB
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Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll
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These musicians came to the rescue when Metallica needed some help from outside the band.
Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll
