Review: Japanese Breakfast Is Pure Jubilee at Governors Ball Music Festival

Japanese Breakfast knows how to be sweet. In 2022, this alternative band, fronted by author Michelle Zauner, appeared at New York City’s Governors Ball Music Festival. 

For fans attending in person and even those tuning in to the live stream, the set was a “jubilee-filled” performance worth the listen. Here’s Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s review of Japanese Breakfast’s Gov Ball set.

Japanese Breakfast performed at 2022’s Governors Ball Music Festival

Live music is back in the big apple. Governors Ball Music Festival returned to Citi Field in 2022, with the three-day festival featuring Halsey, J. Cole, and Kid Cudi as headliners.

Performers added to the Sunday Gov Ball lineup include Playboi Carti, Glass Animals, Kaytranada, Becky G, Jazmine Sullivan, 100 Gecs, Clairo, COIN, and Soccer Mommy, among others.

Additionally, Japanese Breakfast performed at the Bacardí stage at this music festival, highlighting songs “Be Sweet,” “Posing In Bondage,” and “Everybody Wants to Love You.”

Japanese Breakfast fans were ‘In Heaven’ during the band’s Governors Ball performance

With Governors Ball (and attendees) closely monitoring the weather situation, the storm clouds drifted just in time for Japanese Breakfast’s set at the New York City music festival.

The group started with “Paprika,” complete with a flower-coated gong, saxophone, and violin. They highlighted the Sable Video Game Soundtrack original, “Glider.” Zauner even asked attendees to jump with her for “Slide Tackle,” as seen in videos later shared on her Instagram story. 

Because it’s one of New York City’s biggest music festivals, Governors Ball is a difficult crowd to win over, especially with such a rap-driven lineup in 2022. Still, Japanese Breakfast had attendees dancing, singing, and even crying. 

There were plenty of “I love you Michelle”s coming from the audience, which Zauner often responded to with a kind smile. At one point, Zauner stopped to talk about her less-than-enjoyable experience with billionaires. 

With an album titled Jubilee, this band oozed nothing but happiness during their set, even if it meant Zauner was betraying her Philadelphia roots to perform at Citi Field — the home of the New York Mets.

Zauner’s charisma, combined with her bandmates’ talent and the group’s expansive setlist made this performance a must-see at the music festival.

Japanese Breakfast and Michelle Zauner have several projects in the works

Aside from performing at Tennessee’s Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, the Pitchfork Music Festival, and Day In Day Out Festival, Japanese Breakfast headlines several concerts in 2022, making stops across North America. 

In addition to writing and performing music with Japanese Breakfast, Zauner is the New York Times best-selling author behind Crying In H Mart, a memoir detailing the singer-songwriter’s experience with her mother, music, and food.

Recently, the band earned a Grammy nomination in the Best Alternative Music Album category for their 2021 release, Jubilee, as well as a Best New Artist nomination. Music by Japanese Breakfast is available on most major streaming platforms.