Japanese Breakfast Announces New Album For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) and Shares Lyric Video for “Orlando in Love”

Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner officially announced her fourth album, For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women), set for release on March 21st via Dead Oceans. Alongside the announcement, Zauner shared a lyric video for the lead single, “Orlando in Love,” a beautifully poignant track that blends lush strings with Zauner’s tender lyricism.

The song paints a vivid portrait of desire, melancholy, and longing. Zauner sings, “As if the sea had bore her to be / An ideal woman / She came to him from the water / Like Venus from a shell,” crafting an image of romantic yearning inspired by classical mythology. The refrain of “Orlando! Orlando!” carries the sweetness of a lullaby, while the accompanying strings create a haunting, cinematic atmosphere.

In the lyric video, starring Jungle, Zauner steps into dual roles: a Venus-like figure emerging from the sea and a colonial man adorned with a tasseled, shell-covered hat. These visuals amplify the song’s themes of myth and melancholy, creating a surreal yet deeply emotive narrative.

The lyrics tell the story of a poet named Orlando, who writes “69 cantos for melancholy brunettes and sad women,” only to be seduced and ultimately consumed by an otherworldly siren. This blend of literary and mythological references encapsulates the gothic, contemplative spirit of the album, which Zauner describes as “a mature, intricate, contemplative work that conjures the romantic thrill of a gothic novel.”

For Melancholy Brunettes marks Japanese Breakfast’s first proper studio release, produced by Grammy Award winner Blake Mills and recorded at the iconic Sound City in Los Angeles. The album promises a shift from the bright exuberance of Jubilee to a more introspective exploration of desire and its consequences.

Reflecting on the inspiration behind the record, Zauner shares, “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.”

With its evocative lyrics, lush instrumentation, and striking visuals, For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) promises to be one of Japanese Breakfast’s most compelling and emotionally resonant releases yet.

Watch the lyric video for “Orlando in Love” here.