Ichiko Aoba

She’s among the world’s most hypnotic live performers, able to transport audiences into otherworldly realms of fantasy with the power of her voice alone. Now, following her unforgettable, sold-out performances at Vivid LIVE last year, Japanese singer-songwriter Ichiko Aoba returns to the Sydney Opera House for the Australian leg of her Across The Oceans world tour, playing the Concert Hall with collaborator and co-writer Taro Umebayashi and her string ensemble. From her early days immersed in Disney and Studio Ghibli soundscapes to her teenage breakthrough Kamisori Otome (2010) and her collaborations with Haruomi Hosono, Brian Eno and Ryuichi Sakamoto, the classically trained Aoba has pursued a sonic dream world as intimate as it is expansive. Recently reissued on vinyl, her critically acclaimed classic Windswept Adan (2020) wedded her whispery voice and delicate playing to lush instrumentation, earning the admiration of her contemporaries with raves from Caroline Polachek, Weyes Blood and Laufey. Riding the success of her latest masterpiece, the spellbinding Luminescent Creatures (2025), Aoba brings her live show back to Sydney, with multi-instrumentalist, pianist and arranger Taro Umebayashi leading a gorgeous string ensemble in accompaniment. Here’s your chance to experience one of music’s most enchanting, singular performers.