The Weeknd opened the Asian leg of his After Hours Til Dawn Tour with an unexpected musical collaboration in Japan. During his September 19 concert at Belluna Dome, he debuted an unreleased song known as “Tokyo” alongside Yoko Takahashi, the singer behind the opening theme of Neon Genesis Evangelion. The performance featured visuals created by Yoko Taro, bringing together the worlds of music, anime and video games.
The Weeknd introduced an unreleased song during his September 19 concert at Belluna Dome in Saitama, Japan, but the surprise went considerably further than a new addition to his setlist. Japanese singer Yoko Takahashi joined him onstage for the track, currently known as “Tokyo,” which incorporates elements of “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis,” the opening theme from Neon Genesis Evangelion. The performance also featured a specially created visual presentation by Yoko Taro, the director associated with the NieR video game series.
The moment arrived during the first of two Japanese concerts opening the Asian leg of the After Hours Til Dawn Tour. Rather than introducing the song as a conventional solo performance, Abel Tesfaye brought together three distinct creative identities: his own music, Takahashi’s instantly recognizable contribution to anime history and Taro’s approach to visual storytelling. Images from Evangelion and NieR:Automata filled the stadium screens as the new material made its live debut.
Takahashi’s involvement gave the performance a direct connection to the music being incorporated into the track. She originally recorded “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” for Neon Genesis Evangelion, which premiered in Japan in 1995. The song became closely associated with the series and has remained recognizable to anime audiences for more than three decades. Hearing its original vocalist alongside The Weeknd made the reference part of the live performance rather than simply a familiar recording used in the production.
The Japanese singer also had a moment entirely to herself. After appearing on the new song, she performed “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” for the Belluna Dome audience while Tesfaye stepped back and allowed her to take the spotlight. The original theme therefore appeared in two different forms during the concert: first as a musical element within his unreleased material and then as a performance of the song that made Takahashi internationally recognizable.
The collaboration was presented with visuals overseen by Yoko Taro, whose name is closely associated with the NieR series. The stadium screens combined material from Neon Genesis Evangelion with imagery from NieR:Automata, placing the two fictional worlds alongside the music. Taro’s participation gave the segment a dedicated creative direction, distinguishing it from the existing visual sequences used throughout the tour.
NieR:Automata, released in 2017, follows androids and machines through a science-fiction story concerned with identity, memory and existence. Evangelion explores its own complicated ideas through a very different setting, combining giant machines, teenage characters and psychological drama. Both works have developed audiences far beyond Japan, and their imagery brought recognizable elements of Japanese popular culture into a stadium production created for one of contemporary music’s biggest touring artists.
The Weeknd shared footage of the performance on X shortly after the concert. His post credited Yoko Taro and Yoko Takahashi, giving fans outside Japan an official glimpse of the presentation. Audience recordings also began circulating online, including footage of Takahashi performing the Evangelion theme. The clips brought immediate attention to the new music, although they did not establish when listeners might receive a studio version.
The title remains an important detail. The unreleased track has been identified as “Tokyo” in concert coverage and setlist documentation, but an official commercial release has not been announced. There is no confirmed release date, album placement or complete list of recording credits. Takahashi’s live appearance and Taro’s contribution to the visuals are established parts of the concert; their possible involvement in a future recording or music video has not been confirmed.
The September 19 performance also marked The Weeknd’s return to Japan after seven years. Belluna Dome, located in Tokorozawa in Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo, hosted two concerts on September 19 and 20. Japanese hip-hop duo Creepy Nuts were among the announced special guests for both dates, with DJ ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U also scheduled for the second evening.
The new track appeared again during the September 20 show, with Takahashi listed as a guest. Its inclusion on both nights suggests that Tesfaye planned the performance as part of the Japanese concert production rather than an improvised surprise limited to opening night. Whether it will remain in the setlist when the tour reaches other Asian cities has not been confirmed.
For fans following the development of his next musical project, the performance offers another piece of new material without answering the larger question of what comes next. Earlier this year, The Weeknd introduced another unreleased song, “Rio,” during a concert in Brazil with Anitta. The Japanese debut continues that pattern of presenting music to live audiences before making a formal announcement about its commercial future.
The timing is particularly interesting given the discussion surrounding Tesfaye’s artistic identity. His 2025 album Hurry Up Tomorrow completed a trilogy that began with After Hours in 2020 and continued with Dawn FM in 2022. He had previously discussed the possibility of moving away from The Weeknd name, leaving uncertainty about how he intended to present his music after completing the project.
His more recent comments have indicated that he does not intend to disappear from music. In August, he addressed the subject during a concert in Stockholm, and he subsequently discussed reconsidering the idea of retirement in an interview with GQ Hong Kong. Those statements were made before the Japanese shows, and the debut of “Tokyo” does not establish whether his next official release will appear under the same stage name.
The After Hours Til Dawn Tour has been running since 2022, growing into a production that spans several albums and multiple continents. Its current staging incorporates the music and imagery associated with After Hours, Dawn FM and Hurry Up Tomorrow, with extensive visual sequences connecting the performances. The Japanese collaboration adds a new piece to that established production rather than announcing a replacement tour or an entirely separate show.
The concert also demonstrated how Tesfaye can introduce unreleased material without interrupting the wider setlist. The September 19 performance included established songs such as “Starboy,” “The Hills,” “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears,” alongside selections from his more recent albums. The new song and Takahashi’s appearance were placed within that broader career-spanning performance, giving the audience something they could not hear on an existing studio recording.
Following the two Japanese concerts, the tour moves to Jakarta for performances on September 26 and 27. Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Hong Kong are also included in the Asian itinerary, with the current schedule extending into November. Fans attending those shows will now be watching for the possibility of hearing “Tokyo,” although The Weeknd has not confirmed that the Japanese segment will travel with the production.
For the moment, the September 19 debut remains the clearest presentation of the song. The Weeknd has shared footage, audiences have seen Yoko Takahashi join him onstage, and Yoko Taro’s visuals have introduced the track through two recognizable works of Japanese popular culture. A studio recording, official title confirmation and release date are still outstanding as the tour prepares for its next stop in Jakarta.
