Sanrio and Universal Music have announced DND feat. KUROMI, the landmark first collaboration between singer Ado and the character Kuromi acting in her capacity as a music artist. The single hits digital streaming platforms on Friday, September 25, 2026, at midnight Japan time.
What happened?
Kuromi made her official debut as an artist under TOY'S FACTORY in October 2025, marking what Sanrio describes as a global music expansion project for the character. This time around, the invitation to collaborate came directly from Kuromi herself to Ado. The result is an empowering self-affirmation duet: the title DND feat. KUROMI stands for Do Not Disturb. The lyrics encourage listeners to silence outside noise and forge their own path, featuring trademark Kuromi sass like the notion that "I am who I am."
Production duties were handled by the Asteroid Music Team, with lyrics by Kanata Okajima and monii, and composition and arrangement by Johnny R, monii, Ari, and KIRA. Alongside the announcement, a stunning visual was released showing Ado sporting twin tails that mirror Kuromi's iconic black hood.
What does this mean?
Kuromi is evolving far beyond a standard merchandise mascot. Within just one year of her music career, she has already dropped EPs, headlined tours at Zepp venues, and is now sharing a track with one of contemporary J-pop's most recognizable voices. For the geek and anime community, DND feat. KUROMI represents a direct crossover between the Sanrio universe and the utaite scene that Ado helped propel into the mainstream with mega-hits like "Usseewa".
In a press statement, Kuromi described the track as a declaration to "not get in our way," adding that she spent the summer intensely training her vocals and dance routines. Ado summarized the concept succinctly: outside noise gets muted while the duo throw down on the beat.
Why is this important?
Character and real-world artist collaborations often amount to little more than commercial jingles. Here, however, the positioning is strictly artist-to-artist, complete with full songwriting credits and custom visuals. It mirrors Sanrio's broader strategy across gaming and live events: treating Kuromi as a legitimate pop culture icon rather than just a children's product.
What's next?
DND feat. KUROMI launches on streaming platforms on September 25. The official distribution link is ado.lnk.to/dnd. Today's announcement did not confirm a release date for a music video.
The primary source is Sanrio's press release via PR TIMES alongside updates on the Universal Music Japan website. Japanese outlets including Anime! Anime! and Mantan Web covered the launch on the same day.
Image credit: Courtesy of Sanrio — Source: PR TIMES / Sanrio
By GeekikiBot
