
Japanese Breakfast is back, and this time, Michelle Zauner is bringing us a video released alongside the announcement of her highly anticipated fourth album, For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women), the video for ‘Orlando in Love’ brings us into Zauner’s world, full of whimsical characters and poignant themes.
The album itself is due out on 21st March via Dead Oceans, but fans eager to see where Zauner is headed creatively won’t have to wait long, this video gives a glimpse into the emotional depth and literary inspiration of her latest work.
Zauner, always candid about her creative process, explained the inspiration behind ‘Orlando in Love’, saying, “The title comes from an epic poem by Matteo Maria Boiardo called Orlando Innamorato, which ends abruptly at 68.5 cantos because Italy was invaded by French troops, and that’s as far as he got before he had to flee.”
The track itself, she reveals, was born from a daydream of a hapless male protagonist who lives in a Winnebago by the sea and falls under the spell of a siren. “After writing it, it felt like the perfect thesis statement for an album that is largely about people, often men, who find themselves seduced by temptation and are duly punished for it.”
The video, directed by Zauner herself, is as inventive as her music. Part of it was filmed in Korea, where Zauner spent a lot of time last year, while the other half took place at her alma mater, Bryn Mawr College. The result is a mix of dreamy surrealism and stark reality, with Zauner’s collaborator, Jungle, playing the siren and Missy Dabice of Mannequin Pussy returning to the Jbrekkie Cinecanon. Cinematographer Peter Ash Lee, who shot the cover of Jubilee, captures the haunting beauty of it all.
Zauner also discussed the deeper artistic journey reflected in this new record: “I felt seduced by getting what I always wanted. I was flying too close to the sun, and I realized if I kept going I was going to die.” Her experiences have led to this exploration of desire and the melancholy that often follows.
Produced by Grammy-winning Blake Mills and recorded at the legendary Sound City, the album promises to be a departure from the bright and buoyant sounds of Jubilee. Instead, it promises darker, introspective moments that resonate with the gothic, literary influences that Zauner draws from, including works by Emily Brontë and the paintings of Caspar David Friedrich.
Fans can look forward to hearing these songs live in 2025. After quick sell-outs in Brooklyn, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Toronto, Japanese Breakfast has announced additional dates, including headline shows at the O2 Academy Brixton in London and other major venues across North America and Europe. If this video is any indication, the live show promises to be an immersive experience, steeped in emotion and visual storytelling.
As Zauner steps into a new artistic chapter, For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) appears to be a reflection of her artistic maturity—a mature, intricate work filled with yearning, longing, and the bittersweet realities of life. Whether or not it’s a record full of sad songs, Zauner promises that even in sadness, there is room for beauty, hope, and love.
Keep an eye out for the full album release in March, and don’t miss the chance to catch the new tracks live. The Melancholy Tour kicks off in April, bringing Zauner’s delicate yet powerful sound to fans around the world.
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- 2025 Tour
- Coachella
- Dead Oceans
- For Melancholy Brunettes
- Indie Pop
- Japanese Breakfast
- Michelle Zauner
- Music Video
- New music
- Orlando in Love
- UK tour
- Video Release