Michelle Zauner ’11, best known as the frontwoman of Japanese Breakfast, has always had a knack for blending the personal with the fantastic in her work. In the band’s latest music video, “Orlando in Love,” a dreamy glimpse into an imagined romance between a friar and an enchanting siren, she returns to her alma mater, Bryn Mawr College.
The video, which debuted on Jan. 14, is the first glimpse into the band’s fourth album For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), which is set to be released on March 21. The song features lush instrumentation and is a wistful meditation on desire, temptation, and seduction. It draws inspiration from Renaissance literature, namely the 15th-century epic poem “Orlando Innamorato” by Matteo Maria Boiardo, and classical art.
In the video, Zauner stars as Orlando, a friar who falls in love with Venus, who is played by Korean bassist Jungle. The narrative unfolds as a surreal, romantic journey, blurring the line between fantasy and reality.
The video opens with an atmospheric dream sequence, in which Orlando finds himself face to face with his love, before waking up at a candlelit desk alone. The opening lyrics, “Orlando in love, writes 69 cantos / For melancholy brunettes and sad women,” introduces the album’s overarching themes which Zauner says is “largely about people, often men, who find themselves seduced by temptation and are duly punished for it.”
In an interview with Uproxx, Zauner shared that the video was inspired by Eduard von Grützner’s painting The Connoisseur, which made Zauner “picture Orlando as a daydreaming friar who can’t help but tipple of the Abbey’s brews. He dreams of his siren and despite the dream’s foreboding imagery, decides he must run and find her.”
Zauner directed the video herself, with Peter Ash Lee serving as cinematographer for the Korean production team, and frequent collaborator Adam Kolodny as Director of Photography for the US production team.
According to a statement by Zauner on the band’s Instagram account, the music video was “shot half […] in Seoul and half at [her] gracious alma mater, Bryn Mawr College.” Lisa Zernicke, Director of Conferences and Events at Bryn Mawr College, stated that Zauner and her team toured campus on Dec. 27 to scout locations and returned a few days later, on Jan. 3, when the production team filmed from noon until midnight.
The video prominently features Old Library, with key scenes shot in the Quita Woodward Room and the Cloisters. The campus’ gothic architecture lends itself perfectly to the historic setting of the video, contributing to its sense of romance and dreamlike quality.
Building further anticipation for For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), Japanese Breakfast released a second single, “Mega Circuit,” released on Feb. 13 accompanied by another music video created by Zauner and Kolodny.
“Mega Circuit” is a sharp turn from the ethereal and melodic tone of “Orlando in Love,” focusing instead on contemporary masculinity and issues of violence and misogyny. The video features shaky, handheld footage of Zauner, alongside Seth McLaughlin and Dylan Ricci, riding around on ATVS, ziplining, and shooting rifles in the backwoods. The song itself is drum and guitar heavy, reflecting the grittiness of its lyrics and themes.
Though vastly different in sound and style, both singles hint at an album that will explore masculinity in its many forms, from medieval friars to modern-day incels.
Both music videos are available to watch on the band’s official Youtube channel.
