Michelle Zauner, under her Japanese Breakfast moniker, has taken her musical and visual storytelling to new heights with the release of a cinematic music video for “Orlando In Love,” the lead single from her forthcoming album For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women). What began as a simple lyric video quickly evolved into a fully realized visual, one that mirrors the track’s whimsical yet poignant exploration of temptation and consequence.
In a statement, Zauner explains the complex web of inspiration behind the video. The song’s title draws from Matteo Maria Boiardo’s Orlando Innamorato, an epic poem that was abruptly cut short when Boiardo had to flee Italy due to the French invasion. This unfinished narrative, which halts at canto 68.5, deeply resonated with Zauner, inspiring a story of a male protagonist—a daydreaming friar living by the sea in an RV—who is seduced by a siren. The symbolism is clear: Zauner is exploring how men often fall prey to temptation and, as a result, face inevitable punishment.
The video is a visual feast, drawing on Zauner’s recent time in Korea and her time at Bryn Mawr College. Filmed partly in Korea with Peter Ash Lee (who also shot the cover of Jubilee) and partly at Bryn Mawr with longtime collaborator Adam Kolodny, the video features a cast of friends, including Jungle as the siren and Missy Dabice from Mannequin Pussy as one of the friars. The resulting video is a kaleidoscope of dreamlike imagery, blending a mix of classical references with modern eccentricity.
Alongside the release of the video, Japanese Breakfast has announced additional dates for her 2025 Melancholy Tour. Kicking off in April, the tour will see Zauner playing major venues across North America and Europe, including a run at Coachella, followed by shows in cities like Toronto, Boston, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia. For European fans, there’s a leg taking her through Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and major UK and French venues. The tour promises to bring Zauner’s increasingly cinematic approach to live performances, making it a must-see event for fans.
As Japanese Breakfast continues to evolve, For Melancholy Brunettes promises to be an album full of lush soundscapes and intricate, emotionally charged visuals. With “Orlando In Love,” Zauner has once again proven her mastery of blending personal narrative with universal themes of love, loss, and the consequences of desire.