Michelle Zauner

Michelle Chongmi Zauner (born March 29, 1989) is a Korean-American singer, musician, director, and author. She is best known as the lead vocalist and songwriter of the indie rock band Japanese Breakfast and was previously in the band Little Big League. As Japanese Breakfast, Zauner has released three studio albums: Psychopomp (2016), followed by Soft Sounds from Another Planet (2017) and Jubilee (2021). Also as Japanese Breakfast, Zauner wrote the soundtrack for the video game Sable. The game and its soundtrack were released in 2021.

Michelle Zauner
Zauner performing at the Neptune Theatre in Seattle in September 2021
Background information
Birth nameMichelle Chongmi Zauner[1]
Born (1989-03-29) March 29, 1989[2][3]
Seoul, South Korea
OriginEugene, Oregon
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • director
  • author
Years active2005 (2005)–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitejapanesebreakfast.rocks

She released her debut book, Crying in H Mart: A Memoir, via Alfred A. Knopf in 2021. The book is planned to be adapted into a feature film by Orion Pictures, with Zauner providing the soundtrack.

Early life

Michelle Chongmi Zauner was born on March 29, 1989, in Seoul, South Korea to Chongmi and Joel Zauner.[5] Her mother was Korean and her father is Jewish-American.[3] Zauner was raised in Eugene, Oregon.[3] Her parents moved there when Zauner was nine months old.[3]

Zauner attended Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, where she studied creative writing.[6]

Music career

2005–2011: Early projects

Around 2005, Zauner first played under the moniker Little Girl, Big Spoon.[7] At Bryn Mawr, Zauner fronted Post Post, an indie pop band with other students from Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges.[8] She waited tables while trying to get her music career off the ground.[9]

2011–2014: Little Big League
Main article: Little Big League (band)

In 2011, Zauner started the Philadelphia emo band Little Big League.[10] The band released two albums, These Are Good People (2013) and Tropical Jinx (2014). She fronted the band until 2014, before returning to her hometown of Eugene, Oregon, after her mother was diagnosed with cancer.[10]

2013–present: Japanese Breakfast
Main article: Japanese Breakfast

Zauner's first release as Japanese Breakfast was June (2013), the result of a project where she and Rachel Gagliardi recorded and posted one song every day for the month of June.[11] These songs were posted daily on the Tumblr blog 'rachelandmichelledojune'. As Japanese Breakfast, Zauner also participated in a song project with musicians Eskimeaux, Florist, Frankie Cosmos, and Small Wonder. All of their songs were posted daily on the Tumblr blog 'may5to12songs'. Zauner released her songs from the project on Bandcamp as a digital album, Where Is My Great Big Feeling?, on June 6, 2014, followed shortly by American Sound on July 24. Both were released as the cassette tape American Sound/Where Is My Great Big Feeling.[12][13] Songs from these two releases appeared on the first two Japanese Breakfast albums.

Zauner performing on The Boaty Weekender in 2019

While in Oregon with her family, Zauner continued recording as Japanese Breakfast.[14] On April 1, 2016, Japanese Breakfast released its first studio album, Psychopomp, under Yellow K Records. On June 23, 2016, it was announced Japanese Breakfast had been signed to Dead Oceans. On July 14, 2017, Japanese Breakfast released its second studio album, Soft Sounds from Another Planet.[15]

In 2018, it was revealed during E3 2018 that Japanese Breakfast would provide the soundtrack for the indie video game Sable.[16] The game was to be released in 2019, but was delayed twice[17] and ultimately was released with its soundtrack on September 23, 2021.[18] Zauner said the song "Better the Mask", written for the game, was has "favorite song [she has] ever written as an artist.".[19]

Japanese Breakfast's third studio album, Jubilee, was released by Dead Oceans on June 4, 2021. In contrast to the previous two Japanese Breakfast albums, Jubilee was described as being about joy.[20]

On June 10, 2021, a cover by Japanese Breakfast of their song "Be Sweet" in the fictional Simlish language was released for the eleventh expansion pack for The Sims 4.[21]

Bumper

In 2020, Zauner collaborated with Ryan Galloway of the band Crying to form Bumper (stylized BUMPER) and released an EP titled pop songs 2020.[22]

Other ventures

Author

On July 13, 2016, Zauner won the 11th edition of the Glamour magazine essay contest with her essay, "Real Life: Love, Loss, and Kimchi".[23] The essay focused on Zauner's experiences with her mother's cancer diagnosis and death, as well as the bond Zauner and her mother shared over Korean food. On August 20, 2018, an essay by Zauner was published in The New Yorker entitled, "Crying in H-Mart".[24] The essay was similar in subject matter to the 2016 Glamour essay. On April 1, 2021, an essay by Zauner was published online by Harper's Bazaar entitled "#Forgiveness."[25] The essay detailed Zauner's experiences with her father, whom she became estranged from after the death of her mother.[25]

On February 28, 2019, it was announced that the publishing rights to Zauner's memoir were won at auction by Knopf.[26] On April 20, 2021, Zauner released her first book Crying in H Mart: A Memoir (based on the 2018 New Yorker essay) via Alfred A. Knopf.[27] The book debuted at number two on The New York Times nonfiction best-seller list for the week ending April 24, 2021.[28] On June 7, 2021, Orion Pictures announced they would adapt Crying in H Mart into a feature film.[29] As part of the deal, Zauner is to help adapt the film and supervise the film's soundtrack.[29][30]

Director

Zauner has directed most of the music videos for Japanese Breakfast, except for "In Heaven" and "Jane Cum", which were directed by Adam Kolodny, and "Everybody Wants To Love You", which they co-directed.[31] Zauner described the music video for the Japanese Breakfast song "Boyish" as her "magnum opus".[31]

In 2017, Zauner directed the music video for the Jay Som single "The Bus Song".[32]

In January 2019, Zauner directed the music video for "Dylan Thomas", the lead single from Better Oblivion Community Center, a rock duo consisting of musicians Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst.[33] In February of the same year, Zauner directed the music video for the Charly Bliss song "Capacity".[34]

Personal life
Zauner and Bradley performing as Japanese Breakfast in September 2021

Zauner married her bandmate Peter Bradley in 2014, just two weeks before her mother's death.[35][36][37] The Japanese Breakfast song "Till Death" was written by Zauner as a love song and a thank-you note to Bradley.[38]

Zauner is bisexual.[39] She revealed that the Japanese Breakfast song "Everybody Wants To Love You" was written about her relationship with a woman.[40]

Zauner has said she hopes her work can influence more Asian-Americans to be involved in music.[41]

Discography

Japanese Breakfast

Little Big League
  • These Are Good People (2013)[10]
  • Tropical Jinx (2014)[10]

Bumper
  • pop songs 2020 (2020)[4]

Bibliography
  • Zauner, Michelle (2021). Crying in H Mart: A Memoir. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 978-0-525-65774-3.

References
  1. Leonard, Shasha (April 21, 2021). "Japanese Breakfast on her memoir Crying in H Mart". Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  2. Dye, Ashley (April 6, 2018). "Japanese Breakfast talks 'Boyish' music video, grief and positivity, touring and more". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  3. Burack, Emily (August 24, 2018). "18 Things to Know About the Jewish Korean Musician Behind Japanese Breakfast". heyalma.com. Archived from the original on August 30, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  4. Moreland, Quinn (September 11, 2020). "BUMPER: pop songs 2020 EP Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  5. Tarng, Tammy (April 17, 2021). "When Her Mother Died, She Found Solace at a Korean Grocery". Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  6. Rao, Sonia (April 20, 2021). "Japanese Breakfast's Michelle Zauner is fighting for joy through grief". Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  7. "Little Girl, Big Spoon charms audiences with her honesty". Daily Emerald. 24 May 2006. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  8. "DIY Music". Atavist. 2016-05-13. Archived from the original on 2018-04-07. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
  9. Lee, Alexa (4 June 2021). "Japanese Breakfast isn't the artist she used to be". Vox. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  10. Teo-Blockey, Celine (September 15, 2016). "Interview: Japanese Breakfast's Michelle Zauner on death and 'Psychopomp'". AXS TV. 2929 Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  11. "June - Japanese Breakfast". Bandcamp. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  12. "Where Is My Great Big Feeling? - Japanese Breakfast". Bandcamp. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  13. "American Sound - Japanese Breakfast". Bandcamp. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  14. Hannah, Andy (October 18, 2016). "In the Rugged Country: Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast tells Andy Hannah about the loss which brought her back to the Pacific Northwest". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  15. "Soft Sounds from Another Planet - Japanese Breakfast". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  16. Wicks, Amanda (June 11, 2018). "Japanese Breakfast Soundtracks New Video Game "Sable"". Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  17. Horti, Samuel (March 28, 2021). "Sable: Everything we know so far". Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  18. Thiessen, Brock (June 14, 2021). "Japanese Breakfast Is Now Releasing a Video Game Soundtrack". Exclaim. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  19. Frank, Allegra (26 September 2021). "Japanese Breakfast Thinks This Is the Best Song She's Ever Written". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  20. "Japanese Breakfast announces new album 'Jubilee'". DIY. March 2, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  21. Campbell, Ian Carlos (2021-06-10). "Japanese Breakfast did a Simlish cover for The Sims 4 because nonsense never gets old". The Verge. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  22. Moreland, Quinn (September 11, 2020). "BUMPER: pop songs 2020 EP Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  23. Zauner, Michelle (July 13, 2016). "Real Life: Love, Loss, and Kimchi". Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  24. Zauner, Michelle (August 20, 2018). "Crying in H Mart". Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  25. Zauner, Michelle (April 1, 2021). "#Forgiveness". Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  26. "JAPANESE BREAKFAST'S MICHELLE ZAUNER SIGNS BOOK DEAL FOR MEMOIR WITH KNOPF". Music News Net. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved Apr 7, 2020.
  27. "21 of the most anticipated new books to read this April". CNN. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  28. "Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction - Best Sellers". The New York Times. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  29. Galuppo, Mia (June 7, 2021). "'Crying in H Mart' Set for Feature Adaptation at MGM's Orion Pictures (Exclusive)". Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  30. Evans, Olivia (June 7, 2021). "Get Ready to Cry in a Movie Theater Again". The Cut. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  31. Fine, Gabriel (21 March 2019). "Japanese Breakfast Takes the Director's Seat". Spin. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  32. Israelsohn, Sophie (October 10, 2017). "Jay Som – "The Bus Song" Video (Dir. Japanese Breakfast)". Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  33. Rettig, James (January 29, 2019). "Better Oblivion Community Center – "Dylan Thomas" Video (Dir. Japanese Breakfast)". Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  34. Helman, Peter (February 6, 2019). "Charly Bliss – "Capacity" Video (Dir. Japanese Breakfast)". Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  35. "18 Things to Know About the Jewish Korean Musician Behind Japanese Breakfast". Alma. 2018-08-24. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
  36. "2014: A Year's Worth of Memories, Pt. 1". Heartbreaking Bravery. 2015-01-13. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
  37. Moreland, Quinn. "Japanese Breakfast Is Working the Pain Away". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
  38. Boilen, Bob (July 14, 2017). "Japanese Breakfast Explains 'Soft Sounds From Another Planet,' Track By Track". NPR. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  39. Zauner, Michelle (Sep 23, 2019). "I'm hella bi always have been always will b". Twitter. Retrieved 2021-05-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  40. Zauner, Michelle (June 13, 2017). "Also fun fact: Everybody Wants to Love You was written about my relationship with a woman who has no idea I wrote it for her ❤️". Twitter. Retrieved 2021-05-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  41. Gardin, Russell. "Pop Music Has A Sense of Urgency: An Interview With Japanese Breakfast". FreePressHouston.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  42. Sendra, Tim. "Psychopomp – Japanese Breakfast". AllMusic. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
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