Japanese Breakfast
Japanese Breakfast is the indie pop project led by singer, songwriter and guitarist Michelle Zauner, who also writes memoirs about family, food and Korean American identity.
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Michelle’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus their backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Dead Oceans
Dead Oceans
Knopf
Dead Oceans
Dead OceansOverview
- Led by
- Michelle Zauner
- Grew up
- Eugene, Oregon
- Started
- 2013, alongside her band Little Big League
- Debut album
- Psychopomp (2016)
- Breakout year
- 2021: Jubilee and Crying in H Mart
- Also creates
- Memoirs, music videos and video game music
Mini bio
How it started.
Michelle Zauner grew up in Eugene, Oregon, and played in Little Big League before Japanese Breakfast became her main project. Her first Japanese Breakfast tape, June, began in 2013 as a song-a-day writing exercise. Some of those early recordings became the starting point for Psychopomp.
Finding a voice.
After returning to Oregon to care for her mother, who had cancer, Michelle revisited those songs and wrote new ones. Psychopomp arrived in 2016, co-produced with Ned Eisenberg. Soft Sounds From Another Planet followed in 2017, using space and science fiction as ways to think through grief.
A wider world.
In 2021, Jubilee brought brighter arrangements and songs including “Be Sweet” and “Paprika.” That same year, Michelle published Crying in H Mart, her memoir about her mother, Korean food and identity, and composed the music for the game Sable. Jubilee earned Grammy nominations for Best Alternative Music Album and Best New Artist in 2022.
The next chapter.
For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), released in March 2025, turns toward guitar arrangements and stories of desire and loss. Michelle recorded it with producer Blake Mills at Sound City, with Jeff Bridges joining her on “Men in Bars.” Her next memoir, Thank You for Your Suffering, follows her year studying Korean in Seoul and is scheduled for April 2027.
Creditschronological, newest first
Music
- 2025For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)Lead vocalist and songwriter
- 2021JubileeLead vocalist and songwriter
- 2017Soft Sounds From Another PlanetLead vocalist and songwriter
- 2016PsychopompLead vocalist and songwriter
Film and games
- 2025Materialists: “My Baby (Got Nothing at All)”Original song writer and performer
- 2021SableSoundtrack composer and performer
Books
- 2027 (announced)Thank You for Your SufferingAuthor; scheduled for April 27, 2027
- 2021Crying in H MartAuthor
Awards
Quotes
I wanted to push it as far as it could go, inviting more people in and pushing myself as a composer, a producer, an arranger.Michelle Zauner, Dead Oceans’ Jubilee album notes
On expanding her songwriting and arrangements for Jubilee. https://deadoceans.com/releases/jubilee/
Trivia
- The name June came from a writing challenge: Michelle wrote a song a day for the month.
- “Be Sweet” was co-written with Wild Nothing’s Jack Tatum.
- Union Transfer in Philadelphia named its coat check after Michelle, who used to work there.
- Michelle grew up playing video games after her dad bought her a Super Nintendo.
Find Michelle
Find Michelle’s music, videos and updates on her official channels.
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