The indie sensation Japanese Breakfast, fronted by Michelle Zauner, is back with a spellbinding new single, “Orlando in Love,” marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter. The track arrives as the lead single from their upcoming album, For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women), set to release on March 21, 2025, via Dead Oceans. With Grammy-winning producer Blake Mills at the helm, this promises to be one of the most poignant releases of the year.
The Single: “Orlando in Love”
“Orlando in Love” is a dreamy, acoustic-driven piece that expands into a rich sonic landscape, weaving Zauner’s lyrical depth with Mills’ meticulous production. Inspired by Orlando Innamorato, an unfinished epic made up of 68 ½ cantos by the Renaissance poet Matteo Maria Boiardo, the track transforms classical myth into a modern-day meditation on desire and vulnerability. Zauner’s poetic lyricism shines as she croons, “As if the sea had bore her to be / An ideal woman.”
The accompanying music video, directed by Zauner, enhances the song’s ethereal vibe. Starring drag queen Jungle as Venus, the video combines interpretive dance and atmospheric visuals, creating a layered exploration of identity and longing.
The Album: For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women)
Japanese Breakfast’s fourth studio album follows the critically acclaimed Jubilee (2021) and marks a new artistic milestone in her career. Recorded at the iconic Sound City Studios and produced by Blake Mills, the album embraces a lush, studio-polished sound while delving into themes of desire, ambition, and the bittersweet irony of success. Zauner shared her reflections on creating the album: “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.”
Tracklist:
The album’s tracklist includes:
- “Here is Someone”
- “Orlando in Love”
- “Honey Water”
- “Mega Circuit”
- “Little Girl”
- “Leda”
- “Picture Window”
- “Men in Bars (feat. Jeff Bridges)”
- “Winter in LA”
- “Magic Mountain”
The Tour: The Melancholy Tour
To celebrate the album, Japanese Breakfast will embark on The Melancholy Tour later this year, beginning with performances at Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival 2025 on both weekends and continuing through North America, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the rest of Europe, with a number of other music festival stops along the way. Highlights include shows in London, Oslo, Manchester, Glasgow, and Copenhagen.
Tickets go on sale January 10, 2025, at 10 a.m. local time.
With For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women), Japanese Breakfast is poised to once again captivate fans with their blend of emotional storytelling and sonic innovation. “Orlando in Love” offers a tantalizing glimpse into what’s to come—a record that promises to be as deeply introspective as it is musically expansive.
Dive into the world of For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) when it arrives this March, and in the meantime, let “Orlando in Love” carry you away with its timeless allure. Listen to the new single below:
Pre-order For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) here.
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