Who is Japanese Breakfast?

Japanese Breakfast is an American indie rock solo project of Michelle Zauner, an American singer-songwriter and musician. Her music blends dreamy, electronic-tinged indie rock with influences from punk, pop, and folk.

Early Life

Michelle Zauner was born in Eugene, Oregon to Korean immigrant parents. She grew up between Oregon and Seoul, South Korea. She attended college at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania before moving to Philadelphia to pursue music.

Musical Career

Japanese Breakfast began as a bedroom project for Zauner in 2013. She released her first album Psychopomp independently in 2016 and then signed to Dead Oceans for her second album Soft Sounds from Another Planet. The album received widespread critical acclaim and she continued to tour extensively throughout 2017-2018. Her third album, Jubilee was released in June 2020 to further critical acclaim.

Collaborations

Michelle has collaborated with other notable artists such as Little Big League, Cayetana, and The Spirit of the Beehive. She also directed the music video for the song “Boyish” off of her album Soft Sounds from Another Planet.

Style & Musical Influences

Her style is often classified as indie rock with dreamy electronic elements, often described as “dreamo”. Her musical influences range from classic rock bands like Fleetwood Mac to modern indie acts like Mitski. She has also cited acts such as The Cranberries, Elliott Smith and Radiohead as inspirations.

Discography

Japanese Breakfast has released three studio albums since 2016: Psychopomp (2016), Soft Sounds from Another Planet (2017), and Jubilee (2020).