Vietnamese American singer Dolly Ave is embarking on her very first solo U.S. tour titled Don’t Wanna Turn Back this month. Kicking off on the West Coast in Santa Ana on July 8, the tour is taking the singer across the States through mid-August.
Ahead of the tour, the singer-songwriter also made an appearance at Anime Expo 2026, performing an hour-long set at the Beer Garden. Following her performance, Asia Blooming spoke with Dolly Ave about performing, writing music, and, of course, anime.
While she’s performed for live audiences before, this is Dolly’s first ever headlining tour. “I’m really just excited to play the music live with a band and share the story behind the songs,” she began. “People can expect confidence. I’ve taken some time off to find my sound and to find what fits me, and I’m ready. I’ve learned that being an artist takes a lot of thick skin, so I just remind myself why I’m doing it, and no matter what, I just have to try.”
Part of preparing for a tour is coming up with a setlist. While Dolly knew she had to have songs like “Honda” on the setlist, the rest was selected to fit the specific era in life she feels she’s living right now. “It accidentally became a tradition that ‘Honda’ is always in the set, and we do a bit where we just keep the outro going and people just rage,” she shared. “But other than that, I think I’m in this era of my life that’s really energetic right now. I’m curious to explore in the future more of a slow sunset, but right now, it’s kind of all dancing and jumping around.”
For her performance at Anime Expo 2026, Dolly prepared a grungy Nana-inspired outfit, while her all-female band also wore anime-inspired outfits from other franchises. “I love Japanese culture and I grew up on anime,” she began with a smile. “I also performed with Miyavi on tour, and he exposed me to more of Japanese culture too. Naruto changed my life and got me more engulfed in the world. My favorite anime are Death Note, Berserk, and overall just really dark anime. I recently discovered Nana, and I didn’t know it was going to go where it goes. I thought it was like sweet and wholesome, but it gets tragic.” When thinking about anime, she shared that it has also inspired some of her music. “‘Better Side’ is a really good song on my new album,” she shared. “It’s not out yet, but I actually was inspired by Death Note, and at the end, I added a choir into the last chorus just like there was for the end of Death Note.”
Overall, Dolly Ave sees anime and music as two outlets to create connections and find community. “They’re just different ways to express yourself. Anime is visually beautiful, but ultimately, both tell a story,” she said. “I relate a lot to Nana Osaki specifically, for example, because she’s got edge and she’s had a lot of hard times in her life, but she just loves to play music.”
When describing her music, Dolly Ave calls herself a multi-genre artist. A lot of her original tracks blend alternative rock and emotional pop, and sometimes even lo-fi. Rather than focusing on a specific genre, her authenticity and goal lies in creating music that she can listen to. “If I can’t play my own song when I’m by myself, it’s just not the right song.” To do that, she writes with intention, usually starting with what story she wants to tell. “Every session is different, but I usually start off with words or a good concept.”
Finding her musical identity has been a journey, but writing songs that tell her own story has required an equally delicate balance between vulnerability and self-confidence. “I’ve just really embraced that life is just a journey, and we’re all human. I can’t expect everything to be perfect, so I’ve learned to give myself grace. Even now, during my Anime Expo set, the mic wasn’t working. But, instead of beating myself up, I just thought, ‘Hey, we’re playing live and things happen,’ so I made jokes and kept it light and flowing stead.”
Being vulnerable through her music has also revealed the power of shared experiences. “Just sharing the reason I sang or made the song has been very surprising. Sometimes you want to keep certain stories to yourself, but then when you share it, you’re realizing, oh, everybody else is going through the same thing and needs that song.”
A lot of Dolly Ave’s influence also comes from her upbringing and her culture. “I think the community has served me with so much love and support, and I wouldn’t really be where I might be without my background and my support,” she shared. “Just being out there and living my truth allows other people to live their truth, and I’m learning and being inspired by other Asian artists as well.”
